IV.THAT OF CAPTAIN ARCHIBALD McKAN.
There never lived a worthier manThan Captain Archibald McKan.I knew him well some time ago(I speak of twenty years or so);Sans peur et sans reprochewas he;He was the soul of chivalry,Was Captain Archibald McKan.True greatness showed in all his mien,No haughty pride in him was seen,Though, captain of a steamer, he,From Greenwich unto far Chelsea,That, spite of weather, wind, and tide,From early Spring to Autumn plied,Brave, modest Captain A. McKan.However sternly might his roarReverberate from shore to shoreOf "Ease her! Back her! Hard astern!"His duty done, with smile he'd turnAnd be most affable and mildTo every woman, man, or childAboard, would Captain A. McKan.
There never lived a worthier manThan Captain Archibald McKan.I knew him well some time ago(I speak of twenty years or so);Sans peur et sans reprochewas he;He was the soul of chivalry,Was Captain Archibald McKan.True greatness showed in all his mien,No haughty pride in him was seen,Though, captain of a steamer, he,From Greenwich unto far Chelsea,That, spite of weather, wind, and tide,From early Spring to Autumn plied,Brave, modest Captain A. McKan.However sternly might his roarReverberate from shore to shoreOf "Ease her! Back her! Hard astern!"His duty done, with smile he'd turnAnd be most affable and mildTo every woman, man, or childAboard, would Captain A. McKan.
There never lived a worthier manThan Captain Archibald McKan.I knew him well some time ago(I speak of twenty years or so);Sans peur et sans reprochewas he;He was the soul of chivalry,Was Captain Archibald McKan.
There never lived a worthier man
Than Captain Archibald McKan.
I knew him well some time ago
(I speak of twenty years or so);
Sans peur et sans reprochewas he;
He was the soul of chivalry,
Was Captain Archibald McKan.
True greatness showed in all his mien,No haughty pride in him was seen,Though, captain of a steamer, he,From Greenwich unto far Chelsea,That, spite of weather, wind, and tide,From early Spring to Autumn plied,Brave, modest Captain A. McKan.
True greatness showed in all his mien,
No haughty pride in him was seen,
Though, captain of a steamer, he,
From Greenwich unto far Chelsea,
That, spite of weather, wind, and tide,
From early Spring to Autumn plied,
Brave, modest Captain A. McKan.
However sternly might his roarReverberate from shore to shoreOf "Ease her! Back her! Hard astern!"His duty done, with smile he'd turnAnd be most affable and mildTo every woman, man, or childAboard, would Captain A. McKan.
However sternly might his roar
Reverberate from shore to shore
Of "Ease her! Back her! Hard astern!"
His duty done, with smile he'd turn
And be most affable and mild
To every woman, man, or child
Aboard, would Captain A. McKan.
He reassured the anxious fearsOf nervous ladies—pretty dears!—He in his pocket carried toysAnd sweets for little girls and boys;He talked in quite familiar wayWith men who voyaged day by day,Did Captain Archibald McKan.In fact, as I've already said,No man alive—or even dead—Was freer from reproach than he;And yet of Fortune's irony(Though such a very decent sort)This worthy man was e'en the sport.Alas! was Captain A. McKan!"Cherchez la femme." The phrase is trite,Yet here, as usual, 'twas right.Our Captain noted every dayA certain girl rode all the wayFrom Greenwich Pier to Wapping Stair."Itcannotbe to take the air,"Thought Captain Archibald McKan.She calmly sat, with downcast eye;And looking both demure and shy;Yet, once, he caught a roving glance,Which made his pulses wildly dance;And,—though as modest as could be—"I do believe she's gone on me,"Considered Captain A. McKan.
He reassured the anxious fearsOf nervous ladies—pretty dears!—He in his pocket carried toysAnd sweets for little girls and boys;He talked in quite familiar wayWith men who voyaged day by day,Did Captain Archibald McKan.In fact, as I've already said,No man alive—or even dead—Was freer from reproach than he;And yet of Fortune's irony(Though such a very decent sort)This worthy man was e'en the sport.Alas! was Captain A. McKan!"Cherchez la femme." The phrase is trite,Yet here, as usual, 'twas right.Our Captain noted every dayA certain girl rode all the wayFrom Greenwich Pier to Wapping Stair."Itcannotbe to take the air,"Thought Captain Archibald McKan.She calmly sat, with downcast eye;And looking both demure and shy;Yet, once, he caught a roving glance,Which made his pulses wildly dance;And,—though as modest as could be—"I do believe she's gone on me,"Considered Captain A. McKan.
He reassured the anxious fearsOf nervous ladies—pretty dears!—He in his pocket carried toysAnd sweets for little girls and boys;He talked in quite familiar wayWith men who voyaged day by day,Did Captain Archibald McKan.
