"THE BOYS." 87 H "THE BOYS." AS there any old fellow got mixed with the boys? We're twenty to-night! We're twenty! We're twenty ! Who says we are more? Gray temples at twenty? Yes! white if we please; Where the snow-flakes fall thickest there's nothing can freeze! Was it snowing I spoke of? Excuse the mistake! Look close, you will see not a sign of a flake! We want some new garlands for those we have shed, And these are white roses in place of the red. We 've a trick, we young fellows, you may have been told, That boy we call "Doctor," and this we call "Judge "; of course it's all fudge. That fellow's the "Speaker," the one on the right; "Mr. Mayor," my young one, how are you to-night? That's our "Member of Congress," we say when we chaff; laugh. That boy with the grave mathematical look don't make me So they chose him right in, - a good joke it was too! There's a boy, we pretend, with a three-decker brain, When he spoke for our manhood in syllabled fire, We called him "The Justice," but now he 's "The Squire." And there's a nice youngster of excellent pith, You hear that boy laughing? Yes, we 're boys, always playing with tongue or with pen, Then here's to our boyhood, its gold and its gray January 6, 1859. ! A SEA DIALOGUE. A SEA DIALOGUE. Cabin Passenger. Man at Wheel. CABIN PASSENGER. RIEND, you seem thoughtful. I not wonder much FR That he who sails the ocean should be sad. I am myself reflective. — When I think Of all this wallowing beast, the Sea, has sucked O mariner, we look upon the waves And they rebuke our babbling. "Peace!" they say, Mortal, be still!" My noisy tongue is hushed, And with my trembling finger on my lips. My soul exclaims in ecstasy Ah yes! Delay," — it calls, "nor haste to break The charm of stillness with an idle word!" 89 O mariner, I love thee, for thy thought And all the great Æolian orchestra MAN AT WHEEL. Avast! CABIN PASSENGER. Ah yes, a vast, a vast and wondrous scene! MAN AT WHEEL. Belay y'r jaw, y' swab! y' hoss-marine! Ay, ay, Sir! Stiddy, Sir! Sou'wes' b' sou'! November 10, 1864. THE JUBILEE. 91 I THE JUBILEE. NAUTICUS LOQUITUR. 'VE heerd some talk of a Jubilee To celebrate "our victory"; When you 'n' a fellah 'z got your grip, I tell y', shipmates 'n' lan'sm'n too, 'z that land is black 'n' water blue! Come tell us, shipmates, ef y' can, Was there ever a crew sence th' worl' began 'z them poor fellahs th't tried t' man Wahl, this is what y' 've hed t' do, T' lick 'em, but not t' drown 'em too |