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(THE CAPTAIN'S STORY.)
The ship was steerin' nor'-nor'-east; the weather hailed us fair;
The cherub that looks out for Jack was flyin' through the air.
An' Davy Jones his locker shut, an' laid him down to rest,
An' says there won't be no arrives for forty hours at best!
When all to once a han'-breadth cloud growed black an' deep an' wide,
An' scowled at our barometer, an' told it that it lied.
The cherub that looks out for Jack was flyin' through the air.
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An' says there won't be no arrives for forty hours at best!
When all to once a han'-breadth cloud growed black an' deep an' wide,
An' scowled at our barometer, an' told it that it lied.
We moaned the Flyin' Dutchman's fate three days an' nights or more,
An' fellers asked supplies from Heaven that never prayed before;
Their larboard knees an' starboard knees was both in good demand,
With Heaven or that 'ere other place their only point to land.
But in one hour the weather smiled an' looks of sweetness bore,
An' we approached a little isle few ever seen before.
An' fellers asked supplies from Heaven that never prayed before;
Their larboard knees an' starboard knees was both in good demand,
With Heaven or that 'ere other place their only point to land.
But in one hour the weather smiled an' looks of sweetness bore,
An' we approached a little isle few ever seen before.
An' jest as soon as peril fled, these fellers that hed prayed,
Become agnostics quick ag'in, of neither world afraid;
An' when the shattered ship went down as soon as we had moved
It's val'ables unto the shore, their courage still improved,
An' “Law and Order's had its trip,” their conduct seemed to say,
“An' we will run this thing ourselves—our own pertic'ler way.”
Become agnostics quick ag'in, of neither world afraid;
An' when the shattered ship went down as soon as we had moved
It's val'ables unto the shore, their courage still improved,
An' “Law and Order's had its trip,” their conduct seemed to say,
“An' we will run this thing ourselves—our own pertic'ler way.”
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The first that died was little James: opinion he had foun',
That woman owned no rights, when wrong had strength to crush her down.
An' Cap. addressed his faculties, an' vainly tried to show'm
That such a plan could never live 'mongst men who'd wives at home.
He would not list, and 'twas not long before he sank to sleep:
His grave for any woman waits, who wishes there to weep.
That woman owned no rights, when wrong had strength to crush her down.
An' Cap. addressed his faculties, an' vainly tried to show'm
That such a plan could never live 'mongst men who'd wives at home.
He would not list, and 'twas not long before he sank to sleep:
His grave for any woman waits, who wishes there to weep.
The next that died was Prowlin' Sam: he by th' opinion came,
That others' property was his, ef he could steal the same.
The Captain tried to caution him that competition's brisk,
An' predatory animals must carry lots of risk:
He could not learn it soon enough his graspin' life to save:
He owns a han'some little plot beside the ocean wave.
That others' property was his, ef he could steal the same.
The Captain tried to caution him that competition's brisk,
An' predatory animals must carry lots of risk:
He could not learn it soon enough his graspin' life to save:
He owns a han'some little plot beside the ocean wave.
The next that died was Highbred Tom: he hailed his mates to tell'm
He meant to be the muck-a-muck of that small island realm.
The Captain told him muck-a-mucks should work up by degrees:—
He tried to steer a mutiny the gov'ment for to seize.
He lost his standin' an' was soon a-swingin' to an' fro:
You'll find him bloomin' near a tree—provided he should grow.
He meant to be the muck-a-muck of that small island realm.
The Captain told him muck-a-mucks should work up by degrees:—
He tried to steer a mutiny the gov'ment for to seize.
He lost his standin' an' was soon a-swingin' to an' fro:
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The next that died was John McJohn—the meanest of the lot—
But one that had a pile of sense where better men have not:
He knew a rock if that the same should frown within his sight—
He knowed men hev a prejudice that other men do right.
He tacked these matters up an' down the searoom in his head,
An' died a few years afterwards—quite comf'ble, in his bed.
But one that had a pile of sense where better men have not:
He knew a rock if that the same should frown within his sight—
He knowed men hev a prejudice that other men do right.
He tacked these matters up an' down the searoom in his head,
An' died a few years afterwards—quite comf'ble, in his bed.
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