There's One That Ne'er Returned - song lyrics 
American Old-time song lyrics from www.traditionalmusic.co.uk 
THERE'S ONE THAT NE'ER RETURNED. Copyright, 1895, by. H. It. Busier. Words by P. J. Devlin. Music by Horace R. Basler. 
Two noble steamers started for the land of brave and free, But one of them disaster met in Holland's icy sea; The passengers had gone to sleep to dream of friends and home, But soon awoke to fight for life amid a sea of foam; A sudden crash-the steamer stops, the raging sea poors in, Confusion reigns; the captain's voice is heard above the din: "The life-boats, lads, the life-boats, let the women go ahead! The ship is doomed and only God can save us from the dead!" 
Refrain. Three hundred souls have left the Fatherland forevermore; Three hundred precious human lives have failed to reach the shore; On land and sea the wires have with these sad tidings burned: "Two noble steamers started, but there's one that's ne'er returned." 
The crew responded nobly to the captain's stern command, And quickly brave and willing hearts three life-boats stout had manned; But ere the balance could be launched. Old Neptune claimed his prey, The gallant ship with throbbing sounds began to sink away. The husband and his helpmate, the mother and her child, Went down beneath the icy sea 'mid lamentations wild; Our sweethearts dear with loving friends went plunging down to death, Three hundred souls had tribute paid to Ocean's icy breath.-Refrain. 
La Gascogne had been out 'till she was four days overdue, The world began to wonder then if she had gone down, too; As day by day no tidings came two continents were sad, "No news at all," the agents said, and no news must be bad; The French and German emblems were with mourning colors draped, All hope was given up that she the Elbe's fate escaped; When suddenly a mighty roar of joy came up the bay, "La Gascogne's safe! She sighted now and coming fast this way!" -Refrain. 
The scenes around La Gascogne's dock can't he described by pen, The populace went wild with joy, and men were hugging men; A shower of affection was bestowed on ev'ry head: It seemed a resurrection; they had come back from the dead. It was a peasant sight to see, in this cold world of sin, That pleasing touch of nature that makes all of mankind kin; And from their eyes the tear-drops fell, and in their hearts they burned, Because two ships had started out, but only one returned.- Refrain.