A Ballad With A Serious Conclusion

Crowd about me, little children -         Come and cluster 'round my knee     While I tell a little story         That happened once with me.     My father he had gone away         A-sailing on the foam,     Leaving me - the merest infant -         And my mother dear at home;     For my father was a sailor,         And he sailed the ocean o'er     For full five years ere yet again         He reached his native shore.     And I had grown up rugged         And healthy day by day,     Though I was but a puny babe         When father went away.     Poor mother she would kiss me         And look at me and sigh     So strangely, oft I wondered         And would ask the reason why.     And she would answer sadly,         Between her sobs and tears, -     "You look so like your father,         Far away so many years!"     And then she would caress me         And brush my hair away,     And tell me not to question,         But to run about my play.     Thus I went playing thoughtfully -         For that my mother said, -     "YOU LOOK SO LIKE YOUR FATHER!"         Kept ringing in my head.     So, ranging once the golden sands         That looked out on the sea,     I called aloud, "My father dear,         Come back to ma and me!"     Then I saw a glancing shadow         On the sand, and heard the shriek     Of a sea-gull flying seaward,         And I heard a gruff voice speak: -     "Ay, ay, my little shipmate,         I thought I heard you hail;     Were you trumpeting that sea-gull,         Or do you see a sail?"     And as rough and gruff a sailor         As ever sailed the sea     Was standing near grotesquely         And leering dreadfully.     I replied, though I was frightened,         "It was my father dear     I was calling for across the sea -         I think he didn't hear."     And then the sailor leered again         In such a frightful way,     And made so many faces         I was little loath to stay:     But he started fiercely toward me -         Then made a sudden halt     And roared, "I think he heard you!"         And turned a somersault.     Then a wild fear overcame me,         And I flew off like the wind,     Shrieking "MOTHER!" - and the sailor         Just a little way behind!     And then my mother heard me,         And I saw her shade her eyes,     Looking toward me from the doorway,         Transfixed with pale surprise     For a moment - then her features         Glowed with all their wonted charms     As the sailor overtook me,         And I fainted in her arms.     When I awoke to reason         I shuddered with affright     Till I felt my mother's presence         With a thrill of wild delight -     Till, amid a shower of kisses         Falling glad as summer rain,     A muffled thunder rumbled, -         "Is he coming 'round again?"     Then I shrieked and clung unto her,         While her features flushed and burned     As she told me it was father         From a foreign land returned.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     I said - when I was calm again,         And thoughtfully once more     Had dwelt upon my mother's words         Of just the day before, -     "I DON'T look like my father,         As you told me yesterday -     I know I don't - or father         Would have run the other way."