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386    FRANCES S. OSGOOD.
For she had hung her treasure there,
Her heaven-illuminated pearl!
And so she steer'd her lonely bark,
That fair and guileless girl!

The wind was fresh, the sails were free,
High dash'd the diamond spray, 
And merrily leaping o'er the sea,
The light skiff left the bay!

But soon false, evil spirits came,
And strove, with costly lure,
To bribe her maiden heart to shame,
And win her jewel pure.

They swarm'd around the fragile boat,
They brought her diamonds rare,
To glisten on her graceful throat,
And bind her flowing hair!

They brought her gold from Afric-land,
And from the sea-king's throne
They pilfer'd gems, to grace her hand
And clasp her virgin zone.

But still she shook the silken curl
Back from her beaming eyes,
And cried–"I hear my spotless pearl
Home, home to yonder skies!

"Now shame ye not your ocean gems
And Eastern gold to show?
Behold! how mine outburns them all!
God's smile is in its glow!"

Fair blows the wind, the sail swells free,
High shoots the diamond spray,
And merrily o'er the murmuring sea
The light boat leaps away!

FRANCES S. OSGOOD.   387

They swarm'd around the fragile bark,
They strove with costlier lure
To bribe her maiden heart to shame, 
And win her jewel pure.

"We bring thee rank–we bring thee power–
We bring thee pleasures free–
No empress, in her silk-hung bower, 
May queen her realm like thee!

"Now yield us up the on white pearl!
'T is but a star, whose ray
Will fail thee, rash, devoted girl,
When tempests cloud thy way."

But still she smiled a loftier smile,
And raised her frank, bright eyes,
And cried–"I bear my vestal star
Home, home to yonder skies!"

The wind is fresh–the sail swells free–
High shoots the diamond spray!
And merrily o'er the moaning sea
The light boat leaps away!

Suddenly, stillness broods around,
A stillness as of death, 
Above, below–no motion, sound!
Hardly a struggling breath!

Then wild and fierce the tempest came,
The dark wind-demons clash'd
Their weapons swift–the air was flame!
The waves in madness dash'd!

They swarm'd around the tossing boat–
"Wilt yield thy jewel now?
Look! look! already drench'd in spray,
It trembles at the prow. 

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-29 16:34:21