Oh, may his spirit linger near, As by old Monticello's slope; Inspire Missouri's sons who gather here And He who holds the nation's fate Within the hollow of His hand Preserve the Union ever strong and great, ON BOARD THE DERELICT By YOUNG E. ALLISON [This poem appeared first in the Louisville Courier-Journal of 1898.] Fifteen men on the Dead Man's chest- Drink and the devil had done for the rest- -(Cap'n Billy Bones his song.) Fifteen men on the Dead Man's chest- Drink and the devil had done for the rest- The mate was fixed by the bos'n's pike, By fingers ten; All good dead men, Like break-o'-day in a boozin'-ken—— Fifteen men of a whole ship's list Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Dead and bedamned-and the rest gone whist! - The skipper lay with his nob in gore, Where the scullion's axe his cheek had shoreAnd the scullion he was stabbed times four. And there they lay And the soggy skies In up-staring eyes At murk sunset and at foul sunrise- Fifteen men of 'em stiff and stark- Aye, damn my eyes!- All souls bound just the contra’wise— Fifteen men of 'em good and true- Every man Jack could ha' sailed with Old Pew→→→→ There was chest on chest full of Spanish gold, And the cabin's riot of loot untold. And they lay there, That had took the plum, With sightless glare And with lips struck dumb, While we shared all by the rule of thumb Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! More was seen through the stern-light screen- Chartings undoubt where a woman had been-- A flimsy shift on a bunker cot, With a thin dirk slot through the bosom spot, Or some shuddering maid? And that took the blade? By God! she was stuff for a plucky jade!— Fifteen men on the Dead Man's chest- Drink and the devil had done for the rest- We wrapped 'em all in a mains❜l tight, And a fare-you-well! Ten-fathoms deep on the road to hell- TRISTRAM AND ISOULT. By MARTHA W. AUSTIN ['Tristram and Isoult,' 1905. Copyright by the author and used here by permis. sion. Selection from Part III, Scene 1.1 Isoult Blanche Mains The casement-wilt thou have it closed? Tristram Nay, let it stay, I fain would see the stars Hath come. What are we but a column of towering dust Again . . Think you Isoult, I might be helped Isoult Blanche Mains I'll call thy men and they shall carry thee. (She calls without) Brian-Boris-Uwaine-Meliot! (Enter four retainers. They support Tristram from the room. He leans heavily on them. Isoult Blanche Mains goes to the window and looks out.) It hath grown dark, I can no longer see. The moon will be to-night--she steps from out That empty seems of any save of her. The air is full of her, as one we love When he is near will fill the room, until We scarce draw breath for his mere presence. So (She takes up the harp that leans against the casement, sweeping it with her fingers.) Last night I heard the sea-wind sighing in the strings For hands that ne'er shall touch its soul again. Sea-Swallow that didst bear her on thy wings Sea-Swallow, bear us from the king-owned earth Sea-Swallow, her sole throne shall be thy prow, Sea-Swallow, hasten ere it be too late, (As the last chords die out Isoult Blanche Mains looks up and sees La Belle Isoult standing on the threshold. For a moment, in silence the two steadfastly regard each other.) Queen Isoult I heard the harp-I thought that it was he- Isoult Blanche Mains On the battlements, without Yet stay an instant. It was I who sent For thee. Queen Isoult How good-how generous-thou art! Complete thy goodness-lead me to him-quick! Isoult Blanche Mains I ask one grace-that thou wilt stand there still, What power is in thee to eat men's hearts |