BOTHA’S WAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4012, 19 August 1915, Page 3

BOTHA’S WAY.

(By ORIEL in tho “Melbourne Argus.”) The dust is rising on the trek From Something-dorp to Someone’s nek, Our men are weary, horses lame, And sick to sadness ol tho game Of plodding o.n and on-and ou, With nought accomplished, nothing won. (For that was Louis Botha s way Just fifteen years ago to-day! Tlio column’s halted, carts oiltspanned When suddenly, from every hand There comes a with’ring ram of shot To make things most uncommon hot. The public reads: “A British Check, ’Twixt Sometliing-dorp and Someone s nek” —- , . And that was Louis Botha's way, Just fifteen years ago to-day! But when the big battalions won (As big battalions e’er have done). He led his people on in peace, \nd found in freedom swift release From out those harsh and jealous creeds Of other days, and other deeds And thus was IMu is Botha’s way Changed with tho changing of the day. If German wit and German wile Saw nothing in his game but guile; And thought that in an Empire war He’d fight as onco he fought before— He showed each Hun diplomatist How much they’d messed, how rauen they’d missed. For such was Louis Botha’s way When dawning broke upon “Ibe Day.” How shuffled are the cards we dealt At Vereeniging upon the veldt! Briton and Boer, their Iblood-feuu dead. March on, with Botha- at their-head. A dazzling rush, a swift .campaign — A German army for his gain— And this is Louis Bothas way As England thinks of it to-day !