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CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, EDITORS OF 'CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE,' 'CHAMBERS'S EDUCATIONAL COURSE,' &c.
| No. 427. New Series. | SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1852. | Price 1½d. |
A MARINER'S WIFE.
'Ah me, my dream!' pale Helen cried,
With hectic cheeks aglow:
'Why wake me? Hide that cruel beam!
I'll not win such another dream
On this side heaven, I know.
With hectic cheeks aglow:
'Why wake me? Hide that cruel beam!
I'll not win such another dream
On this side heaven, I know.
'I almost feel the leaping waves,
The wet spray on my hair,
The salt breeze singing in the sail,
The kind arms, strong as iron-mail,
That held me safely there.
The wet spray on my hair,
The salt breeze singing in the sail,
The kind arms, strong as iron-mail,
That held me safely there.
'I'll tell thee:—On some shore I stood,
Or sea, or inland bay,
Or river broad, I know not—save
There seemed no boundary to the wave
That chafed and moaned alway.
Or sea, or inland bay,
Or river broad, I know not—save
There seemed no boundary to the wave
That chafed and moaned alway.
'The shore was lone—the wave was lone—
The horizon lone; no sail
Broke the dim line 'twixt sea and sky,
Till slowly, slowly one came by,
Half ghostlike, gray and pale.
The horizon lone; no sail
Broke the dim line 'twixt sea and sky,
Till slowly, slowly one came by,
Half ghostlike, gray and pale.
'It was a very little boat,
Had neither oars nor crew;
But as it shoreward bounded fast,
One form seemed leaning by the mast—
And Norman's face I knew!
Had neither oars nor crew;
But as it shoreward bounded fast,
One form seemed leaning by the mast—
And Norman's face I knew!
'He never looked nor smiled at me,
Though I stood there alone;
His brow was very grave and high,
Lit with a glory from the sky—
The wild bark bounded on.
Though I stood there alone;
His brow was very grave and high,
Lit with a glory from the sky—
The wild bark bounded on.
'I shrieked: "Oh, take me—take me, love!
The night is falling dread."—
"My boat may come no nearer shore;
And, hark! how mad the billows roar!
Art thou afraid?" he said.
The night is falling dread."—
"My boat may come no nearer shore;
And, hark! how mad the billows roar!
Art thou afraid?" he said.
'"Afraid! with thee?"—"The wind sweeps fierce
The foamy rocks among;
A perilous voyage waiteth me."—
"Then, then, indeed, I go with thee,"
I cried, and forward sprung.
The foamy rocks among;
A perilous voyage waiteth me."—
"Then, then, indeed, I go with thee,"
I cried, and forward sprung.
'All drenched with brine, all pale with fear—
Ah no, not fear; 'twas bliss!—
I felt the strong arms draw me in:
If after death to heaven I win,
'Twill be such joy as this!
Ah no, not fear; 'twas bliss!—
I felt the strong arms draw me in:
If after death to heaven I win,
'Twill be such joy as this!
'No kiss, no smile, but aye that clasp—
Tender, and close, and brave;
While, like a tortured thing, upleapt
The boat, and o'er her deck there swept
Wave thundering after wave.
Tender, and close, and brave;
While, like a tortured thing, upleapt
The boat, and o'er her deck there swept
Wave thundering after wave.
'I looked not to the stormy deep,
Nor to the angry sky;
Whether for life or death we wrought,
My whole world dwindled to one thought—
Where he is, there am I!
Nor to the angry sky;
Whether for life or death we wrought,
My whole world dwindled to one thought—
Where he is, there am I!
'On—on—through leaping waves, slow calmed,
With salt spray on our hair,
And breezes singing in the sail,
Before a safe and pleasant gale,
The boat went bounding fair:
With salt spray on our hair,
And breezes singing in the sail,
Before a safe and pleasant gale,
The boat went bounding fair:
'But whether to a shore we came,
Or seaward sailed away,
Alas! to me is all unknown:
O happy dream, too quickly flown!
O cruel, cruel day!'
Or seaward sailed away,
Alas! to me is all unknown:
O happy dream, too quickly flown!
O cruel, cruel day!'
Pale Helen lived—or died: dull time
O'er all that history rolls;
Sailed they or sunk they on life's waves?—
I only know earth holds two graves,
And heaven two blessed souls.
O'er all that history rolls;
Sailed they or sunk they on life's waves?—
I only know earth holds two graves,
And heaven two blessed souls.