The decapitated words are in italics:—
The ship rode in an eastern bay,
Asleep astern the master lay,
A stern and rugged man was he,
And, like a tern, at home at sea.
Like swooping ern he caught his prey
Whene’er an R.N. came his way;
But while due N. the needle kept
He in his cabin lay and slept.
The ern, or erne, is the sea-eagle.
12
Happiness, brighter than ———, is dead;
Life’s battle, sterner and ——— now,
Heals the sore ——— that love left as it fled,
——— remembrance of long broken vow!
The missing words are spelt with the same six letters.
13. AN AUTHOR’S EPIGRAM
Press critics fall on me like sharks;
“A shameless ....... of odds and ends,
No ....... original,” and more remarks
In adverse mood. But stay, my friends,
He ....... best who hath his record clean;
My faults are published, yours are yet unseen!
The missing words have the same seven letters.