ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 257 



THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP. 



^'T)UILD me straight, O worthy Master ! 

 JL) Stanch and strong, a goodly vessel. 

 That shall laugh at all disaster 



And with wave and whirlwind wrestle." 



Covering many.a rood of ground, 



Lay the timber piled around ; 



Timber of chestnut, and elm, and oak, 



And scattered here and there, with these. 



The knarred and crooked cedar knees ; 



Brought from regions far away, 



From Pascagoula's sunny bay, 



And the banks of the roaring Roanoke ! 



Ah ! what a wondrous thing it is 



To note how many wheels of toil 



One thought, one word, can set in motion ! 



There's not a ship that sails the ocean, 



But even- climate, ever)- soil, 



Must bring its tribute, great or small, 



And help to build the wooden wall ! 



'* Thus," said he, " will we build this ship ! 

 Lay square the blocks upon the slip, 

 And follow well this plan of mine, 

 Choose the timbers with greatest care ; 

 Of all that is unsound beware ; 

 For only what is good and strong 

 To this vessel shall belong. 

 Cedar of Maine and Georgia pine 

 Here together shall combine. 

 A goodly frame, and a goodly fame 

 And the UNION be her name!" 



Long ago, 



In the deer-haunted forests of Maine, 



When upon mountain and plain 



Lay the snow, 



They fell, those lordly pines ! 



Those grand, majestic pines ! 



'Mid shouts and cheers 



The jaded steers, 



Panting beneath the goad, 



