Rhymes of a Rolling Stone | Page 8

his trick; But their thoughts are far in the Landing bar,

where the founts of nectar run:
And no man thinks of such gorgeous
drinks as that Athabaska Dick.
'Twas the close of day and his long boat lay just over the Big Cascade,
When there came to him one Jack-pot Jim, with a wild light in his eye;
And he softly laughed, and he led Dick aft, all eager, yet half afraid,
And snugly stowed in his coat he showed a pilfered flask of "rye". And
in haste he slipped, or in fear he tripped,
but -- Dick in warning
roared --
And there rang a yell, and it befell that Jim was overboard.
Oh, I heard a splash, and quick as a flash I knew he could not swim. I
saw him whirl in the river swirl, and thresh his arms about. In a queer,
strained way I heard Dick say: "I'm going after him," Throw off his
coat, leap down the boat -- and then I gave a shout: "Boys, grab him,
quick! You're crazy, Dick! Far better one than two! Hell, man! You
know you've got no show! It's sure and certain death. . . ." And there we
hung, and there we clung, with beef and brawn and thew, And sinews
cracked and joints were racked, and panting came our breath; And there
we swayed and there we prayed, till strength and hope were spent --
Then Dick, he threw us off like rats, and after Jim he went.
With mighty urge amid the surge of river-rage he leapt,
And gripped
his mate and desperate he fought to gain the shore; With teeth a-gleam
he bucked the stream, yet swift and sure he swept To meet the mighty
cataract that waited all a-roar.
And there we stood like carven wood,
our faces sickly white, And watched him as he beat the foam, and inch
by inch he lost; And nearer, nearer drew the fall, and fiercer grew the
fight, Till on the very cascade crest a last farewell he tossed.
Then
down and down and down they plunged into that pit of dread; And mad
we tore along the shore to claim our bitter dead.
And from that hell of frenzied foam, that crashed and fumed and boiled,
Two little bodies bubbled up, and they were heedless then;
And oh,
they lay like senseless clay! and bitter hard we toiled, Yet never, never
gleam of hope, and we were weary men.
And moments mounted into

hours, and black was our despair;
And faint were we, and we were
fain to give them up as dead, When suddenly I thrilled with hope:
"Back, boys! and give him air; I feel the flutter of his heart. . . ." And,
as the word I said, Dick gave a sigh, and gazed around, and saw our
breathless band; And saw the sky's blue floor above, all strewn with
golden fleece; And saw his comrade Jack-pot Jim, and touched him
with his hand: And then there came into his eyes a look of perfect
peace.
And as there, at his very feet, the thwarted river raved,
I
heard him murmur low and deep:
"Thank God! the WHISKEY's saved."
Cheer
It's a mighty good world, so it is, dear lass,
When even the worst is
said.
There's a smile and a tear, a sigh and a cheer,
But better be
living than dead;
A joy and a pain, a loss and a gain;
There's honey
and may be some gall:
Yet still I declare, foul weather or fair,
It's a
mighty good world after all.
For look, lass! at night when I break from the fight,
My Kingdom's
awaiting for me;
There's comfort and rest, and the warmth of your
breast,
And little ones climbing my knee.
There's fire-light and song
-- Oh, the world may be wrong!
Its empires may topple and fall:

My home is my care -- if gladness be there,
It's a mighty good world
after all.
O heart of pure gold! I have made you a fold,
It's sheltered,
sun-fondled and warm.
O little ones, rest! I have fashioned a nest;

Sleep on! you are safe from the storm.
For there's no foe like fear,
and there's no friend like cheer, And sunshine will flash at our call;

So crown Love as King, and let us all sing --
"It's a mighty good
world after all."
The Return

They turned him loose; he bowed his head,
A felon, bent and grey.

His face was even as the Dead,
He had no word to say.
He sought the home of his old love,
To look on her once more;
And
where her roses breathed above,
He cowered beside the door.
She sat there in the shining room;
Her hair was silver grey.
He
stared and stared from out the gloom;
He turned to go away.
Her roses rustled overhead.
She saw, with sudden start.
"I knew that
you would come," she said,
And held him to her heart.
Her face was rapt