Heimskringla - 16.12.1915, Blaðsíða 1

XXX. AR.
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, FIMTUDAGINN 16. DES. 1915.
Nr. 12
Lieut. Rjörn Stefánsson er fæddur á Litlabakka í Hróarstungu i Norð-
ur-Múlasýslu 19. janúar 1887. Áriö 1889 fluttist hann til Ameriku mefi
foreldrum sínum, Stefáni Bjiirnssyni og GufSriði Björnsdóttur, sem lengst
af síðan þau komu vestur, bjuggu að Mary Hill, Man., unz Stefán lézt 1.
des. 1913. Björn hefir átt heima hér í fylkinu síðan hann fluttist vestur
(að Mary Hill P.O., og í Winnipeg). Mentun sína hefir B. Stefánsson
lengið við barnaskólann að Mary Hill og einnig við háskóla þessa fylkis
hér í Winnipeg. Undirbúningsdeildar námi (Matrieulation) við háskól-
ann lauk B.S. 1912 og burtfararprófi í lögum (L.L.B.) við háskólann 1915.
Á þessum þremur árum (1912—1915) vann B.S. samtimis laganámi sínu
á skjalasafni fylkisins (Land Titles Offiee), og hefir þvi sýnt frábærleg-
an dugnað í frammistöðu sinni. Sumarið 1915 tók B. S. námsskeið við
hinn konunglega kensluskóla fyrir yfirmenn i brezka hernum (Royal
Officers’ Training Sehool) og útskrifaðist þaðan sem Lieutenant, og er
nú starfandi sem I.ieutenant í 79. herdeild (C. E. F.), er hefir herstöðv-
ar sínar í Brandon. Framkoma Björns hingað til gefur öllum, sem kunn-
ugir eru hónum, ástæðu til að álíta, að hann muni reynast vel í sinni nýju
og vandamiklu stöðu.

f efri röð frá vinstri: — Pte Alex Davidson, Baldur, 61st Battalion;
L. Magnússon, Wpeg., Signaller 61st Batt.; Pte. B. Eiríksson, Shoal Lake,
Mach. Gun Sect. 61st Batt.; Pte. J. S. Eiríksson, Shoal l.ake, L. S. Horse.
/ lægri röð: ■—• S. Finnbogason, Baldur, Co’y Signaller 61st; G. Jó-
hannesson, W’peg, 61 st Batt., og T. Jóhannesson, W’peg, 61st Batt.
Af þeim sjö íslenzku hermönnum, sem hér eru sýndir, er sex úr 61.
hersveitinni, en einn úr riddaraliði Strathconas.
I did not know thee, yet my parents knew
Thy native air and nature undefiled.
By thy stern weaning they to strength upgrew
And won their worth----and I was their true child.
I did not know thee, yet the history
Of heroes that with thee have lived and died
Was all indited on my memory,
And o’er their fate I oft in spirit cried.
I did not know thee, yet the immigrants
To this our home, from thy far fastness borne,
Brought o’er with them a breath that ever chants
Of wider view and winsome northern bourne.
I did not know thee, yet I knew that they
Amidst thy mountain sights had seen their God
In sacredness and grandeur; still they pay
A steadfast worship to the strands they trod.
I did not know thee, yet a diadem
On justice-furbished Freedom thee I thought,
More precious far than is earth’s fairest gem
Because thou wert by worthy efforts bought.
I did not know thee, yet my dreams of thee
Midst dark of night or glare of gaudy day
Burnished my wish to watch the galaxy
Of glorious sights thy sea and shores display.
II.
I do not know thee, yet I felt more free
When thy full freshness blew upon my brow
As I windwafted o’er the warring sea
Beheld thy form before the beaming prow.
I do not know thee, yet I claimed thee kin
When clearer vision viewed thy wondrous realm,
Thou our earth’s haven now when dread and din
Of dire war thy neighb’ring lands o’erwhelm.
I do not know thee, yet full well I saw
The silent splendour of thy majesty
Amidst thy scenes; and shared the sacred awe
Our fathers felt when first they gazed on thee.
I do not know thee, yet each rippling rill
That rising with thee runs to greet the sea
Seemed as Siloam healing; and each hill
Holier than hoar Sinai e’er could be.
I do not know thee, nor can knowledge fair
E’er find full utt’rance for my thoughts of thee,
O, thou the spirit’s shrine and sepulchre!
Thou soft’nest death, thou showest life to be.
For who amidst thy wonders would not die
That he with thee untrammeled e’er might dwell?
O sweet soul dower, where on earth can lie
Scenes that so well of sacred fields foretell?
III.
I fall in worship at thy wave-washed feet,
O fairest maid amidst the northern sea.
With thee my eyes their life’s glad light did greet,
With thee in view may they the last light see!
Thy hills I love, I love each spring and vale,
Each sparkling bay and every sunkissed sail
And all thy mountains fair,
That in the azure air
Uptow’ring high, their holiness unveil.
Full well I know there is no wealth for thee,
O wondrous land, amidst thine icebound store.
But worth all gold and its resplendency
Is thy good gift of golden ancient lore.
For on thy shores the sheen of Fame erst shone
And its reflection is the sacred sun
That lights our darksome days
Turning its myriad rays
On deeds achieved, so aids us ever on.
O great good Lord that through a thousand years
Hast led us in our trials and our woes,
In all our sorrows and our times of tears,
Lord of our vision! Thou of storms and snows!
Steadfast thou art and strong thy guiding power;
Guard, guard with us our goodly sea-girt dower
As long as sun and sea
In sweetest ecstasy
Kiss and embrace in quiet ev’ning hour.
ATHS.:—Islands kvætSi þaíS sem hér metS fylgir biíSur sér
rúms 1 Patriotic útgáfu Heimskringlu fyrir þá ástæbu atS íslands
ætti þar a?S vera getitS a?S einhverju leyti, því atS allir Vestur-
íslendingar eru í raun réttri borgarar tveggja álfa. Sbr. IlI.tSja
flokk kvætSisins vitS Minni Islands (H. S. Blöndal: LjótSmæli:
bls. 31—32). A
Skúli Johnson.
Foreldrar hans eru þau Sigurður
Magnússon Breiðfjörð og Kristbjörg
Guðbrandsdóttir, í Þingvalla, Sask.
*—----------------
Kolskeggur T. Tb.orsteinsson
frá Winnipeg, Man.
*------------------------------*

Er fæddur í Skagafirði, og er son-
ur Tómásar Þorsteinssonar og konu
hans hér í bæ.
Corp. Björgvin G. Johnson
frá Winnipeg, Man.
V----------------------------------if.
Er sonur Guðmundar .Tónssonar,
kaupmanns hér í bæ. Er faðir hans
ættaður úr Suður Þingeyjarsýslu.
Særður.