Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-12-13
there arc men in il"

ed IIlp CTONu VI lDG hhOAA HA4N 'SS'AN~
out from among the graceful fern
fronds which sheltered it was one TO
make a sailors heart sad
There before US lay Il landlocked har-
Dor. sheltered from outside view on
every side, yet capable of giving an
chorage to an armada if need be. Not
n vessel fioated on its smooth waters,
and a solitary seal was swimming
about near its upper end. now hshlnS
for his breakfast beneath the surface,
now erecting his head and staring anx-
iouslv about him. We paid but little
heed to him. however, for at the har-
Dor entrance we saw that which to any
true mariner is the saddest sight in the
whole world.
A finger of rock rose, black and ugly,
from the soft blue waters and. wedged
into cleft which divided it to the wa
ter's edge. lay the corpse of what had
once been n stout and stately ship,
snowy plumaged .arrack, Now, with
her foremast snapped like a carrot
above the round top, a great, yawning
chasm in her waist and rivers of clear
water kissing into the retreating ebb
from a score of starting seams in her
sides. she was but a battered ruin,
ghastly wave racked wreck.
A hundred different signs-the litter
of cordage on her deck, the streamers
of fluttering canvas hanging over her
shattered bulwarks, the tangled fringe
of broken spars and sea torn planks
floating like fallen leaves around her
nll made it easy for n seaman's eye to
judge that she had not lain there long,
and the great storm of two days ago
gave an exact date.
No sign of life showed upon her lit
tered decks. The sun was high in the
morning heavens. but her gunners
were not furnishing up her culverins
and falconets in the waists. No candle
trimmers were in the poop lanterns
cleaning the glasses and reflling the
sconces; no cooks were busy heating
the great ships kettle to boil the morn
ing meal The last sentry had left his
post without calling relief. The silence
of death was over all.
In the open channel which lay be-
tween TIE carrack and the land spit
there foated something over which
dozen sea fowl were screaming and
fighting. a glance was enough to show
what it was for which they fought; it
was the i'll starred lover of a mer-
maiden-some stout mariner swept
from the decks by huge green wave
and then seized by snowy arms and
carried away to a beauteous home
among the branching sea shrubs.
l could see in my minds eye all that
happened from the moment when he
was loosed from his trance.
He yawns, stretches, shakes himself,
awakens. The mermaid is standing
beside him, glass In hand, combing her
streaming tresses. She turns, meets
his gaze and speaks in words which
fill him with delight. She puts conch
shell to her ruby lips and blows a call.
1t sounds afar through the waving
bushes, through the rainbow colored
weeds, over the open plain, through
the tangled forest. The brilliant fishes
hear the note and shoot away through
the limpid water with its message. A
school of dolphins cry holiday to their
master and come gamboling up to the
tryst to lie in II cleaning circle ON the
jeweled sand. Then follow troops of
mermaidens. some riding on the backs
of shaggy sea horses. some racing
along in shell chariots drawn by teams
of emulous porpoises; and after them
come the mermen, bearing posies Of
fair sea flowers which wither when
they meet the air. All stand and mar
vel at the mortal who has ventured
down among tho glories of their en-
chanted kingdom.
Then there bursts out a strain of deli
cious melody, and the mermaidens'
chant, which rises and falls to the
throb of the sea bosom, tells the lone
stranger how he must comport himself
If he wishes to endure in this land of
his new birth.
And this did hear them sing:
THE GREETING.
Welcome brig at welcome. O wave Graded mari
nerl
Welcome TO bask in our beautcous realm
Pleasure it is for the merfolk to minister
Unto mortal beneath oceans whelm.
THE PRoFFER.
We are thy servants. lord. slaves to thy beckon.
ing;
Come, let lead to the great sea kings hall;
Seat thee on Neptune's throne. meath azure COW
ering,
There to receive our best riches our all.
Gold OF the galeon groans in thy treasures;
Jewels the chastest well lay at thy knee;
Fruit trees most curious blow thy terraces,
Flowers, heaven nurtured. to brighten the sea-
Pearls we will bring to thee, corals and cowries
Perfume thy robe with the gray ambergris.
Men give their hands to thee, maidens their dow
ries;
Never, great lord, shall our fealty cease.
THE WARNING.
But oh, lord, bewareI
Have a care, have care.
Keep thy beating heart still in its breast.
Have a care, have care.
Good my lord, oh, bewarel
Love for maidens is not for guest.
Love for maidens is not for the mer-
folks guest The man knows that 1t
is true and signs as he looks at the
radiant beauty round him-comely
forms and soft white skins coyly half
hidden beneath the trembling cascades
of their silken tresses. He sits in the
stately palace they have given him
and covers his face with cruel hands to
shut out the light of a hundred lus-
trous eyes In vain those ravishing
glances must prevail. The shielding
fingers undasp, the bowed head erects
-
G:.}4|,|zZy41az 3
N93A YXN