ATTHEWAROFFICE，LONDON
（AffixingtheListsofKilledandWounded:December，1899）
I
LastyearIcalledthisworldofgain—givingsThedarkestthinkable，andquestionedsadlyIfmyownlandcouldheaveitspulselessgladly，SochargeditseemedwithcircumstancewhencespringsThetragedyofthings。
II
YetatthatcensuredtimenoheartwasrentOrfeatureblanchedofparent，wife，ordaughterByhourlyblazonedsheetsoflistedslaughter;
DeathwaitedNature\'swont;PeacesmiledunshentFromIndtoOccident。
ACHRISTMASGHOST—STORY
SouthoftheLine，inlandfromfarDurban，Amoulderingsoldierlies—yourcountryman。
Awryanddoubleduparehisgraybones，AndonthebreezehispuzzledphantommoansNightlytoclearCanopus:\"IwouldknowBywhomandwhentheAll—Earth—gladdeningLawOfPeace，broughtinbythatManCrucified，Wasruledtobeinept，andsetaside？
AndwhatoflogicoroftruthappearsIntacking\'AnnoDomini\'totheyears？
Neartwenty—hundredlivenedthushavehied，ButtarriesyettheCauseforwhichHedied。\"
Christmas—eve，1899。
THEDEADDRUMMER
I
TheythrowinDrummerHodge，torestUncoffined—justasfound:
Hislandmarkisakopje—crestThatbreakstheveldtaround;
AndforeignconstellationswestEachnightabovehismound。
II
YoungHodgetheDrummerneverknew
FreshfromhisWessexhome
ThemeaningofthebroadKaroo，TheBush，thedustyloam，AndwhyuprosetonightlyviewStrangestarsamidthegloam。
III
YetportionofthatunknownplainWillHodgeforeverbe;
HishomelyNorthernbreastandbrainGrowupaSoutherntree。
Andstrange—eyedconstellationsreignHisstarseternally。
AWIFEINLONDON
（December，1899）
I—THETRAGEDY
ShesitsinthetawnyvapourThattheCitylaneshaveuprolled，BehindwhosewebbyfoldonfoldLikeawaningtaperThestreet—lampglimmerscold。
Amessenger\'sknockcrackssmartly，FlashednewsisinherhandOfmeaningitdazestounderstandThoughshapedsoshortly:
He—hasfallen—inthefarSouthLand
II—THEIRONY
\'Tisthemorrow;thefoghangsthicker，Thepostmannearsandgoes:
AletterisbroughtwhoselinesdiscloseBythefirelightflickerHishand，whomthewormnowknows:
Fresh—firm—pennedinhighestfeather
Page—fullofhishopedreturn，Andofhome—plannedjauntsbybrakeandburnInthesummerweather，Andofnewlovethattheywouldlearn。
THESOULSOFTHESLAIN
I
ThethicklidsofNightcloseduponmeAloneattheBillOftheIslebytheRace{1}
Many—caverned，bald，wrinkledofface
AndwithdarknessandsilencethespiritwasonmeTobroodandbestill。
II
Nowindfannedtheflatsoftheocean，Orpromontorysides，Ortheoozebythestrand，Orthebent—beardedslopeoftheland，WhosebasetookitsrestamideverlongmotionOfcriss—crossingtides。
III
SoonfromoutoftheSouthwardseemednearingAwhirr，asofwingsWavedbymighty—vannedflies，Orbynight—mothsofmeasurelesssize，Andinsoftnessandsmoothnesswell—nighbeyondhearingOfcorporalthings。
IV
Andtheyboretothebluff，andalighted
Adim—discernedtrainOfspriteswithoutmould，Framelesssoulsnonemighttouchormighthold
Ontheledgebytheturretedlantern，farsightedBymenofthemain。
V
AndIheardthemsay\"Home！\"andIknewthemForsoulsofthefelledOntheearth\'snetherbordUnderCapricorn，whitherthey\'dwarred，AndInearedinmyawe，andgaveheedfulnesstothemWithbreathingsinheld。
VI
Then，itseemed，thereapproachedfromthenorthwardAseniorsoul—flameOfthelikefilmyhue:
Andhemetthemandspake:\"Isityou，Omymen？\"Saidthey，\"Aye！WebearhomewardandhearthwardTolisttoourfame！\"
VII
\"I\'veflowntherebeforeyou，\"hesaidthen:
\"Yourhouseholdsarewell;
But—yourkinlingerlessOnyourgloryaridwar—mightinessThanondearerthings。\"—\"Dearer？\"criedthesefromthedeadthen，\"Ofwhatdotheytell？\"
VIII
\"Somemothersmusesadly，andmurmurYourdoingsasboys
RecallthequaintwaysOfyourbabyhood\'sinnocentdays。
Somepraythat，eredying，yourfaithhadgrownfirmer，Andhigheryourjoys。
IX
\"Afatherbroods:\'WouldIhadsethimTosomehumbletrade，Andsoslackedhishighfire，Andhispassionatemartialdesire;
HadtoldhimnostoriestowoohimandwhethimTothisduecrusade！\"
X
\"And，General，howholdoutoursweethearts，Swornloyalasdoves？\"
—\"Manymourn;manythinkItisnotunattractivetoprinkTheminsablesforheroes。SomefickleandfleetheartsHavefoundthemnewloves。\"
XI
\"Andourwives？\"quothanotherresignedly，\"Dwelltheyonourdeeds？\"
—\"Deedsofhome;thatliveyetFreshasnew—deedsoffondnessorfret;
Ancientwordsthatwerekindlyexpressedorunkindly，These，thesehavetheirheeds。\"
XII
—\"Alas！thenitseemsthatourgloryWeighslessintheirthoughtThanouroldhomelyacts，Andthelong—agocommonplacefactsOfourlives—heldbyusasscarcepartofourstory，Andratedasnought！\"
XIII
Thenbitterlysome:\"WasitwisenowToraisethetomb—doorForsuchknowledge？Away！\"
Buttherest:\"Fameweprizedtillto—day;
YetthatheartskeepusgreenforoldkindnessweprizenowAthousandtimesmore！\"
XIV
Thusspeaking，thetroopedapparitionsBegantodisbandAndresolvethemintwo:
ThosewhoserecordwaslovelyandtrueBoretonorthwardforhome:thoseofbittertraditionsAgainlefttheland，XV
And，toweringtoseawardinlegions，TheypausedataspotOverbendingtheRace
Thatengulphing，ghast，sinisterplace
Whitherheadlongtheyplunged，tothefathomlessregionsOfmyriadsforgot。
XVI
AndthespiritsofthosewhowerehomingPassedon，rushingly，LikethePentecostWind;
AndthewhirroftheirwayfaringthinnedAndsurceasedonthesky，andbutleftinthegloamingSea—mutteringsandme。
December1899。