PR aye ER ae _— Z is alae BF APR RRA AER NCE aoe Pe Ore Bae ei iii se AI aT Bera Seana wah Bf Re en eee ee ac eee | TM REFLECTIONS. : i} HE clear, last light of day fell strongly on the repeated roof-line of — ¢ ). y the numberless sheds, and on the tall dark smoking chimneys; on all — cd ahs’ | the glaring brilliant signs that front the bridge, and on the bridge itself — stretching away from me with its ever-opposing parallels of traffic—a pine. // great double line of cars and trams sped past me, homeward bound, and | as | crossed | watched the crowds they bore. ‘|| an The merciless rays of the setting sun revealed the faces of worried clerks j and struggling working girls, of tired labourers and impassive ‘powers wail) | behind the throne"—all that great vital majority who make the wheels ( py of progress move—with here and there the unhappy, careless faces of those well fed, well groomed men and women, those idle rich returning i 3 from some futile attempt to while away a few more hours of their aim- Ate less lives. And always the high hopes of youth contrasted strongly the Bull tired tolerance of age. Occasionally out of the crowds a familiar face flashed recognition and was lost again as the traffic rushed noisily on—confusing, vibrant. | Then a slight lull, and | saw the water far below, emerald and calm, float- | ing small ducks, black and white. | The cars surged on once more and, unexpectedly, the dear remembered A 4 r face | had sought so long loomed up to daze me—then, like the rest, was i ee gone. Stunned, | walked on, turned down below the bridge and out and ( west to the vivid sky. The surge and roar of the busy world sank to a low murmur. And on | went and on to a clear bluff and the sea and stillness —silence and the fading sunset. On the horizon a heavy bank of grey cloud—on the water the grey pattern of the tide. Beauty drew me with its inexorable force—and the live sea was calling—calling. Then, sud- denly, the wind blew cold. —I.W. ne rn ! [38]