I said , drawing her close to me . `` Why did you go out so -- alone in the night ? '' She looked at me wonderingly . `` How could I help it , David ? He called me . I had to go . '' `` WHO called you ? '' `` The child , '' she answered in a whisper . `` Our child , David -- our pretty boy . I awakened in the darkness and heard him calling to me down on the shore . Such a sad , little wailing cry , David , as if he were cold and lonely and wanted his mother . I hurried out to him , but I could not find him . I could only hear the call , and I followed it on and on , far down the shore . Oh , I tried so hard to overtake it , but I could not . Once I saw a little white hand beckoning to me far ahead in the moonlight . But still I could not go fast enough . And then the cry ceased , and I was there all alone on that terrible , cold , gray shore . I was so tired and I came home . But I wish I could have found him . Perhaps he does not know that I tried to .
Perhaps he thinks his mother never listened XXXXX his call .
David at down home in mother night on that to