The Republican journal., 1911-05-11
Hunt no easy going way,
And may God keep thy heart !"
THE SECRETARY'S REpOR'

THE sECRETARY's REPORT.
Dear "Travellers"-In my frantic endeavor
to evolve some new method by which to
present to you the travel story of the year, a
still small voice suggested rhyme. Possibly
ere finish you will say twas the whisper of
rhyme than reason
If this child is imperfectly formed,
Abnormal in many part,
With too many feet to stand upon,
Be sure it is right at heart.
With an apology to the real poets in our club
l give it you-
THE TRAVELLERS" IN RUSSIA.
1t matters not to what part of this mundane
sphere va
The Belfast Travellers" their annual course
may steer,
There are abundant pleasures and profit ever
To each and all of its members clever.
Yet when in the fair ides of October last,
To Russia in the east, the choice was made
fast
To some, misgivings and doubts were many,
Lest the old time interest fail to arouse in any.
To Mrs. Craig shall the credit be given,
For this bolt of doubt, first so successfully
riven,
And when with delightful poise and graceful
mein,
Like to schoolday regime. was most clearly
seen
With map and rule, and intelligent changes,
Every fertile spot, midst rivers and mountain
ranges,
entirely new,
We readily Joined our winsome guide these
Russian scenes to view.
A custom of the years led US next in course
to draw
A history Of early centuries, from versatile
Mrs Shaw,
And right ably did she handle each period in
turn,
Chapters of horrors largely, with no note of
peace to learn,
Yet valuable information of the blending by
force of might
Of seventy independent States into one, a
"Muscovite."
Again of mighty Oleg, with his two thousand
boats upon wheels,
In his capture of Constantinople, wonderful
strategy reveals,
But retribution sure and swift, a prophecy to
fulfill,
Is following close, and all unlocked, serpent
strikes to kill.
So on down through the ages, by atrocities and
bloodshed rife,
A pathway was made for Vladimir, he of the
purer life,
And now in "Christianized Russia an heroic
epoch begun
With the valiant deeds of the Sunny Prince
upon every native tongue.
The later period of Peter the Great, was
splendidy portrayed
By Miss Mabel Mathews. who naturally to her
aid
Called her many latent resources, to depict in
language plain,
This strangely multiform character, and his
very progressive reign.
A usurper of the rights of others to obtain
the sovereign power,
He held the same unscrupulousness, a magic
right of dover
To secure his every end in governing church
and State,
Yet in genuine ambition, he stands first, as
truly great
visitor to Holland in even the present day
may see
A tangible evidence of his search for knowi-
edge and inquiry;
And a picture of this Tar with axe on Shout
der broad,
In working clothes, with Dutch-made pipe in
stead of sheath and sword,
Leaves deeper and truer impression upon a
retentive mind,
Than his colossal sovereign power, deduced
from the cruel base unkind.
To the ancient capital Moscow our initial visit
was made,
Where at the very entrance OBJ bar(r } was in
tentionally laid,
But all academic rules to the contrary, instead
of means to annoy,
1t proved delightful coup etat, Joy with
out alloy.
All about this unique city we followed our in
telligent guide,
Sometimes knee deep in SHOWS. or in zero
blasts to ride,
Nothing of all it's beauty, its fame or richest
lore,
Was lost to eye or ear; still lifted more and
more
Into the presence of grandeur, and the music
of the bells
"That rock the Kremlin tower, yet how sweet
their music swells"-
We shared with Mrs. Knowlton this architec-
tural wonder;
Then moving on, still its refining influence
under,
We visited the Troltza convent, here realizing
anew
A valued right of possession in (P) pitcher
of metal pure and true,
So to a night of rest ere we further journeyed
Many another scene as bright to be ours at
rise of sun.
To St. Petersburg, the city of palaces next in
line,
With it's five hundred streets, sixty-fo
squares and churches fine,
Our approach was novel, neither by carriage
rail nor barge,
But directly through (F) field, in area not
over large,
Yet yielding harvest of good things, for our
benefit alone,
And in point of comfort, ideal, not even stick
or stone
To obstruct our way. on circuit of every
pleasing point,
For guide SO easily dominant of ills. is sell
dom out of joint.
Nothing in way of contrasts, exceeded the
sudden drop
From aristocratic Nevsky Prospect, with its
mingling of palace and shop,
To Stouchine Dvor, all SO filthy, with rags and
dirt that throw
Odors, not from Araby, tho stronger by far,
yet to know
All this curious quarter, we Miss Dunton's
guidance sought,