Unrecorded

The splendors of a southern sun Caress the glowing sky; O'er crested waves, the colors glance And gleaming, softly die. A gentle calm from heaven falls And weaves a mystic spell; A glowing grace that charms the soul— Whose glory none can tell.

Oh, warm sweet treasures of a sun Of endless fire and love; Those dying embers are the flames From heavenly fires above. Unto the water's edge they creep And bathe the seas in red; Then die like shadows on the deep With glory cold and dead.

A ship—a lone, dark wanderer Upon the southern seas, Speeds like a white-faced messenger Before the dying breeze. Her masts are tipped with amethyst, A splendor all untold; A crimson mantle wraps her round, Her sails are made of gold.

The light wind dies—she slowly drifts, Then stops—an idle thing; While sunset clouds around her prow A dreamy grandeur fling. And eyes upon her deck look forth With looks of longing pain; A hundred sunsets they would give Dear home to see again.

But see! a shadow as of night Spreads o'er the crimson sky; Like doomed and lifeless forms of earth The clouds in heaven lie. A silence falls—the ship stands still, A fated thing of earth; Then like a child of sin and wrong The storm is given birth.

Oh! struggle well ye gallant crew With storm and wind and wave; For there are helpless women here And children, too, to save. Quick—sailors do your duty well— And man the life-boats, too; For soon the rocks will strand the ship, And pierce her through and through.

See! like a woman turned to stone A weeping mother stands; Her heart seems like seems like some frozen thing— She wrings her trembling hands; Within her arms she holds a child With frightened wond'ring eyes; Below—the waters pitiless— Above—the angry skies.

Beside her stands a fair young girl With eyes that flash and quiver; They are the only ones still left, These three that moan and shiver. But soon a voice shouts back the words— Through all the deaf'ning roar:— A strong hand grasps the trembling girl, "There's room for just one more."

"Stay, stay," she cries with whitened face "Why should I fear to die? Oh, take this woman by my side, Nor stay to question why. She has a dear one 'mongst your crew, She is a mother, too; I am alone—I fear not death, If this you'll only do."

The sailor grasped the mother's hand, She turned and kissed the maid; The tears of pity filled her eyes Yet not one word she said. The maiden stood with outstretched hands, All hope indeed was gone; And yet she stood with fearless heart, Undaunted and alone.

"Oh, God, the heart that knows your love Will never need to fear; A priceless gem lies on my face, The mother's grateful tear." The lightnings swept across the ship, The darkness wrapped her round; Above the thunder of the storm, There came no other sound.

The morning broke—the storm had fled, The wreck was washed away; And calmly now as yesterday The sea in splendor lay. The noble heart that throbbed with life Lay fathoms deep below: And what lies buried in that heart The waves alone can know.