下温和的乳白色的沙子,和公平的佛罗里达州的角湾,两者之间汹涌的松树,陆地上的冲浪睡着了,伟大的海湾,过去遥远的手掌拍一事无成,或者在狡猾的键的土地像脆弱的旧模式造成边刺绣,帆叹了口气对整天欢乐,每个撅嘴的船首波并保留所有的微笑和歌曲,光泽和涟漪忸怩作态,直到黄昏潜水员夜长大从东部的椭圆形月球,一颗完美的珍珠。在那巨大的光晕里，我们的匆忙都消失了，帆似乎要收起来了，沉默的舵手转向陆地，船和海岸紧紧地靠在一起。在一颗行星燃烧的棕榈树下，我们吃了一顿，然后沉下去休息。但我似乎很快就从酣睡中醒了过来，站起身来，沿着海面漫步，沿着闪烁着微光的银色远方，一直走到无限远处。直到我突然停下来，因为你看!一个人影(从何而来，我从未猜到)出现在我面前，来来回回地踱着步，头低垂着。“幽灵”(我想)“在岸边漫步，以解决一些古老的困惑。”他身上那件又湿又脏的长袍沉重地挂着; His hair flew all awry. He waited not (as ghosts oft use) To be `dearheaven'd!' and `oh'd!' But briskly said: "Good-evenin'; what's the news? Consumption? After boa'd? "Or mebbe you're intendin' of Investments? Orange-plantin'? Pine? Hotel? or Sanitarium? What above This yea'th CAN be your line? "Speakin' of sanitariums, now, Jest look 'ee here, my friend: I know a little story, -- well, I swow, Wait till you hear the end! "Some year or more ago, I s'pose, I roamed from Maine to Floridy, And, -- see where them Palmettos grows? I bought that little key, "Cal'latin' for to build right off A c'lossal sanitarium: Big surf! Gulf breeze! Jest death upon a cough! -- I run it high, to hum! "Well, sir, I went to work in style: Bought me a steamboat, loaded it With my hotel (pyazers more'n a mile!) Already framed and fit, "Insured 'em, fetched 'em safe around, Put up my buildin', moored my boat, COM-plete! then went to bed and slept as sound As if I'd paid a note. "Now on that very night a squall, Cum up from some'eres -- some bad place! An' blowed an' tore an' reared an' pitched an' all, -- I had to run a race "Right out o' bed from that hotel An' git to yonder risin' ground, For, 'twixt the sea that riz and rain that fell, I pooty nigh was drowned! "An' thar I stood till mornin' cum, Right on yon little knoll of sand, FreQUENTly wishin' I had stayed to hum Fur from this tarnal land. "When mornin' cum, I took a good Long look, and -- well, sir, sure's I'm ME -- That boat laid right whar that hotel had stood, And HIT sailed out to sea! "No: I'll not keep you: good-bye, friend. Don't think about it much, -- preehaps Your brain might git see-sawin', end for end, Like them asylum chaps, "For here *I* walk, forevermore, A-tryin' to make it gee, How one same wind could blow my ship to shore And my hotel to sea!"