The Cruise of the Monitor. George M. Baker 10 Chambers' Journal 12 13 15 17 18 20 22 The Baffled Book Agent Lover Saving Mother . The Sharpshooter's Miss. Frank H. Gassaway Union of Blue and Gray. Paul H. Hayne The Jackdaw of Rheims. Death of the Old Wife Squire Houston's Marriage Ceremony Scene from Mary Stuart. Schiller A Christmas Elegy Conversion of Colonel Quagg. George Augustus Sala. The Confession. A Court Lady. Elizabeth Barrett Browning 44 48 49 54 55 Tickled all Oafer. 58 The "Ole Marster's" Christmas. How the Colonel took it. Walter Thornbury Robert Emmett's Last Speech. The Parting Lovers. Mary E. Day The Vay Rube Hoffenstein Sells Wild Weather Outside. Margaret E. Sangster THE READING-CLUB. THE STORY OF A STOWAWAY. COME, my lad, and sit beside me; we have often talked before Of the hurricane and tempest, and the storms on sea and shore; When we read of deeds of daring, done for dear old England's sake, We have cited Nelson's duty, and the enterprise of Drake; 'Midst the fever din of battle, roll of drum, and scream of fife; Heroes pass in long procession, calmly yielding up their life. Pomps and pageants have their glory; in cathedral aisles are seen Marble effigies; but seldom of the mercantile marine. If your playmates love adventure, bid them gather round at school Whilst you tell them of a hero, Captain Strachan of Liverpool. Spite of storm and stress of weather, in a gale that lash'd the land, On the "Cyprian" screw steamer, there the Captain took his stand. He was no fair-weather sailor, and he often made the boast That the ocean safer sheltered, than the wild Carnarvon coast. He'd a good ship underneath him, and a crew of English form, So he sailed out for the Mersey in the hurricane and storm. All the luck was dead against him—with the tempest at its height, Fires expired, and rudders parted, in the middle of the night Sails were torn and rent asunder. Then he spoke with bated breath: "Save 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 a rock. All was over now and hopeless, but across those miles of foam They could hear the shouts of people, and could see the lights of home. 66 All is over!" screamed the Captain, "You have answered duty's call; Save yourselves! I cannot help you! God have mercy on us all!" So they rushed about like madmen, seizing belt, and oar, and rope For the sailor knows where life is, there's the faintest ray of hope Then, amidst the wild confusion, at the dreaded dawn of day. From the hold of that doomed vessel crept a wretched Stow away! Who shall tell the saddened story of this miserable lad? Was it wild adventure stirred him, was he going to the bad? Was he thief or bully's victim, or a runaway from school, When he stole that fatal passage from the port of Liverpool? No one looked at him, or kicked him, 'midst the paralyzing roar, All along he felt the danger, and he saw the distant shore. Over went the gallant fellows, when the ship was breaking fast; And the Captain with his life-belt- he prepared to follow last; But he saw a boy neglected, with a face of ashy gray. "Who are you?" roared out the Captain. "I'm the boy what stow'd away." |