THE SEA-SHELL'S ANSWER. 



I. 



OSING me a song, lovely child of the sea, 

 9 For my heart seeks to fathom thy deep mystery 

 And I long for the story thy cold lips could tell 

 Of the forces which made thee a beautiful shell. 



II. 



O, sing of the life that fashioned thy 



form 

 With such wonderful grace, and with 



colors so warm 

 Has dyed thy pure marbles, that radiant 



they shine, 

 Like imprisoned sunbeams ; say, was 



that life thine? 



III. 



Did thy frail mollusk know, as he fash- 

 ioned his cell, 



He was building a palace within which 

 to dwell? 



Did his cold heart beat quicker as each 

 added line 



Made thy beauty more perfect? Was 

 his joy like mine? 



76 



Figure 31. 



