 | Poems of home and country |  |
TEA-DRINKING.
AN AMERICAN BALLAD.
“Good-morning, Ma'am, I come to bring
From mother, Mrs. B.,
Her compliments, and ask you down,
To take a cup of tea.
From mother, Mrs. B.,
Her compliments, and ask you down,
To take a cup of tea.
“Do come!” aside “('T is such a fuss
To have one's friends to tea,
Ma wants to have it over with.)
Come early,—say, by three.”
To have one's friends to tea,
Ma wants to have it over with.)
Come early,—say, by three.”
Now Mrs. B. was bound to have
A little talk, you know;
And Mrs. A. was bound to tell
Her thoughts,—just so and so.
A little talk, you know;
And Mrs. A. was bound to tell
Her thoughts,—just so and so.
A tax, dear Mrs. B. resolved
O'er Mrs. A. to come,—
“Bring threepence with you, Mrs. A.”
“Yes, but I won't be dumb.”
O'er Mrs. A. to come,—
“Bring threepence with you, Mrs. A.”
“Yes, but I won't be dumb.”
“You shall!” “I won't,” said Mrs. A.,
“I'll speak my mind, I will!”
“You sha'n't,” said Mrs. B., “you sha'n't;
But bring the pennies still.”
“I'll speak my mind, I will!”
“You sha'n't,” said Mrs. B., “you sha'n't;
But bring the pennies still.”
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And so the gentle ladies talked,
Full of rare pluck and ire,
Till words, condensed, were changed to deeds,
And tea distilled in fire.
Full of rare pluck and ire,
Till words, condensed, were changed to deeds,
And tea distilled in fire.
“You 're a side-issue, Mrs. A.”
“You 're ditto, Mrs B.”
So Father Adam used to say,
Petting with Mother Eve.
“You 're ditto, Mrs B.”
So Father Adam used to say,
Petting with Mother Eve.
“Whether a side-issue or not,
I think, at last, you'll see
There 's something brewing, red as blood,
Coiled in a cup of tea.”
I think, at last, you'll see
There 's something brewing, red as blood,
Coiled in a cup of tea.”
Then Mrs. A. a feast announced,
Long since, we well remember,
In Boston, near a famous wharf,
One still night in December.
Long since, we well remember,
In Boston, near a famous wharf,
One still night in December.
She hired some red-skinned caterers,
Who lived beside the sea,
To heat the water, and prepare
A real strong cup of tea.
Who lived beside the sea,
To heat the water, and prepare
A real strong cup of tea.
Now Mrs. B. stood near, and leaned
On Mr. Gage's arm,—
“I hope this party may not lead,”
She said, “to any harm.”
On Mr. Gage's arm,—
“I hope this party may not lead,”
She said, “to any harm.”
“Why, Mrs. A.,” at length, she said,
“Tea only, and no cakes!”
“I have some cake in Concord, Ma'am,
I 've stored it for your sakes.”
“Tea only, and no cakes!”
“I have some cake in Concord, Ma'am,
I 've stored it for your sakes.”
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“Then bring it on!” “I won't.” “You shall!”
“Go take it, if you can!
Lord Percy, at his peril, tries,
Or any other man.”
“Go take it, if you can!
Lord Percy, at his peril, tries,
Or any other man.”
An old conundrum asks, I think,
Pray tell me, do you see,—
“Why is it, sir, that living men
Sometimes are just like tea?”
Pray tell me, do you see,—
“Why is it, sir, that living men
Sometimes are just like tea?”
“I'm poor at guessing; ask, I pray,
Old England's honored daughter,—”
“Because their worth is best revealed
When plunged into hot water.”
Old England's honored daughter,—”
“Because their worth is best revealed
When plunged into hot water.”
And Mrs. B., a noble dame,
At last grew proud to own
Dear Mrs. A.,—who stoutly spurned
To bow to Britain's throne.
At last grew proud to own
Dear Mrs. A.,—who stoutly spurned
To bow to Britain's throne.
And Mrs. B. sent up her boys,
Who soon marched down again;
They hurried back to Boston town,
Wiser, but fewer men.
Who soon marched down again;
They hurried back to Boston town,
Wiser, but fewer men.
A little quarrel then arose,
Dear Mrs. A. and B.—
Such pulling caps! such burning words!
“You shall!” “I won't!” “You'll see!”
Dear Mrs. A. and B.—
Such pulling caps! such burning words!
“You shall!” “I won't!” “You'll see!”
'T was fourth July, when Mrs. A.
Her pretty foot set down,
And said, “Now mark me, Mrs. B.,
I'll brook nor kings, nor crown.”
Her pretty foot set down,
And said, “Now mark me, Mrs. B.,
I'll brook nor kings, nor crown.”
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The bands were cut. A. shouted, “Free!”
B. said, “Amen!” but missed her;
Compelled to yield, she nobly cried,
“Dear A., thou art my sister!”
B. said, “Amen!” but missed her;
Compelled to yield, she nobly cried,
“Dear A., thou art my sister!”
With tears of love and clasping hands,
One blue arch bending o'er us,
One bright, broad sea, that binds the land
Behind, to land before us.
One blue arch bending o'er us,
One bright, broad sea, that binds the land
Behind, to land before us.
Alike in faith, alike in speech,
Nursed on one parent knee,
We 're hasting o'er this watery track,
To drink that cup of tea.
Nursed on one parent knee,
We 're hasting o'er this watery track,
To drink that cup of tea.
And while the fragrant fumes ascend,
Like mists above the sea,
Each land, to the same tune shall sing,
“My country, 't is of thee.”
Like mists above the sea,
Each land, to the same tune shall sing,
“My country, 't is of thee.”
Britain the music shall provide,
The mother land which lures us;
And we will bring the hearty words,—
One soul, one ringing chorus.
The mother land which lures us;
And we will bring the hearty words,—
One soul, one ringing chorus.
Steamer “Parthia” on the Atlantic Ocean,
July 4, 1875.
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