ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 
2.5 ^ 
THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP. 
* T) UILD me straight, O worthy Master ! 
13 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 ever}’- climate, every 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 $hall 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, 
17 