He reassured the anxious fears
Of nervous ladies—pretty dears!—
He in his pocket carried toys
And sweets for little girls and boys;
He talked in quite familiar way
With men who voyaged day by day,
Did Captain Archibald McKan.
In fact, as I've already said,No man alive—or even dead—Was freer from reproach than he;And yet of Fortune's irony(Though such a very decent sort)This worthy man was e'en the sport.Alas! was Captain A. McKan!
In fact, as I've already said,
No man alive—or even dead—
Was freer from reproach than he;
And yet of Fortune's irony
(Though such a very decent sort)
This worthy man was e'en the sport.
Alas! was Captain A. McKan!
"Cherchez la femme." The phrase is trite,Yet here, as usual, 'twas right.Our Captain noted every dayA certain girl rode all the wayFrom Greenwich Pier to Wapping Stair."Itcannotbe to take the air,"Thought Captain Archibald McKan.
"Cherchez la femme." The phrase is trite,
Yet here, as usual, 'twas right.
Our Captain noted every day
A certain girl rode all the way
From Greenwich Pier to Wapping Stair.
"Itcannotbe to take the air,"
Thought Captain Archibald McKan.
She calmly sat, with downcast eye;And looking both demure and shy;Yet, once, he caught a roving glance,Which made his pulses wildly dance;And,—though as modest as could be—"I do believe she's gone on me,"Considered Captain A. McKan.
She calmly sat, with downcast eye;
And looking both demure and shy;
Yet, once, he caught a roving glance,
Which made his pulses wildly dance;
And,—though as modest as could be—
"I do believe she's gone on me,"
Considered Captain A. McKan.
"Why else should she persistentlySelectmyboat alone?" thought he;"Iwonderwhy she comes? I'll ask,Though 'tis a very ticklish task."So, walking forward with a smile,Beside the lass he stood awhile,Then coughed, did Captain A. McKan.
"Why else should she persistentlySelectmyboat alone?" thought he;"Iwonderwhy she comes? I'll ask,Though 'tis a very ticklish task."So, walking forward with a smile,Beside the lass he stood awhile,Then coughed, did Captain A. McKan.
"Why else should she persistentlySelectmyboat alone?" thought he;"Iwonderwhy she comes? I'll ask,Though 'tis a very ticklish task."So, walking forward with a smile,Beside the lass he stood awhile,Then coughed, did Captain A. McKan.
"Why else should she persistently
Selectmyboat alone?" thought he;
"Iwonderwhy she comes? I'll ask,
Though 'tis a very ticklish task."
So, walking forward with a smile,
Beside the lass he stood awhile,
Then coughed, did Captain A. McKan.
"You're frequently aboard my boat,"Began he; "she's the best afloat;But, pray, may I enquire,doyouSoverymuch admire the view?""Er—moderately, sir," said she."Exactly so! Itmustbeme!"Decided Captain A. McKan."Come, tell me, Miss, now no one's by,"He whispered; "Won't you tell me whyYou come so oft? There's naught to dread."The lady looked surprised, and said:"My husband works at Wapping Stair,I daily take his dinner there."PoorCaptain Archibald McKan!
"You're frequently aboard my boat,"Began he; "she's the best afloat;But, pray, may I enquire,doyouSoverymuch admire the view?""Er—moderately, sir," said she."Exactly so! Itmustbeme!"Decided Captain A. McKan."Come, tell me, Miss, now no one's by,"He whispered; "Won't you tell me whyYou come so oft? There's naught to dread."The lady looked surprised, and said:"My husband works at Wapping Stair,I daily take his dinner there."PoorCaptain Archibald McKan!
"You're frequently aboard my boat,"Began he; "she's the best afloat;But, pray, may I enquire,doyouSoverymuch admire the view?""Er—moderately, sir," said she."Exactly so! Itmustbeme!"Decided Captain A. McKan.
"You're frequently aboard my boat,"
Began he; "she's the best afloat;
But, pray, may I enquire,doyou
Soverymuch admire the view?"
"Er—moderately, sir," said she.
"Exactly so! Itmustbeme!"
Decided Captain A. McKan.
"Come, tell me, Miss, now no one's by,"He whispered; "Won't you tell me whyYou come so oft? There's naught to dread."The lady looked surprised, and said:"My husband works at Wapping Stair,I daily take his dinner there."PoorCaptain Archibald McKan!
"Come, tell me, Miss, now no one's by,"
He whispered; "Won't you tell me why
You come so oft? There's naught to dread."
The lady looked surprised, and said:
"My husband works at Wapping Stair,
I daily take his dinner there."
PoorCaptain Archibald McKan!