Ship

To a Lady Seen on a Ship

KEEP quiet, silly woman, in blue evening gown, Your babbling and noise make these deck strollers frown.

Lest, with murder, I add to my crimes, get thee hence!

Vamoose, loud-voiced bint! You’re just “over the fence”.

Begone from this deck, where, with music complete, The young Islands lovers are whispering sweet Little nothings, while strolling or waltzing along; Whilst you jangle and jar, with your voice like a gong.

We hear you complain, to your escort, you wish You could—but you can’t—trust these tropical fish!

And then, in the tones of a militant bull.

You recount how your people have oodles of “pull”.

You vociferously shriek at the wonderful moon, And, within the same sentence, you tell us that soon You’ll be sailing to England, to visit Lord Blair.

Ye Gods! We do pity the folk over there.

You laugh like a fog-horn, you answer “I gueass”.

Good faith! Do we care if your new evening “drass”

Was ruined last night, at the party below, When someone spilled beer on it? Good heavens, no!

Your face, plastered white with the powder you use, And cheeks, two red blots of the rouge you abuse, In spite of the soft light, and romantic hour, Look, truly, as though you immersed them in flour.

You gush and you gabble, on subjects which you Know nothing about, though you might think you do.

You believe you have “it”, you redoubtable ass.

And you shatter our peace like a sledge hammer, glass.

With your long toe-less shoes, and your bare back and arms, Which in your case, will never be thought of as charms.

With fingernails screaming, that, really, you’re dead— Go away! Go to hell! Or, at least, go to bed.

Take your paltry belongings, your rug and your sacque, Take them quickly below, and don’t dare to come back.

Just get—let me put it as clear as the night, Which you have been spoiling—get out of our sight!

J. G. Mci.

Solomon Islands.

Rev. H. S. Hipkin, who arrived in Eng land from the Solomon Islands at the end of last year, is now assisting in a London parish. Some time ago, the Bishop of Melanesia and the English Committee of the organisation decided to appoint a missionary with Melanesian experience to devote his whole time to stimulating interest in England in the work of the Melanesian Mission; but the war interfered with the plan. Rev. Hip kin, who has been with the Mission for eight years, will therefore lecture and preach for the Mission until a permanent appointment has been made.

Meli Bainimarama, a retired Fiji prison warder, was presented with the Imperial Service Medal by the Governor of Fiji recently.

Mr. R. H. Crook, of the Fiji Customs Department, arrived in Australia re cently on several months’ furlough.