Santa Rosa High School - Echo Yearbook (Santa Rosa, CA)

Page 32 text:

THE PORCUPINE “It was not long they had to wait, lor soon above the storm The low boom of a signal gun To our strained ears were borne. “Then quick from out the inky dark Burst forth a flaming sign, The last sad cry our seamen make Before they cross the line. “Three times we strove to launch the boat; Three times we strove in vain; Then with the strength born of despair We charged the seas again. “Tor five long minutes battled we Ere victory was ours; And we shot through the angry sea, While spray came down in showers. “T’or two score years and ten I’ve fought The angry, storm-swept sea, And in that time ’twas ne’er so rough As then it seemed to me. “It took the skill of strength and years Of men raised on the deep, To keep that faithful, steady craft (‘rom sinking with each sweep. “Oh! how we fought with all our might To reach that dying ship, While death looked on with smiling gaze, Lest foot or hand should slip. “We struggled long, so hard it was, An hour slowly passed, And each succeeding plunge we took Appeared to be our last. $n

Page 31 text:

Che Porcupine VOL. XI. SANTA ROSA, CAL., DECEMBER, 1904 NO. 4 Prudent People Purchase Prickly Porcupines Neptune’s Gift. Father, why is the storm so fierce? Why beat the waves so loud? Why flash on fiash of lightning comes From out the flying clouds? “Ah, lad, a storm does blow this night, Full high the wild waves be, But ne’er so high as long ago On the night you came to me. “Listen, my lad, and I shall tell A tale of one fierce strife; Of human skill ’gainst mighty strength, To save a human life. “The lightning flashed with blinding light, The thunder rolled on high, As though the mighty power above Were battling in the sky. “The wayes were running high this night As they have never run, And each would strike the mighty cliff As though each were a gun. “In the boat house the life-boat crew Sai motionless and grim, For well they knew that trials fierce This dreadful night would bring.

Page 33 text:

THE PORCUPINE 3 “But life-men never go to fight Unless they challenge death, And men like these hope only leaves When hand in hand with breath. E’en when we'd reached the treach’rous spot, We feared we were too late, For darkness spoke departed life, The waves were bells of fate. “But suddenly a blinding fiash Flame-rent the angry sky, And ship and crew rose from the deep Before each anxious eye. “And looking up from where we were, Right close we heard a wail, And saw a frenzied figure leap From off the pitching rail, “Then soon upon a crested wave I saw a basket float, And round its sides, and o’er the top Was wrapped a woman’s cloak. “With boat hook, reaching carefully, I drew it to my side, And found it held a sleeping babe, Wrapped softly for his ride. “Oh, fate! how close we have to look To call thy judgments right; This mother’s leaped to certain death With rescuers in sight. “Ah, Jad! the rest is old to you— You’ve heard it oftentime— Your mother, lad, and that great ship Alone remained behind.