October 27, 1860: “A Victim of the Lady Elgin”, by anon, published in the Milwaukee Daily Sentinel.
William Cooper Pomeroy, 16 years of age, son of F. C. and Stella Woolson Pomeroy, to whom the following lines refer, was one of the victims on the ill-fated Elgin. For nearly 12 hours he supported his little companion, Willie Barry, upon the raft, clinging to his body between two and three hours after life was extinct, when it was torn from him by the waves.— All who knew him bear testimony to his noble virtues and manly worth. He was one of the few of whom it may be said, “None knew him but to love him, None named him but to praise."
Oh lake, thou’st held in death the boy,
Whose presence fill’d my cup with joy;
Thy white foam wreath’d his lovely clay,
When my fond hand was far away.
’Twas thine to wrap thy cold, cold wave
Round him I'd given my life to save;
’Twas thine to list his dying sigh,
When angels bore his soul on high.
’Twas thine, oh lake, to bathe the brow
My fond lips prest in joy till now;
’Twas thine, these full blue eyes to close,
Whose beaming brought my heart repose.
Methinks thy heavings were in woe,
That hearts thro’ thee such grief should know;
And thy mad howlings were in pain,
At fireside hopes thy waves had slain.
From out our fireside home and heart,
His love-light never can depart,
Earth hath no joy, to break the spell,
Wrought out by him we've loved so well.
His graceful beauty all could see,
But oh, how radiant ’twas to me;
Who knew him, steadfast, brave, and kind,
Polished, by christian love refined.
His mind was clear, of manhood power,
His heart seemed tender woman's dower;
So joyous, gen'rous, wise and just,
So fond in friendship, firm in trust;
’Twas bliss to me each day to know,
All true, “If Willie told me so."
His death upon the watery main,
served but to make his whole life plain.
The while I looked for manhood's hour,
In all its high and holy power,
I prayed life ne'er might tarnish him,
Or blight his soul with willful sin;
I prayed he ne’er might be less fair,
His death is but my answered prayer;
His ripened soul hath entered rest,
Than earth, for him, how much more blest.
Earth's joy has faded from life’s cup,
Earth’s sun in cloud is covered up;
My morn of hope, ere noon, is night,
My heart bows down before this blight,
My Willie, darling, went on high,
Lest I'd forget “I, too, must die."
Yet Faith still whispers “Jesus’s nigh."
And bids me look beyond the sky.
This Gilead balm, my soul doth bind,
To bear this cross with willing mind,
And seek to praise Him in my song,
Who spared such gift to me so long;
When he was near my faith seemed bright,
But now I fear I walked by sight,
I’ll seek anew for faith and prayer,
Till I am called to meet him there.