The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-26
sHRouDED AND IN THE SEA.

We stood on the deck. reverent group, in
light of the setting sun,
With heads all barred and voices hushed, and
listen ng every one,
To the deep, low tones of the shippers voice,
who the burial service read
And the solemn words awed each rough
heart as we gave to the sea its dead.
The unbhden tears all dimmed my eyes as
gazed on the quiet face;
A ray from the sun in the redd' ming west
seemed to light it with life and grace,
And my heart was filled with plying love
for somebody far away,
Who was dreaming perhaps, of her absent
boy on the eve of that sad day.
The warm, soft breeze of the southern seas
stirred the locks on his forehead fair,
And thought of some mother whose fond
ling hand had caressed that golden hair;
cut one curl from over his brow, and kissed
those lips so white,
7gOr somebody's sake, whose light of love
would be changed to sudden night
His only shroud was rough, white sail, and
flag about his breast;
His grave in the calm, many fathOms deep,
where "He gives His beloved rest"
With tender hands they lowered his bier over
the tall ships side,
His funeral hymn was the gentle plash of the
ebbing and flowing tide.
That night the skipper with tear-dimmed
eyes, brought me parcel small,
EhylH9s 'InOSt are some things from the
poor lads kit and woman knows best
of all
How to tell a story that's hard to tell, and to
comfort a brothers heart.
' viii You rite to his mother and tell her all
well, you know how to start.
"And tell her that every man of us loved her
boy, the life of our boat;
Hearty and busy and full of life, whether we
were ashore or afOat.
We fam would have brought him safe back
again, only the Captain above
Knew better than we, and guided him home
to haven Of rest and lover
So opened the packet with trembling hands
it seemed such a sacred thing;
Letters and photos and little gifts and half
of Il broken ring.
Keepsakes gathered in foreign lands for the
loving ones at home,
And letter half finished to catch the mails
by a passenger bound for Rome.
He told of an elephant hunt in Ceylon, of O
storm in Biscay's Bay,
OF their trip through the SucZ Canal and how
they all held the Christmas Day.
There was love to Harry and Dick and Ray,
besides to Magg e and SuSe,
Whose feet he hoped hadn't bigger grown for
he'd bought them Chinese shoes.
And now he would soon be back, he said, to
his Scottish home again,
After two long years of wandering life on
the restless, stormy main;
Then he stopped, for he said his watch had
come, but he'd finish it up tomorrow.
How could | send it? What could | say to
break such a tale of sorrow?
One portrait was there of a worn, sweet face
and beneath in boyish hand
Was VIZ tten Mother" | saw her again in
the midst of a smiling band
or boys and girls of every size, but she laid
proud hand on one
Her sailor lad with his bright frank face, her
eldest and ableSt son.
Photos of schoo-boy friends there were and
one of fair young face,
Smiling and tendcr-eyed, beneath he had
written the one word Grace"
A dainty housewife, all 'broidered gay, held
buttons and pins and thread,
And worked on the ribbon which held the
spools: ITO my darling brother Ned"
j broke to his mother as well as ! could, with
many falling tear,
The news so sad. and the curl sent with all
of his treasures dear.
All! that was the sOrest, saddest task that
ever | have known
Christi Thou who hast wept with weeping
ones comfort and keep Thine own.
ihOu who in moments of sorrew and pain
thought of Thy mothers veal,
List to the cry of a hearts sore pain, listen
and comfort and heal.
Give Thy peace, which is perfect peace, lead
with Thine own ght hand,
Till we join our beloved to part no more, in
Thy beautiful, happy land.
-HdzeI Gordon, in Detroit Free Press.