My captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; But the ship, the ship is anchored safe, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won; Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with silent tread, Walk the spot my captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. THE COURTIN'. Zekle crep' up, quite unbeknown, An' peeked in thru the winder, An' there sot Huldy all alone, 'ith no one nigh to hender. Agin the chimbly crooknecks hung, An' in amongst 'em rusted The ole queen's arm thet Gran'ther Young Fetched back from Concord busted. The wannut logs shot sparkles out Toward the pootiest, bless her! An' leetle fires danced all about The chiny on the dresser. The very room, coz she wuz in, Looked warm from floor to ceilin', An' she looked full ez rosy agin Ez th' apples she wuz peelin'. She heerd a foot an' knowed it, tu, A-raspin' on the scraper; All ways to once her feelin's new Like sparks in burnt-up paper. He kin' o' l'itered on the mat, Some doubtfle o' the seekle; His heart kep' goin' pitypat, But hern went pity Zekle. THE PIOUS EDITOR'S CREED. [From _Biglow Papers_.] I du believe in Freedom's cause, Ez fur away as Paris is; I love to see her stick her claws In them infarnal Pharisees; It's wal enough agin a king To dror resolves an' triggers-- But libbaty's a kind o' thing Thet don't agree with niggers. I du believe the people want A tax on teas an' coffees, Thet nothin' aint extravygunt, Pervidin' I'm in office; Fer I hev loved my country sence My eye-teeth filled their sockets, An' Uncle Sam I reverence-- Partic'larly his pockets. I du believe in any plan O' levyin' the taxes, Ez long ez, like a lumberman, I git jest wut I axes; I go free-trade thru thick an' thin, Because it kind o' rouses The folks to vote--an' keeps us in Our quiet custom-houses. * * * * * * * * I du believe with all my soul In the gret Press's freedom, To pint the people to the goal An' in the traces lead 'em; Palsied the arm thet forges jokes At my fat contracts squintin', An' withered be the nose that pokes Inter the gov'ment printin'! I du believe thet I should give Wut's his'n unto Caesar, Fer it's by him I move an' live, Frum him my bread and cheese air; I du believe thet all o' me Doth bear his souperscription,-- Will, conscience, honor, honesty, An' things o' thet description.