Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-11-28
A Leak I'm the Dyke.

A Leak In the Dyke.
The good dame looked from her cottage
At tho close Of the pleasant day.
And eheerly called to her little son
Outside the door at play,
Come, Peter, come want you to 50,
While there is light to see,
To the hut Of the blind old man who lives
Across the dyke, for me;
And take these cakes made for him
They are bot, and smoking yet,
You have time enough 10 go, and come
Before the sun is set"
Then tho good wife turned to her labor,
Humnins n simple song,
Aud thought OF her husband working,
Al the sluices all day long;
And set the turf a-blazing,
And brought the coarse black bread;
That he might fnd fire at night,
And find the table spread.
And Peter left the brother,
With whom all day he had played.
Aud the sister who had watched their sports,
In the willows tender shade,
And told them they'd see him back before
They saw a star in sight,
Though he wouldn't be afraid 10 so
In the very darkest night
For he was a brave, bright fellow.
With eye and conscience clear;
He could do whatever boy might do,
And he had not learned to fear.
Why, he wouldn't have robbed birds nest,
Nor brought stork 20 harm,
Though never a law in Holland
Had stood to stay his arm.
And now, with his face all glowing,
And eyes as bright as the day,
With thoughts Of his pleasant crrand,
He trudged along the way
And soon his joyous prattle
Made glad lonesome place
Alas il only the blind old man
Could have seen that happy face
Yet he somehow caught the brightness
Which his voice and presence lent;
And he felt the sunshine come and go
As Peter came and went.
And now, as the day was sinking,
And the winds began to rise,
The mother looked from her door again,
Shading her anxious eyes;
Aud saw the shadows deepen,
And birds to their homes come back
But never sign of Peter
Along the level track.
But she said, ''he will come at morning,
So need not fret or grieve-
Though 1t isn't like my boy at all
To stay without my leave"
But where was the child delaying!
On the homeward way was he,
And across the dyke while the sun was up
An hour above the sea.
He was stopping now to gather flowers,
Now listening to the sound,
As the angry waters dashed themselves
Against their narrow bound.
"Ah well for U.S." said Peter,
That the gates are good, and strong,
And my father tends them carefully,
Or they would not hold you long!
You're wicked sea-" said Peter;
II know why you fret and chafc.
You would like to spoil our lands and homes
But our sluices keep us safe"
But bark Through the noise Of the waters
Comes low, clear, trickling sound;
And the child face pales with terror,
And his blossoms drop TO the ground.
He is up the bank in a moment,
And, steaiing through the sand,
He secs a stream not yet so large
As his slender, childish hand.
'ris leak in the dyke! He is but boy
Unused 20 fearful scenes;
But, young as he is, he has learned to know
The dreadful thing that means
A leak in the dyke The stoutest heart
Grows faint, that cry to hear,
And the bravest man in all the land
+ IL Hg kHJ2'e tHt hi5aGstsl isssI,ma, nov
To a flood in a single night
And he knows the strength of the cruel sea,
When loosed in its angry might
nd the boyi He has seen the danger,
And, shouting wild alarm,
lie forces back the weight Of the sea
With the strength of his single arm!
Ie listens for the joyful sound
OF footseep passing nigh,
nd lays his ear to the ground, 10 catch
The answer 10 his cry.
md he hears the rough winds blowing,
And the waters rise and fall,
But never an answer comes to him.
Save the echo of his call.
lie seer no hope, no succor,
His feeble voice is lost
Yet, what shall he do but watch and wait,
Though he perish at his post
50 family calling and crying
Till the sun is under the sea;
Crying and moaning till the stars
Come out for company;
He thinks of his father and mother,
OF himself as dying-and dead;
And of how, when The night is over,
They must come and find him at last;
But he never thinks he can leave the place
When duty holds him fast.
The good dame in the cottage
Is up and active with the light,
For the thought of her little Peter
Has been with her all night.
nd now she watches the pathway,
As yester-eve she had done;
But what does she see 80 strange and black
Against the rising sun!
DER neighbors are bearing between them
Something straight to her door;
Her child is coming home, but not
As he ever came before
He IL dead !" she cries, my darling"
And the startled father hears,
And comes and looks the way she looks
And fears the thing she fears;
Till glad shout from the bearers
Thrills the stricken man and wife
'Give thanks, for your son has saved our lands,
And God has saved his life"
So, then in the morning sunshine
They knelt about the boy;
And every head was barred and bent
In fearful, reverent JOY.
lis many a year since then; but still,
Al.