“The children grew restless, the tirewomen bold, And the beadle cried out, ‘Run, run! I’ve no doubt ’Tis Sir Francis Drake and his shipload of gold! It will make us all rich, and we’ll have a new bell.’ Then the beadle ran out; and the clerk and the squire Said, ‘We’ll now put new shingles upon the old spire!’ Ran the sailors and women and tradespeople all; And the deaconess, who could not her feelings repress, Said, ‘Run, and it may be _I’ll_ get a new dress.’ Till—oh, ’tis a scandalous story to tell— Till no one was left save quaint Rector Mews And the wise little woman who opened the pews; Only she, and the figures of saints on the wall. Then the rector said, ‘Susan, _we_ might as well run; There’s a ship coming in from the isles of the sun. It bodes good to us all, this remarkable news; I’ll run, while you shut up the pulpit and pews. ’Tis not every day I am called to behold A ship from the Indies all loaded with gold! ’Twill make us so rich we’ll all things make new, And have a new hassock in every pew!’ And he doffed his long robe in a hurry, and he Ran after the others all down to the quay. “Susan heard the men shouting on roof-top and shore, The boom of the cannon, the answering gun. But she turned from the church to her thatched-cottage door, And was thankful her riches had made her so poor. VII. “Uneventful years passed, and dull was the news; And the wise little woman still opened the pews. And Sir Francis again from the port sailed away, Far off from the hills of the Tavy and Tay; And at last the good people looked out on the main For his ship to appear in the distance again; And the parson still preached on the sins of the Jews. From the Isles of June came not gold, spice, nor news; And the wise little woman who opened the pews Used to say, ‘You must search for gold on your knees, And look up to Heaven, not over the seas For gold-laden ships from the bright Caribbees, The riches that galleons bring over the deep. ’Tis only the gold that does good that is good; And the gold that we covet and hoard up and keep, That’s fool’s gold all.’ VIII.