THE ORPHAN’S VOYAGE HOME.

The men could hardly keep the deck,

So bitter was the night;

Keen north-east winds sang thro’ the shrouds,

The deck was frosty white;

While overhead the glistening stars

Put forth their points of light.

On deck, behind a bale of goods,

Two orphans crouch’d, to sleep;

But ’twas so cold, the youngest boy

In vain tried not to weep:

They were so poor, they had no right

Near cabin doors to creep.

The elder round the younger wrapt

His little ragged cloak,

To shield him from the freezing sleet,

And surf that o’er them broke;

Then drew him closer to his side,

And softly to him spoke:—

“The night will not be long”—he said,

“And if the cold winds blow,

We shall the sooner reach our home,

And see the peat-fire glow;

But now the stars are beautiful—

Oh, do not tremble so!

“Come closer!—sleep—forget the frost—

Think of the morning red—

Our father and our mother soon

Will take us to their bed;

And in their warm arms we shall sleep.”

He knew not they were dead.

For them no father to the ship

Shall with the morning come;

For them no mother’s loving arms

Are spread to take them home:

Meanwhile the cabin passengers

In dreams of pleasure roam.

At length the orphans sank to sleep

All on the freezing deck;

Close huddled side to side—each arm

Clasp’d round the other’s neck.

With heads bent down, they dream’d the earth

Was fading to a speck.

The steerage passengers have all

Been taken down below,

And round the stove they warm their limbs

Into a drowsy glow;

And soon within their berths forget

The icy wind and snow.

Now morning dawns: the land in sight,

Smiles beam on every face!

The pale and qualmy passengers

Begin the deck to pace,

Seeking along the sun-lit cliffs

Some well-known spot to trace.

Only the orphans do not stir,

Of all this bustling train:

They reach’d their home this starry night!

They will not stir again!

The winter’s breath proved kind to them,

And ended all their pain.

But in their deep and freezing sleep

Clasp’d rigid to each other,

In dreams they cried, “The bright morn breaks,

Home! home! is here, my brother!

The Angel Death has been our friend—

We come! dear Father! Mother!”