This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 Excerpt: ...sprang with his heavy strength, And bore the body down; He drew it in to a tomb-like rock,--The dead man seemed to frown. The ship went curtseying back to sea, Like one whose task was done; The coast-guard stood, in a daze stood he, Before the blinding sun. Of all he rescued from out the sea He saw one hand alone; On all the hand he could only see One well-remembered stone. "O ring!" the coast-guard cried, "How hast thou come to this? The ring I gave her, my promised bride, With many a tear and kiss? "Man, didst thou slay my, wife? Though thou wert three times dead I would avenge her, would claim thy life For each dear hair of her head. THE COAST-GUARD''S STORY. 105 "Or did she give my ring? How could such vileness be? Man, with the truth at your black false heart, Declare it now to me!"--The dead man smiled with an awful calm, And not a word said he. "If she be false! O God, Thou who the truth canst tell."--The coast-guard swayed like a tree up-torn, And on his knees he fell. He grasped the fingers stiff, And loosed them one by one; The dead man''s hand was a faithful hand, Its work was nearly done. A letter, held till now, Dropped from the open palm; The case was sealed with the coast-guard''s name--He read in dream-like calm. "Love," so it ran, " I am writing, Writing our last Good-bye; I send the ring by a trusty hand, For they say I must die, must die. "Do not be broken-hearted, Lover so true, so dear; The pain is nothing,--I think of you, And I know that you fain were here. "But you must hold your post, dear, Must not be ruined for me; Before my letter can reach you, love, I shall see you across the sea. "Only a little while, dear, You will be free, be free! We two shall meet on the go...
