" Man the Life-boat!" Listen, brother, How the signal cleaves the air, Chilling heart of wife or mother With a feeling nigh despair; "Man the Life-boat 1" and the thunder Seems to echo back the cry; "Dare they venture forth?" we wonder, And the answer comes, " Aye, aye." Lo! the hurricane is howling O'er the wild tempestuous sea, And the heavens are darkly scowling O'er the grave that is to be: Lo! the white-tossed waves are dashing On the dangerous rock-bound coast, And the booming thunder crashing, Terrifies the trembling host.

Wildly plunging on the billows, See yon gallant bark is tost; See her strong masts bend like willows! God of mercy! she is lost.

Now the breakers beat and wound her, And she trembles at the shock, As the boiling waves around her Dash her madly on the rock.

" Man the Life-boat I "—Truth is stranger Than the wildest fiction wrote.

All regardless of their danger, Heroes haste to man the boat; Through the storm so fiercely raging, Lit up by the lightning's flash, With one thought each mind engaging, On those gallant heroes dash.

Now they launch their little beauty- How she grapples with the wave— And the crew respond to Duty, Theirs to do, to die, or save: Through the breakers they are creeping, Palling with a mighty stroke; On the shore their loves are weeping, Praying for their "Hearts of Oak." Now the breakers dash them shoreward, And all efforts seem in vain, But their noble cry is "Forward!" And they pull with might and main; And we stand in awe-struck wonder, Stand to watch them from afar, Till at last the pealing thunder Echoes back our glad " Hurrah ! " They have reached the sinking vessel— Our brave boat has gained the wreck, And our gallant heroes wrestle With the waves that sweep the deck: Death and danger howl about them, But their hearts are staunch and true; Fiercest danger cannot rout them, Cannot stay our Life-boat Crew.

See! our heroes are returning, Tossing on the foaming wave— Thought of death or danger spurning— With the lives they went to save: Honest toilers rush to meet them, Drag them dripping to the strand, And our shouts of welcome greet them Back to life, to love, to land.

***** Ye who dwell secure from danger, When the tempest sweeps the land, Think in pity on the stranger Wrecked upon the treacherous strand; When a kind and tender feeling Wakes your charity anew, Listen to the voice appealing, Aid and bless the Life-boat Crew.

OaMeford. AKTHCK ASHTON.

NOTICE.

The next number of the LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL will be published on the 1st February, 1897.