FISHERMEN'S MEMORIAL AND RECORD BOOK. 



147 



WAITING, ANXIOUS WAITING I 



DT R. C. CAI.M-.H. 



There Is waiting, anxious waiting, fur the 



fisherman's returning, 

 And the angry wind* are blowing, a* the 



billow* loudly roar; 

 There's a beacon in the window, and a cheerful 



fire Is burning, 



To guide the itorm-toMcd mariner In safety 

 to the shore. 



There Is waiting, on the dock, where the 



fishermen arc standing, 

 And fervent prayers are offered that the 



storm may soon be o'er ; 

 All the sails arc torn to ribands, and the 



cables now arc stranding, 

 O Oodt have mercy on them I they are 

 drifting on the shore I 



There Is waiting, anxious waiting, fur tb ti- 

 dings of the missing 

 And tearful eyes are looking In sadness to 



the shore; 

 And the mother's heart is aching, as the child 



she's fondly kissing. 



Whispers softly from its cradle, " Will 

 papa come no more? " 



There is waiting, anxious waiting, and the 



days and weeks are flying, 

 Yet no coming of the missing ever glads the 



watcher's eyes ; 

 And the waves for aye are surging, with a 



wild and mournful sighing, 

 Where In dreamless rest, the fisher with 

 bis shattered vessel lies. 



AFTER THE GALE OF 1862. 



BT O. B. 



[The following lines were suggested upon hearing the wives and relatives of those on 

 board the missing vessels of the Georges fleet making inquiries of a returned Oeorgesman.] 



'Seaman 1 where art thou from ? 

 Art tbou from Georges' tide ? 

 And will those others come ? 

 Do they in safety ride? 



" Didst thou my husband see? 



And was my brother there? 

 And my son, will ho come back to me, 

 With his locks of shining hair? 



" At home my children weep ; 

 Now tell me, seaman true, 

 Oh, doth their father sleep 

 Beneath the waters blue ? " 



" Woman, the night was dark. 

 The sea too much to brave ; 

 I fear thy husband's bark 

 Hath sunk beneath the wave. 



" And your brother, too, was there, 

 Tossed by the treacherous main ; 

 And he with the shining hair 

 Shall ne'er return again. 



" Children, your father sleeps, 



Beneath the waters blue; 



But God his promise keeps. 



lie will take care of you. 



" Of children once he said, 

 ' Suffer them to come to me ; ' 

 Is not the raven fed 

 By his boundless charity? 



" I'll tell thee more to-morrow; 

 The tears come to my eyes. 

 Go home and calm your sorrow 

 By prayers to Him on high. 



" Hath not the Saviour told thee 



To come In thy distress ? 

 In his arms he will enfold ye, 

 The ' widow and fatherless. 



" And all with sorrow laden, 



May come to him In prayer, 

 And joys that arc unfading 

 With them from heaven hell share.* 



