The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-12-01
PIER NUMBER FIFTY.

PIER NUMBER FIFTY.
In quiet village harbor,
Twas upon Thanksgiving day
In eighteen hundred forty nine,
A stately ship at anchor lay.
Her snowy sails are all unturled
The blue waves splash on either side
AS she gently rocks upon them,
Waiting tor the rising tide.
With the fresh wind from the bay;
With royal grace the noble ship
Sails through sun kissed waves away,
On and on DER silver sea,
Light as q bird she Skins along;
AS full OF JOY the hearts ON board,
AS the birds sweet morning song.
Onward yet to deeper waters,
All the home shore fades from view,
But the days are calm and sunny,
And the skies are ever blue.
The ship and Time both onward sail,
Through summer days so fair and bright
Till one morning pier number one
30 the east~ ard comes in sight.
Piers two she's passed and five and ten,
Fifteen, sixteen and nineteen too,
When one day stormy petrol
Ger the vessel slowly flew.
No more placid water mirror,
Sunlight. stars and heavens blue,
Angry pillows surge around her.
Which she br-vely struggles through.
Dark the clouds and fast they gather,
The storm king sweeps upon his way,
B9fore his wrath the ''god OF day"
BOWS Ills u6dO anu MUGS away
Twilight deepens into darkness,
Wind and wave go moaning by,
AS from the deep there echoed back
Som g lost spirits watltng cry.
Through the gloom that like mantle
Wrapped the sky, and sea and shore,
There flashed golden ray OF light
Brlghtntng ever, more and more.
The welcome light that saved the ship
From dashing on the rock despair,
Was shining from the lightshtp faith
Which His hand had anchored there.
Through the night the ship it guided,
TIL sunlight tinged the clouds at last,
But the storm had LETT its impress
On he ell, and sail, spar and mast.
With her flag at half mast dropping
Ter number twenty sails she by,
Onward, outward to the ocean,
Billows rising mountains high.
Soon five more piers like senttnels
DOM up family in the past,
When suddenly cold north wind
Struck the ship an icy blast.
Alaging hurricane arose
And swept the ship tar out to sea.
Then like demons shri8ked and raved
Round her in their fendtsh glee.
Through that long night of fearful gloom
- The brave ship tossed till break OF day
When, 10, above her one bright star
Guided her upon her way.
Guiding slowly and so gently
Back to waters smooth again,
Away from oceans greedy waves.
From shoal, and rock, and hurricane,
Safely ON from pier to pier. till
Forty. nine is lost to view;
Except mist or summer shower
Sky and sea again arr blue.
A peaceful bay where meadows green
Gently slope on either side,
Where birds and blossoms bend their
heads
Last'ning to the whispering tide.
Dewy morn and fragrant noon time,
SO peaceful wanes the afternoon,
Softly falls the veil OF twilight.
Golden CLEANS the harvest moon.
The western shore she's passing now
Where pier fifty stands in view,
This brave old ship with reverent hearts
We greet her ale honor too.
Many ships have started out.
Few have reached this quiet bay.
Where the after glow OF sunrise
Reaches here the close OF day.
The sun lie In the western sky,
Soon will rise the evening star,
The tide Is low, and little waves
Ripple softly Ger the bar.
When the evening mists have gathered
Hiding sky, and sea, and shore,
At eaTthss last pier the ship will drop
There her anchor. evermore.
A spirit ship at anchor rides
Waiting for the rising tide,
When once more they Will sail away,
Sail across the "Great Divide"
Arthur J. Hull has fiue new Parker