friends and love ones waiting stand, looking for the van- ished hand, For the eyes that nevermore shall on them shine; Lips that oft their own would press, forms that met them with caress,  Crushed and silenced by the dark and treacherous mine. Hushed the glad and manly voice that oft made their hearts rejoice;  Stilled the busy feet that bore them to and fro. Life to death has given place, reason's light has left each face, Helpless, buried, lying fathoms deep below. THE RESCUE PARTY. Now a rescue party's formed (Death's great citadel is stormed!  Pluck and toil shall make King Death his spoils restore!) To remove the mighty heap where their poor dead comrades sleep,  Buried there 'mong mullock, timber, tools, and ore. Still she creeps; alas! alack! these brave lads are driven back!  But you mustn't talk to these men of defeat. Oft for loved ones will they stand with their lives within their hand,  And they're wont each day some danger dark to meet. Talk not of defeat or fear-their dead mates are lying here;  And the spidered candles, flickering, gleam around. Put the timber in its place! build a gangway to the face! Through the heaving, yielding, cruel, treacherous ground. Courage, brave lads of the South! yonder at the mine's great mouth, There are sorrowing hearts who pray for your success. Nay, you cannot toil in vain, as you work with might and main, God Almighty will your every effort bless. There's the widow's grateful tear to encourage and to cheer, Sorrowing mourner's thanks to gladden your last hours, Children waiting dad's return, and to see his form they yearn, They will fondly load his grave with wreaths of flowers. They are waiting day and night for some ray of hopeful light,  Eager, anxious (though they know you'll do your best) for one last gaze at the face, for one final death embrace;  Your success shall set their troubled hearts at rest. See, they work in four hour shifts! hope the cloud of sorrow rifts!  As their time and toil reveal each stricken mate. Still they bravely persevere the great mass to move and clear,  and release those who in duty met their fate. Then at length the news spreads 'round, "they are all unearthed and found," And hearts unburdened heave a grateful sigh. In the stillness dense, profound, of the dark mine under- ground,  Oh,'tis maddening to know our loved one lie! Though we know that they are not, still we love to know the spot  that conceals the forms to us grown fond and dear. And in mourning's leisure hours we can strew their graves with flowers, And consecrate their tombs with love's blessed tears. Time's hour glass has run its sands!wrap them in Death's swaddling bands!  Bear them gently through the level to the plat! When they last were there, alack! did they dream you'd bear them back? No, poor lads, they never, never dreamed of that! Ring the four bells very slow! to the surface now they go, Leave the stopes and drives they ne'er shall enter more. No more battling for bread in the country of the dead, Earth's hard soiling, weary toiling, now 'tis o'er, Each man candles took that morn, then darksome depths was borne,  Where candles glimmer through the drive's dark night. Of the spirit land we read, candle light they ne'er shall need, For the Lamb is their eternal Lord and Light. THE FUNERALS 'Tis Gods's holy day of rest: hundreds gather in the west, On God's acre, where kind earth-the mother nurse- Taken her children to her arms, shields them safe from storm's alarms  And her quiet bosom soothes away Death's curse. See the thousands watch and wait, as each cortege nears the gate,  First comes Edwards-what a gathering! what a throng! How the scarfs and aprons gleam in the bright sun's golden beam! What a following! oh, how orderly! how long! Next Bennetta's funeral near the retreat oft bathed in tears.  There's true sympathy on this side Jordan's wave. from beyond the line of lode, hundreds came, true friendship showed, In their comrades' silent journey to the grave. Cheering sacred verses sung soothe the heart which grief has wrung,  Tears are falling, sobs are mingling with the lay. Goodbye comrades, mourned by brothers, sisters, children, wives and mothers!  Goodbye lads, until the resurrection day! CONTINUE