The Children`s Corner. BERTIE, THE SAILOR BOY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1383, 1 June 1878, Page 17

The Children`s Corner. BERTIE, THE SAILOR BOY.

(Written for the Children's Corner.) His pale, widowed mother Looked wearyand worn, For no father rejoiced When her baby was born. To christen her baby Then a minister came, And he was called Bertram— 'Twas his father's name. This brave little Bertie, Who was once very small, Soon could climb, without fear, On the old castle wall. Once he hid in the fanners, The bo.vs loudly did laugh } They turned round the handle, Jusfc to blow out tho chaff. Then poor little Bertie, With hia small hands and feet, Came headfirst through the slide, In the place for the wheat. Then a boy in the barn — Because Bertie was elmi — On a paltry pretence, Wished to quarrel with him. Bertie got his faco scratched, And his jacket all torn, Though his arms went like flails, When they thrash out tho corn ; And the cowardly boy Who was anxious for strife, Got a beating, he'll mind All the rest of his life. Now he's off to the school : See how manly he looks, With a suit of new clothes, And a bagful of books. Should boys quarrel with him When he is in the right, They will soon come to know, Little Bertie can fight ; They have only to look In his open blue eye, To know he's no cow.ard, For he ne'er told a lie. One day, he was sailing Far away down the stream, When the boat was upset, But Bertie could swim ; A squall caught his boat As she rounded to tack, And he swam to the shore, With a boy on his back. Then the minister came, With strange feelings of joy, To thank him and bless him For saving his boy. And away the small boys Of the village did run, To tell his poor mother All about her brave son. Now Bertie's a sailor, Far away from her sight ; Yet she knows he i» safe Through the wild stormy night } For angels have whispered Glad tidings of joy : They keep watch day and night O'er her brave sailor boy. W.i Dunedin, 17th May, 1878.