It glimmered brightly through the trees, Then smiled upon the moorlands high,- Its disc has disappeared from view The dappled clouds retain their light,- And peace reigns over all. A December Rose. On a solitary rose being found blooming in December on a little girl's grave. WHEN Winter's hand lay icy cold The Frost King touched the withered leaves, I wandered in, I know not why, In listless mood I love to tread Wherein there lay a sleeping child; For all around was bleak and bare. It bravely bore the biting frost, And of its love, and faith, and trust; The hope that puts to flight all fears; Lives fair as it, with them above. Or is it that the winter rose From Paradise was dropt below, From off her crown, to let us know That they have decked that darling's brow? To the Sea. THUNDER, thunder, mighty sea, Soul of fierce despotic power, All is thine that thou canst claim, JOHN ODDY, V.S. BY THE REV. BENJAMIN MAYOU, M.A. LATE VICAR OF BADDESLEY-ENSOR. HAVING been called upon to occasionally take services at the Old White Chapel, Cleckheaton, I happened to become somewhat intimately acquainted with Mr. John Oddy, the subject of the present brief memoir. He was born at Tong, near Leeds, on October 4th, 1829. He was brought up with his father and grandfather, and attended the village school until eleven years of age, when he was taught by Mr. William Crowther, of Bramley, for three years. His father and grandfather had all their lives followed the occupation of smiths and farriers, and John decided to adopt that business as a livelihood. With his relatives he remained until twenty-four years of age. In February, 1854, he commenced the practise of Veterinary Surgeon at Cleckheaton, a profession he still follows. He has been on the list of qualified Veterinary Surgeons since the passing of the Act of Parliament about a dozen years ago. He was married to Miss Butler, of Cleckheaton on September 16th, 1857. Ever since he migrated from Tong to Cleckheaton, Mr. Oddy has taken an active interest in Mutual Improvement and other Societies, holding various offices. During a long and eventful life he has also evinced a deep interest in things musical, and played the violoncello at Tong Church; in fact he was choirmaster there for ten years. Mr. Oddy is a life member of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers, the Cleckheaton Philharmonic Society, and several other institutions. The writer has frequently held long conversations with him on medical and other subjects; and always found him well up to date in general knowledge-and many a pleasant chat has he had with him whilst on the way to church-for Mr. Oddy is an ardent Conservative and a true Churchman. 66 As regards his powers of versification, much might be said; that he is a versatile writer, I think all will admit. His poetry though never reaching a lofty standard, is not by far so servile as much that has been handed down to posterity in volume form. The pieces I have selected viz :- My Old Anvil Block," Music,' "The Last Hawthorn in Whitcliffe Lane," "Lines on Love,' " and "Cleckheaton Town Hall Clock and Chimes," will give an accurate déscription of his style, and will not, I think, be unwelcome to the readers of this volume. Many of Mr. Oddy's poems have been printed in the local papers, others have been issued in slip form for presentation purposes. Mr. Oddy is a prophet not without honour even in his own country. In |