Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1856-12-02
The Sea-Shell.

THAT is the roar Of the ocean
which You hear" said our hostess as
we lifted from the ccntre-table beau
tiful shell and placed it toour ear
1t is true there was a low murlnur,
like the roar Of the tar4of' seas, .ris-
ing and falling, as if borne to the
ear upon waves of air; now clear
and distinct as the dash on the beach,
and again, low and trenlulous as the
dying winds. We closed our eyes
and listened to the murmur of the
shell. AS We listened we dreamed.
We stood on the beach as it stretched
away, the restless swell curling with
foam, and dashing wearily upon the
sands. Solemn, almost sad was
the murmuring anthem which sob
bed Oh the still air. 1T is sublime
lsccne-thc ocean, The throbbing
pulse of the mighty clement beats
slowly at yonf feet. -.
Ten thousand fleets have swept
over thee in vain, for as far rs the
eve can see, there is not Il track where
their kcels have been. 1t is,a track
less waste. Not even a cross is seen
to mark the spot where. crime has
been. There arc no monuments
where thousands lave been laid
down in the yielding waves, Where
are the gallant fabrics Which have
sunk in the "dccp, deep seal Where
did the gloomy pillows open to the
ill-fatc.l PrcsidentW
There was the gallant Arctic,
steaming HON eward UNDER full sail,
AMI wrmshea IT'S beating faster under
deck ut the thought Of green hills,
soon to rise from the waters. Bat
1.-THE shock came, and fast the renorse,
Hess waters. rushed into tho ill-fated
steamer. Slowly, Ike thc march Of
fate, the. huge fabric sank, One wal
went up to God, and downward went
the Arctic with her living freight
with sail set. Secure from storm and
decay, she is anchorcl beneath tho
sullcn waters Her sails arc filled by
the dark green waves asthey ebb and
flow. No smoke cul1s from hcl
chimney tops, for her great iron
heart has ceased to thr4b. pudistllr.
bed, the dead ones still re tnpon the
slippery, deck. IIollandIis still by
the side Of his gun, match in hand
The womanly locks float out i'll tho
waters, and the damp check rests
cold AMI still in the clasped hands
Manly faces look mp sta| nlY among
the sl'rouds. The stripes and stars
and the cross of St. George lift wcari
ly in the /ebb and tio Nv Of the tide
And wherever there is "a heart whicE
longs for the loved ones under th(
waves, the shell will bring sobbins
murmurs to that heart. .
! I Tricky strcwn are the dwellcrs OF
1.-THE ocean bed. Its sleeps, and deeE
dark glens, are all peopled. Blu
they dwell in peace. The march o.
fall of Empires is not heard. Rus
has gathered on the blade and in tho
lannon's mouth. The inhabitants o
the deep, Ganbol unharmea about Tho
battle craft. whose oakcn ribs have
shivcrcd with deadly .broadsidcs.
| No monuments on the ocean Mai
has piled the earth with the structure;
Of his genius and ambition. Earth
greatness is concentrated in mar
bic and upon canvas. But the sea has
no tale to tell. Far down and unseel
are the monument builders, the coral
and the wavc s, as theysth rob to thu
shore, bear no record Of the dead. .
Neither has the shell a word from
the ocean slecpcrs. II murmurs OH
Fly Of the whispering winds and waves