The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-04-10
THE BALLAD OF THE STO2K.
sckNDIsAvilS LEGsND.
By RoBgKr BUCHANAN.

The widow on the stcrm-tost, shore OF Der
mark had her home.
Under the shade OF pleasant woods, close 4
the salt sea foam;
Bat little peace WAS in tie but. and grief wa
al the door,
For day and night the widows thoughts wer'
tossing far from shore.
To Him whose white foot stills the waves anc
BIDS The storm be done,
Tic widow prayed upon her knaes, to sent
be: back her son;
For God Lad sent a watery wind to blow ths
boy away,
and 10 the Indies he had sailed all on sum
mer's day,
''See, mother. mother !" cried the lad, "thor
hast not land nor gold;
Tue dun COW, fastened TO its ring. grows dry
and WAKES old
But, r.nning silver from this cup, the waite,
says TO me.
/. What fool would starye ashore when wealth
is on the shining sea! ="
And sticking in his cap sprig OF green, he
kissed her lips.
nd sprzng away that summer day. and row
ed among the ships;
And weeping on the beach she stands-sai!s
ill and pennons fly
He stands on deck and waves his cap-and
the great ship gees by.
Three years she waited YEARLY; and watch
ed with weary eyne.
And spun upon the threshold as she search
ed the straight sea-line;
And pale she tossed On bed O. straw, and
heard the waters moan;
And day still came and went at sea, and still
she WAS alone.
aAh, little one ! ah, wilfui one now are ye
fast asleep!
The waters roar around your bones under
the dreadful deep;
Your sleep is In the dark cold depths-you
cannot turn nor cry;
No mother now may keep you warm, or kiss
you where ye lie!"
To kirk sho hied full wearily upon each holy
day,
Yet little peace the kirk could give-she had
no heart to pray.
But in September, when they read the tale
of other years,
bout the widows son of Main, her heart was
full 20 tears.
Then TO the hut she weeping turned. and
wesried on once more,
And sadly watthed the tall ash tree tina
grew beside the door;
For there q Stork had made his home for
many year, and he
Was now an ancient stork, ard knew full
many a far countrie-
For every autun on the roof he stood and
waved his wing,
Then cloudwards rose, and in the wind went
southwark travelling;
And every spring. on stately wing. back to
the hut he hied-
Far rs the Bed Sea had he Jared, with sum-
mer for his guide.
And now the widow saw him rise, less nse'
of wing and strong,
For now he was An ancient Stork, nor would
his years be long.
''Ah mel" she thought, with thee, old friend
my laddie played full sweet;
Green leaves he tied around thy neck, and
gave thee food TO eat.
- Perehance Thy sharp round eye hath seen
what ill is hid from mo
Ny little one sfoat and dead upon CLASSY
sea.
Here hast thou dwelt for many year, and
we have watched thy nest,
But tn ou art powerless in thy turn to help
my heart to rest"
Howl powerless! Gods mild will 10 work
what thing is quite unneetf
Where Is the widows wandering sonf Wrap'
in his winding sheetf
Nay, on Norocco's blazing shore with slaves
bshold him stand
Weeping, re shakes his chain, and looks 10
ward his native land.
lie beeds not yonder sweeteyed slave, who
smiles to See his pain,
Nor yonder fat and turbaDed Turk, who
holds him In his chain.
He thinks upon his mothers hut. he bites
his bitter lips,
He strains his eyes, and In a mist Of tears he
sees the ships,
But suddenly he siares amazed, tor nosr hin
On the sand, -
with long .pare legs and ancient air, he seei
stranger stand
A stcrk, grim and ancient stork, full din
and dull of e'e,
The picture of the St0rk he knew within his
own countree.
tAh! could 1t be indeed my old brave com
rade travellingf
lie hath the same 6righ. beak and feet, the
same black ruf1ed wing;
seem to know the very walk, the solemn
stately pace,
Ard could lmost sxear he hath some mem
ory of my lace"
'Tis spring again In Denmark, and all il
green cnce more,
r.spring comes again the StOTk has eome!'
they cry upon the shore;
And all the folk wear feast day dress, and
ths good priest is there;
And with the rest the wido stands, and lookf
into the air.
II IS tho stork. the ancient stork--he light
upoa upsn the ground;
20 see 70 they cry, ''around bis feet papel
tightly bound"
They loose it then with eager hands, thsy
open it and read
The widow screams, for here is wrought ;
miracle indeedi
"Oh, mother, here dwell alive, but held il
slayerie!
So gs,her, gather gold. and send a ransom
DER the sea.
II this should reach thy hands, bless God
who sent the bird to me. -
And all the rest WAS guidance how to ssn'
aad set him free.
oh, who that Sabbath was SO pinched q
grudge from out his store
A silver mite to all tho plate they placed q
the kirk door!
The COW girl brought the piece OF gold ths
was TO buy gown,
The beggar slowly nsarsd the plate, an
threw his beggings down.