The Portland daily press., 1878-11-28
POETRY.
[For the Press ]
The Observatory.

BY LAUNcELoT
'Now what funny house is here,
Grandpapa!
Standing so tall, and straight, and queer,
In cloak of red, like grenader,
Grandpapa.
s'Dd bad men build it so very high
Grandpapa?
That they might climb to the sky thereby.
And were they punished? and how? and why?
Grandpapa."
may, Moody, wot, was man true blue,
Grandson mine;
To him and other good men and true,
Shipmasters mostly, its building is due.
Grandson mine.
They built it so that their ships might be
Grandson mine,
Espied far off upon the sea
Returning from voyages long and dree,
Grandson NINE
"But let us go in and climb the stair,
Grandson mine.
Slow! slow! in coming the past, declare
had quite forgotten the years which bear,
Grandson NINE
"Why here is a window from which 1 can spy,
Grandpapa,
The burying ground, and did they all die?
And was it down there that they put them? and
why? G,andpapa."
AYE, marry! all died and some thither they bore,
Grandson mine,
And some in tall chips to a far away shore
Sailed grsndy from port and were heard of no MORE
Grandson mine'
"Now here we have almost climbed up to the sky,
Grandpapa;
See the spiders like Indians, so cruel and sly,
And will they be burnt up like bad men9 and why?
Grandpapa."
may, child; but stop here, you may there away,
Grandson mine,
Where stood the old fort; there sires, on day.
To the Indians gave grand feast as they say
Grandson mine.
"Thsy came single file, the strange creatures, ar.
rayed, Grandson mine
In wsmpum and feathers, and folk afraid
II their eyes evil light fell en- boy or on maid,
Grandson mine.
"over there where the Deering house beams in the
light, Grandson mine
Where the fields so green. was the great Indian
fight,
On September day, twas a terrible sigh.,
Grandson mine.
"They fought in the orchard; but never before,
Grandson mine,
Bore orchard such fruit as on that day it bore,
For Bracket lay there, aud of others score,
Grandson mine"
"Why see what lot OF brave flags, and so gay,
Grandpsp,,
And some that are faded and worn half away;
Was it good Noah's ark that they came from, 1
pray? Grandpapa"
may, nay, but many strange stories they tell,
Grandson mine;
In boyhood knew every one of them we'll,
Brighter banners than they never breezes did SWELL
Grandson mine.
"Ahl here is one faded and worn to Shred
Grandson mine;
How Oft 1t hath told to fair women long dead,
The coming Of loved ones from voyages of dread,
Grandson mine.
"But Its owner once sailed on a morning in May,
Grandson mine.
His mate was youth somewhat giddy and gay
Who sweetheart left watching the ship bear away,
Grandson mine.
"And she patiently watched for its coming again,
Grandson mine.
Never signal went up but her eyes she did strain
To read it, with hope it were his, but in vain,
Grandson mine.
Sand SO for long years, till her brain was quite
turned, Grandson mine;
hal ho;r -.
burned,
And at last the foul title of witch she had earned,
Grandson mine"
Sand the boys hooted after her, Coo as the street.
Grandson mine,
She followed with seemingly weariless feet,
Upon fair days and foul thorough sunshine and sleet
Grandson mine."
"Hurrah! here We are at the top! look, I pray,
Grandpapa;
See the guns on the forts, and the ships far away
Will they never come back? and why not? prithee,
say? Grandpapa".
"Guns and ship: Listen well-there Mowstt came
in, Grandson mine.
There his bomb ship was moored, and the Canceau
to win
But disgrace for him, Oh! twas terrible sin,
"On town full OF women and children to fire,
Grandson mine;
To bu up our homes leave us roofless, his ire
To appease, and dread winter each day drawing
higher, Grandson mine.
"OfBurroughs and Blythe they have told you maybe,
Grandson mine.
remember me well how my heart leaped with glee,
At the sound of their guns booming over the sea,
Grandson mine.
"Here stood on Munjoy; there the stretched so
blue. Grandson mine.
With the Boxer and Enterprise clearly in view,
Each bearing to death her invincible crew.
Grandson NINE
"Pufl sound like dull thunder came up fr ON
the sea, Grandson mine;
Another and then both the ships seemed to be
In cloud caught away and it seemed unto me,
Grandson mine.
s'Like horrible dream; why, we spoke not word,
Grandson mine;
But at each other stared, scarcely breathed
~ stirred,
Thrilled through with each boom Of the guns that We
heard, Grandson mine.
"But 1t ended at last, and the smoke blew away,
Grandson mine;
And the two battered huks in the harbor soon lay
With their captains both dead their decks strange
to say, Grandson mine.
"'Twas glorious time with us boys aye! the days
Grandson mine,
Overlooked with events Every one had to gaze
On the brave captains, dead, and their virtues to
praise, Grandson mine.
"Then the funeral came; grand sight twas ween
Grandson mine;
But, alack! dumb stone growing Shiny and green,
Ia all that reminds us to-day of the scene,