Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Story of Columbus
Columbus and His Little Son Diego.
A way-worn man in Spanish lands,
He wanders by the sea; -
And by his side a little lad:
"O Father! why are we so sad?
Why don't you speak to me?
"All day the silent ships go by,
The long waves wash the shore.
I'm weary of the silent ships!
The salt waves mock my thirsty lips; -
I'm weary of their roar!
"Along the sky the ships go by,
But never one comes near.
So soft and slow, like ghosts they go!
They must be ghosts, or else I know
They would not leave us here!
"I think the ships would pity us,
If ships could understand! -
Why did we leave our quiet home,
In the grand old pleasant town, to roam
Like beggars through the land?
"O, Lisbon was a pleasant town!
Till now I never knew
How cool and sweet was our fair street,
And the window, shaded from the heat,
Where the fresh sea-breezes blew! -
"The window of your little room,
Where many a day I stood
For hours, and watched you, while you drew
The charts which every captain knew,
The maps we sold for food.
"Was it those wondrous maps that put
Such dreams into your mind,
Of some strange country, far away,
Beyond the ocean, which some day
You mean to sail and find?
"Those dreams have made us sad and poor;
Your hair has turned to gray;
And, sometimes, when you look at me,
Your eyes are strange - they seem to see
That strange world far away!
"O Father! I'm so tired to-night,"
The little wanderer said,
"That world, and all the things that live
Or grow upon it. I would give
Just for a little bread!"
A tear was in the father's eye,
But his heart was strong and great:
"For thy dear sake, my child, I yearn
To be at rest, but we must learn
To suffer and to wait."
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