The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-21
POETRY.
Nathaniel Deering

Il native of Portland, Maine, and son OF
the late Mr.. James Deering, an esteemed mer-
chant of this city. He was educated at the
Academy at Exeter and at Cambridge, where
he was graduated at Harvard in 1910. lie
then studied law in the office of Chief Jnstlce
Whiteman az Portland, and pursued the pro-
fession in the northern counties OF his na'''0
State. He is now resident OF Portiapu'
Mr.. behring's literary productions ere wv
i've act ragedies-Ardbdpet, or me AdS' " "''
Norridqeaoocks, which was PRODUCED DIV Tue
Portland Theatre in 1881, and Bozzdras HIS
miscel,aneons writings, including numerous
ta,as Of humor of "Down East" life, have ap-
noorad from time to time in the journals of the
day.
THE WRECK OF THE Two PoLLEYs.
A Ballad.
Twas a starless night with drifting clouds
And angry heaved the seas;
Yet pnk-sterned craft was under SAIL
Her name was the 1.-TWO Polleys,"
And she was built at Mount Desert,
And what might her cargo be?
She was long time on the Banks,
And while there was very lucky.
But darker and darker grew the night.
And loud did ocean roar;
80 they two reefs in the mainsail took,
ana one rect in the lore.
The Skipper Bond was at the helm,
Methinks l see HIM now
The tobacco juice Oh his mouth and chin,
And the salt spray on his brow.
The other hand was Isaac Small,
And only one eye had he;
But that one eye kept sharp lookout
For breakers under the lee.
All unconcerned was Skipper Bond,
For he was seaman bold;
But he buttoned his tear-naught higher up.
f., And, said he, "'Iis getting COLL"
"Odds bloods pust the main brace splice,
So, Isaac, let us quaff-
And as the winds a snorter mind
And mix it half and half.''
The skipper raised 1t to his lips,
And soon the dipper drained;
second and a third he took,
Nor Of its strength complained.
"Shake out the rags! haul out fore sheet!
am not the man to flag.
With breeze like this in the Two Polleys'-
So give her every rag.
Aghast, poor Isaac heard the call,
For be anew fun well the Skipper was one
Who would not be gansayed.
"Isaar, my lad, now 60 below,
And speedily turn in;
I'll call you when off Portland Light
We now are off Segun."
The Skipper was alone on the deck
''Steady, my boys,' he cried
And hardly would the words escape,
When "Steady tits, he replied.
"A plague on all our Congressman!
Lighthouses SO thick SEE
Odds bloodsl on such darksome night
They bother exceedingly"
Twas sad mistake; h. saw but one,
And that was not Seguin;
But the Shippers brain like the light rev0lved
So he lost his re. kOnDg.
And what Of her, the 1.-Two Polleys?"
She still did the helm obey,
Though her gunwales Kissed the Kissing surge,
And her deck was washed with the spray.
She neared the rocks and the waves ran high.
But the skipper heard not their roar;
bis hand was ciutched to the well dashed helm.
But his head was on the floor.
The sun shone out on Ricbmond's Isle
But what is that on the strand?
A broken mast and a latter sail,
Halfburied in the sand
And there were heaps OF gold dun fish,
The II uits OF many haul, .4s.
But nothing was seen Of the old Skipper
Nor Of one-eyed Isaac Small.
Three days had gone when "homew bound
Was entering Casco Bay,
And Richmond's lsle bore Nor Northwest,
And TOR that her course she lay,
Yet scarcely three knots did she make.
For it " as cats-paw breeze;
And the crew hung idly round her bows, s
watching che perpoises. 1859 -'
But there leans one on the quarter rail. q
And sudden sight he sees
in xnd towing rast ., smack pink stern,
anu on 1.-THE Two P0lleys"
-OiuCkinCE'S fcuo