Year: 1865

STRICKEN.
Twas long time ago, in the bloom of the year
When the birds blithely sang, and all Nature


seemed fair;
When through cloudess days long the sun lin.


gered bright, l.u sr
And the moon from her blue home iumined the
That there parted in sadness in sorrow and


tears, H
One, a sailor-boy, who roamed on the blue wa.


tiers wide
The other maiden, his own promised bride.
Both were trusting and true both young and


both fair
They were parting to meet at the lapse Of year.
The young sailors voice trembled as he answered


farewell,
And the tears of the maid, as he spake swiftly


fell.
will come back again and will leave you no


more
And happy III be, while on the pillows ride.
With the thought OF the time, when thou'lt be


my bride.
Yes, I'll come back again and will build me Q


home, .naa
And then you my darling, III take for my own
And oft in the moonlight, like the beauteous


cen,
| will tell of the lands and the wonders I've


seen. .a s...s..
God prospering us we shall ere happy be.
With hearts light as air. yea, as light and as free
We will sail calmly down Lite's biilows Of strife
Till we reach The bright land and the beautiful


life."
SO they parted with VOWS of cOnstancy true
He to roam on the waves of the dark azure hue
she, calmly to wait in her lone iar-oif home.
To watch and to wait till the day he should come
But the year had not passed, when there came 6


sad tale
Of a ship lost atsea in fierce fearful gale
Twas the ship he had sailed in, and all. oil were
Now the sullen waves roar o'er the wreck, now


they toss.
But deeper than the fathoms of ocean, was grie
In the heart of the mad, for there ne er came re


lief;


The shock was SO great and her love was SC


strong,
That reason bereft her, forever had flown.
And her young eyes grew dim. once beaming an'


bright.


But one thing she remembered, the last word h'
SAID,


II will come back again" She forgot he wa
dead.


And so as the years in their swift tides rolled on
She Rugged to her hearv, the hope that he ID come
And watched for him daily ,at morn and at night
Till age her face wrinkled, and her hair became


white.


And people oft wondered lone woman TO see
With her gaze ever bent on the blue heaving sea
On the low sandy beach, where waves murmui


ing sweet
Washed up the bright pebbles to her worn wear.
feet.


Who waited and watched, while the sun in tn


West


In his bright golden splendor sank slowly 10 rest
Still waiting een in the twlights cold gray
| Till night In his dark mantle folds up day
But vain are thy watchings, tly waitings ar
vain


He will come in his love and his youth nee
again


Long has he rested meath sea weed and moss,
Long have the dark waves over him tossed,
Pale AZ fine pearls glistening down in the deep.
I He sleepeth at last the long dreamless sleep,
, But sometime long after all sorrow is past,
When the grave and its rest has been welcomes


at last,


When the sun of existence has drawn to II
/ close,
And thy weary heart findeth its looked for re


pose


Then glorifed, beautiful, dwelling in light,
Where fond trusting hearts, deaths hand nee


doth sever.
There. thou shalt behold him IN glory forever.
/ Watervile. 1864 ~ .l