'Twas my watch below in the former gale— The current sets me shoreward; I'll just lay to between them both, "Breakers ahead!" cried the watch on the bow, "Hard up!" was the first mate's order; "She feels the ground swell!" the passengers cried, "And the seas already board her!" The foresail split in the angry gust, 66 In the hold the ballast shifted; And an old tar said: "If Jackson steered, But the captain cried: "Let go your helm! Pipe all hands to the quarter-deck, And we'll save her by devotion!" To see the good, ship helpless roll The tattered sails are all a-back, Yards crack and masts are started; And the captain weeps and says his Till the hull beʼmidships parted : The crew are in revolution; prayers, The wave that washes the captain off New-York, December 18, 1860. "ALL WE ASK IS TO BE LET ALONE." BY H. H. BROWNELL. S vonce I valked by a dismal svamp, AS There sot an Old Cove in the dark and damp, And at every body as passed that road A stick or a stone this Old Cove throwed. And venever he flung his stick or his stone He'd set up a song of "Let me alone.” "Let me alone, for I loves to shy These bits of things at the passers-by- In a veck or so I expects to come And turn you out of your 'ouse and 'ome— I'm a quiet Old Cove," says he, with a groan: "All I axes is-Let me alone." Just then came along on the self-same vay, Another Old Cove, and began for to say"Let you alone! that's comin' it strong!— You've ben let alone-a darned sight too long— Of all the sarce that ever I heerd! Put down that stick! (You well may look Let skeered ;) go that stone! If you once show fight, I'll knock you higher than ary kite. You must hev a lesson to stop your tricks, And cure you of shying them stones and sticksAnd I'll hev my hardware back and my cash, And knock your scow into tarnal smash, And if ever I catches you 'round my ranch, I'll string you up to the nearest branch. The best you can do is to go to bed, And keep a decent tongue in your head; For I reckon, before you and I are done, You'll wish you had let honest folks alone." The Old Cove stopped, and the t'other Old Cove He sot quite still in his cypress grove, And he looked at his stick, revolvin' slow And he grumbled on in an injured tone: "All that I axed vos, let me alone." THE PILOT THAT WEATHERED THE STORM. BY RICHARD GAGGIN. ARK! Hark! from the ocean of life comes a HA cry Of danger; see treason's clouds darken the sky- To the heart of a freeman, is now in despair- She bears in her bosom a charter of peace- Her captain a traitor-and pirates her crew; She's nearing the breakers, where billows o'er whelm Lo! there's to the rescue tried friends of the realmOh! joy to all nations, Abe comes to the helm, The Pilot to weather the storm. The tempest still rages—the furies increase— Night deepens in darkness - his spirit breathes peace; Undaunted he stands at the wheel, and shall guide The vessel triumphant through dangers untried; While friends of humanity shout him, with pride, "The Pilot that weathered the storm." Erie, Pa. SECESSION LITERATURE. "I received my first military commission in South-Carolina." Letter of Mr. Richard Lathers. "Mr. Lathers is an Irishman." Correspondent of the Evening Post. MOURN, Swampy groves of New-Rochelle, And Pine Street, tell thy sad condition; See Richard's gallant bosom swell When thinking of his first commission. |