When o’er the silent seas alone,
For days and nights we’ve cheerless gone,
Oh, they who’ve felt it know how sweet,
Some sunny morn a sail to meet.

Sparkling at once is ev’ry eye,
“Ship ahoy! ship ahoy!” our joyful cry;
While answering back the sounds we hear,
“Ship ahoy! ship ahoy! what cheer? what cheer?”

Then sails are back’d, we nearer come,
Kind words are said of friends and home;
And soon, too soon, we part with pain,
To sail o’er silent seas again.

PROVERBS AND POPULAR SAYINGS.

A barking dog seldom bites. 
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 
A cat may look at a king. 
A chip of the old block. 
A day after the fair. 
A fool and his money are soon parted. 
A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in
  seven years. 
A fool may make money, but it needs a wise man to spend it. 
A friend in need is a friend indeed. 
A good garden may have some weeds. 
A good workman is known by his chips. 
A hard beginning makes a good ending.

* * * * *

Three little kittens lost their mittens,
  And they began to cry: 
“O mother dear, we very much fear
  That we have lost our mittens.”

“Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens! 
  Then you shall have no pie.” 
    “Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow! 
  And we can have no pie. 
    Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow!”

* * * * *

Once I saw a little bird
  Come hop, hop, hop;
So I cried, “Little bird,
  Will you stop, stop, stop?”
And was going to the window
  To say, “How do you do?”
But he shook his little tail,
  And far away he flew.

* * * * *

One misty, moisty morning,
  When cloudy was the weather,
I chanced to meet an old man
  Clothed all in leather;
He began to compliment,
  And I began to grin,—­
“How do you do,” and “How do you do,”
  And “How do you do” again!

* * * * *

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

* * * * *

Rid a cock-horse to Banbury-cross
To see an old lady upon a white horse,
Rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes,
And so she makes music wherever she goes.

* * * * *

Three wise men of Gotham
Went to sea in a bowl;
If the bowl had been stronger,
My song would have been longer.

* * * * *

See, saw, sacradown,
Which is the way to London town? 
One foot up, the other foot down,
And that is the way to London town.