, 1881-12-30
THE STORY srowAwAY.

come. my IaI. and sit beside me. We have often
Ofthr hurricane and tempest, ana the storms On
SEA and shore, -
When We read of deeds of daring, done for ol
Euglund's sake,
We have cited Nelson's duty, and the enterprise
of Drake
Midst the teverd din OF battle, roll ol Hrufh anu
scream OF fife,
Heroes pass In long procession, calmly yIelu'hs
up their life.
Pomp and r,ageants have their glory, IN eathe
dral aIsles are seen
Marble cifglrs; but seldom OF the meFcdht'Ie
marine "
IFyour schoolmates love adventure, bid them
gather round at school
whilst ou tell them Of hero, Captain Strachan,
Of fLiverpOOl.
Snitr of storm and stress of weather, in gale
that lashd the land.
On The az Cyprian" Scre v teamer, there the cap
tain took his stand.
He was no fair weather sailor, AMI he often
made the boast
That the ocean safer sheltered than the wild
C;lrnavon east
He'd Z good ship underneath him and crew OF
English form,
So he sailed FROM ont the Mersey in the hurri-
cane and storm.
All the luck dead against him-wIth the
tempest a: its height,
Fires expired, and rudders parted, IN the middle
Of the night
Sails We're torne and rent assunder. Then he
spoke with bated BREATH
1iSaYe yourselves, my gallant fellows ! we are
drifting to our death =
Then they looked at one another, and they felt
the awful shock,
When, with louder crash than tempest they were
dashed upon rock.
An was over now and hopeless; but across these
miles offoam
They could hear the shouts Of people, and could
see the lights of home.
.sAn is overt" cried the captain. you have
answered duty'S call
Save yourselves! cannot help you! God have
mercy us ALL"
So they rushed about like madmen, seizing belt
and oar and rope
For the sailor knows where life is, there's the
taIntest ray ofhope-
Then, amidst the widest confusion at the dread
ed dawn of day,
From the hold Of that doomed vessel crept
wretched Stowaway
Who shall tell the saddeneG story of this misera-
bic lad d?
Was it wild adventure stirred him, was he go
ing TO the bad?
Was he thief, or bully's victim, a runaway
from school,
When he stole that passage from the port Of
Liverpool
No one looked at him. or kicked him, midst the
paralyzing roar,
Over went the gallant fellows, when the ship
was breaking fast,
\ nd the captain with his life belt-he prepared
TO follow last;
But he saw boy neglected, with a face of ashy
gray,
4WhO are you 20 roared out the captain. "Pm
the boy what stow'd away!'
There was scarce another second left to think
what he could do,
For the ship was sinking-Death was ready for
the two.
So the captain called the outcast-as he faced
the tempest wild
From his own waist he took the life-belt, and he
bound itround the child
Il can swim, my little fellow Take the belt
and make for land.
Up, and save yourself!" The outcast humbly
knelt 10 kiss his hand,
With the lite-belt round his body-then the
urchn cleared tine ship;
Oyer went the gallant captain with blessing on
his lip.
But the hurricane howled louder than it ever
As the captain and the stowaway were making
for the shore!
When you tell this gallant story 10 your play
fellows at school,
They will ask you of the hero, Captain Strachan
of Liverpool.
You must answer: They discovered on the beach
at break ofday,
safe-the battered, breathing body of the little
stowaway:
And they watched the waves of wreckage and
they searched the cruel shore:
But the man who tried 10 save the little Outeast
more
When they speak of English heroes, tell this
story where you can,
To the everlasting credit of the bravery of man
Tell it in tones Of triumph, or with tears and
quickened breath,
"ManhoOd's stronger far than storms, and love is
mightier than death "-[ London Punch.