The Splendors Of A Southern Sun Caress The Glowing Sky; O'Er Crested Waves, The Colors Glance And Gleaming, Softly Die. A Gentle Calm From Heaven Falls And Weaves A Mystic Spell; A Glowing Grace That Charms The Soul-- Whose Glory None Can Tell. Oh, Warm Sweet Treasures Of A Sun Of Endless Fire And Love; Those Dying Embers Are The Flames From Heavenly Fires Above. Unto The Water'S Edge They Creep And Bathe The Seas In Red; Then Die Like Shadows On The Deep With Glory Cold And Dead. A Ship--A Lone, Dark Wanderer Upon The Southern Seas, Speeds Like A White-Faced Messenger Before The Dying Breeze. Her Masts Are Tipped With Amethyst, A Splendor All Untold; A Crimson Mantle Wraps Her Round, Her Sails Are Made Of Gold. The Light Wind Dies--She Slowly Drifts, Then Stops--An Idle Thing; While Sunset Clouds Around Her Prow A Dreamy Grandeur Fling. And Eyes Upon Her Deck Look Forth With Looks Of Longing Pain; A Hundred Sunsets They Would Give Dear Home To See Again. But See! A Shadow As Of Night Spreads O'Er The Crimson Sky; Like Doomed And Lifeless Forms Of Earth The Clouds In Heaven Lie. A Silence Falls--The Ship Stands Still, A Fated Thing Of Earth; Then Like A Child Of Sin And Wrong The Storm Is Given Birth. Oh! Struggle Well Ye Gallant Crew With Storm And Wind And Wave; For There Are Helpless Women Here And Children, Too, To Save. Quick--Sailors Do Your Duty Well-- And Man The Life-Boats, Too; For Soon The Rocks Will Strand The Ship, And Pierce Her Through And Through. See! Like A Woman Turned To Stone A Weeping Mother Stands; Her Heart Seems Like Seems Like Some Frozen Thing-- She Wrings Her Trembling Hands; Within Her Arms She Holds A Child With Frightened Wond'Ring Eyes; Below--The Waters Pitiless-- Above--The Angry Skies. Beside Her Stands A Fair Young Girl With Eyes That Flash And Quiver; They Are The Only Ones Still Left, These Three That Moan And Shiver. But Soon A Voice Shouts Back The Words-- Through All The Deaf'Ning Roar:-- A Strong Hand Grasps The Trembling Girl, "There'S Room For Just One More." "Stay, Stay," She Cries With Whitened Face "Why Should I Fear To Die? Oh, Take This Woman By My Side, Nor Stay To Question Why. She Has A Dear One 'Mongst Your Crew, She Is A Mother, Too; I Am Alone--I Fear Not Death, If This You'll Only Do." The Sailor Grasped The Mother'S Hand, She Turned And Kissed The Maid; The Tears Of Pity Filled Her Eyes Yet Not One Word She Said. The Maiden Stood With Outstretched Hands, All Hope Indeed Was Gone; And Yet She Stood With Fearless Heart, Undaunted And Alone. "Oh, God, The Heart That Knows Your Love Will Never Need To Fear; A Priceless Gem Lies On My Face, The Mother'S Grateful Tear." The Lightnings Swept Across The Ship, The Darkness Wrapped Her Round; Above The Thunder Of The Storm, There Came No Other Sound. The Morning Broke--The Storm Had Fled, The Wreck Was Washed Away; And Calmly Now As Yesterday The Sea In Splendor Lay. The Noble Heart That Throbbed With Life Lay Fathoms Deep Below: And What Lies Buried In That Heart The Waves Alone Can Know.