II 'Twas when the rain fell steady an' the Ark was pitched an' ready, That Noah got his orders for to take the bastes below; He dragged them all together by the horn an' hide an' feather, An' all excipt the Donkey was agreeable to go. Thin Noah spoke him fairly, thin talked to him sevarely, An' thin he cursed him squarely to the glory av the "Divil take the ass that bred you, and the greater ass that fed you Divil go wid you, ye spalpeen!" an' the Donkey went aboard. But the wind was always failin', an' 'twas most onaisy sailin', An' the ladies in the cabin couldn't stand the stable air; An' the bastes betwuxt the hatches, they tuk an' died in batches, Till Noah said: "There's wan av us that hasn't paid his fare!" For he heard a flusteration 'mid the bastes av all creation The trumpetin' av elephints an' bellowin' av whales; An' he saw forninst the windy whin he wint to stop the shindy The Divil wid a stable-fork bedivillin' their tails. The Divil cursed outrageous, but Noah said umbra geous: "To what am I indebted for this tenant-right invasion?" An' the Divil gave for answer: can, sir, "Evict me if you For I came in wid the Donkey-on Your Honour's invitation." THE ENGLISH FLAG Above the portico a flag-staff, bearing the Union Jack, remained fluttering in the flames for some time, but ultimately when it fell the crowds rent the air with shouts, and seemed to see significance in the incident.-DAILY PAPERS. WINDS of the World, give answer! They are And what should they know of England who only The poor little street-bred people that vapour and They are lifting their heads in the stillness to yelp at the English Flag! Must we borrow a clout from the Boer-to plaster anew with dirt? An Irish liar's bandage, or an English coward's shirt? We may not speak of England; her Flag's to sell or share. What is the Flag of England? Winds of the World, declare! The North Wind blew:-" From Bergen my steelshod vanguards go; I chase your lazy whalers home from the Disko floe; By the great North Lights above me I work the will of God, And the liner splits on the ice-field or the Dogger fills with cod. "I barred my gates with iron, I shuttered my doors with flame, Because to force my ramparts your nutshell navies came; I took the sun from their presence, I cut them down with my blast, And they died, but the Flag of England blew free ere the spirit passed. "The lean white bear hath seen it in the long, long Arctic night, The musk-ox knows the standard that flouts the What is the Flag of England? Ye have but my Ye have but my drifts to conquer. Go forth, for it is there!" The South Wind sighed :—" From the Virgins my mid-sea course was ta'en Over a thousand islands lost in an idle main, Where the sea-egg flames on the coral and the longbacked breakers croon Their endless ocean legends to the lazy, locked lagoon. Strayed amid lonely islets, mazed amid outer keys, I waked the palms to laughter-I tossed the scud in the breeze Never was isle so little, never was sea so lone, But over the scud and the palm-trees an English flag was flown. "I have wrenched it free from the halliard to hang for a wisp on the Horn; I have chased it north to the Lizard-ribboned and rolled and torn; I have spread its fold o'er the dying, adrift in a hopeless sea; I have hurled it swift on the slaver, and seen the slave set free. "My basking sunfish know it, and wheeling albatross, Where the lone wave fills with fire beneath the Southern Cross. What is the Flag of England? Ye have but my reefs to dare, Ye have but my seas to furrow. Goforth, for it is there!" The East Wind roared: -" From the Kuriles, the And me men call the Home-Wind, for I bring the Look-look well to your shipping! By the breath of my mad typhoon I swept your close-packed Praya and beached your best at Kowloon! |