THE ORPHANS' VOYAGE.
Two little orphan boys, whose parents died in a foreign land, were put
on board a vessel to be taken home to their relatives and friends. On
a bitter cold night, when the north-east winds sang through the
shrouds of the vessel, the little boys were crouched on the deck
behind a bale of goods, to sleep for the night. The eldest boy wrapt
around his younger brother his little cloak, to shield him from the
surf and sleet,
and then drew him close to his side and said to him,
"the night will not be long, and as the wind blows we shall the sooner
reach our home and see the peet fire glow." So he tried to cheer his
little brother, and told him to go to sleep and forget the cold night
and think about the morning that would come. They both soon sank to
sleep on the cold deck, huddled close to each other, and locked close
in each other's arms. The steerage passengers were all down below,
snugly stowed away in their warm berths, and forgot all about the cold
wind and the frost. When the morning came the land appeared, and the
passengers began to pace the deck, and as the vessel moved along they
tried some well known spot to trace.
Only the orphans did not stir,
Of all this bustling train;
They reached _their home_ this very night,
They will not stir again!
The winter's breath proved kind to them,
And ended all their pain.
But in their deep and freezing sleep,
Clasped rigid to each other,
In dreams they cried, "the bright morn breaks,
Home! home! is hear, my brother;
The angel death has been our friend,
We come! dear father, mother!"