POETRY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2475, 13 March 1882, Page 4

POETRY.

THE STORY OF BLUE-EYED NELL. 'Twaa all aboard o’ the "Saucy Kate,” While the gale blew hard from the nor’ard, And the big waves broke o’er the sturdy craft Till she creaked abaft and for’ard. My old mate Ben was our skipper then. And a brave one too was he. And he’d brought his child, for she begged so lard, For “ a sail on the rough blue sea.” We had urged him too, each man o’ the orew, For he loved his child right well, And never so happy as spinning our yarns To our laughing bright-eyed “Nell;” Aye all aboard of the “Saucy Kate,” As she flow like mad thro’ the water, When a great block wave like the demon of death Tore away with the skipper’s daughter ! Our “blue-eyed Nell,” with her laughing eyes. And her bright gold hair all a-blow, I cried to her loud, as the great wave came, “ For the love o’ the Lord go below !” She watched as it came, for fear she ne er knew, And scoffed as it roso in its might, But it leapt, with a roar, and bore her away With her hair all so golden and bright. * # # * * The skipper, who’d stuck to the wheel all the night, Had staggered, nigh dead, down below, For a short two hours’ spell —all the black angry night . He had stood in the rain and the snow. He was better away—tho’ they they quick called him up, And like lightning he flew to the lee, “ 'loo late—oh! too late!” I heard his great ory As I swam through the rage of the sea! # # * * * For there was but one hope, tho’ it seemed all forlorn, As 1 leapt in the wild surging water. (I'd have given ten thousand millions of lives For the sake of my old mate’s daughter.) Could I swim ? Aye! oye ! Like a shark — that I could, Though the first big wave well nigh drown’d me; But I swept firm along, and fought thro’ the foam, As the surges kept roaring around me, And I followed the wave that carried her down (I’d have foil iwed it over the ocean) But no sign could I see through the cold cutting spray, No sound but tho tempest’s commotion ; Till at last a long tress of her bright golden hair Shone out where a sun ray had lit it. My God ! how I fought to that beacon o’ gold, Where the dark frothing billows had hid it. **# # * ‘ And twice we sank down in the whirl of the flood, Deep down whore no mortal could follow ; But I held her so fast, with a hard iron grip, Till wo rose whore two waves left a hollow. # # # * They had “ put her about,” the staunch “ Sanoy Kate,” While they hauled us aboard o’er tho lee. Till I laid her down at her own father’s feet, Saved! saved I from the wrath of the sea. He didn’t say much, as fainting I fell. But he grasped my big hand in his own. Such a grip —such a grip —I knew what it meant, Aye, knew by the choke in his tone. He’d o heart like a lion—my old mate Ben— But, believe me the words that I tell, His tears fell all fast on the splintered mast, As he knelt by his own darling Nell. And she opened her eyes, those sweetest bine eyes. That were closed in the great northern sea, And whispered my name—then gently she smiled, And I knew that the smile was for me ! Then I swooned right away, and this soar on my cheek Was cut by the mast as I fell, Bat I’m proud of it, lads, it’s the medal I wear, For saving the life of “ our Nell!” ,*. * # * And often aboard o’ the smart “ Sauoy Kate,” As she rides through the billows right well. They call for a yarn by the flickering light, And the story of “our little Nell.” - : F. A, Packbe. Hobart, Tasmania, February Ist.