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III.
But John Jones's hospitality made wide and full display,
Upon that pious carnival yclept Thanksgiving Day;
Which gives more scope to appetite than any other one,
And makes us thankful when at last the feeding all is done.
Upon that pious carnival yclept Thanksgiving Day;
Which gives more scope to appetite than any other one,
And makes us thankful when at last the feeding all is done.
John Jones, of Philadelphia, on one Thanksgiving tide,
Sent word to every Jones he knew, to hasten to his side;
If rich as Vanderbilt or Gould, or poor as that absurd
Slim biped of the proverb—dear old Job's Thanksgiving bird;
Sent word to every Jones he knew, to hasten to his side;
If rich as Vanderbilt or Gould, or poor as that absurd
Slim biped of the proverb—dear old Job's Thanksgiving bird;
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And seated them in padded chairs, wherein they might recline,
When they had dined and dined until they could no longer dine;
And when food's drowsiness began across their nerves to creep,
He read to them the following lines, and put them all to sleep:
When they had dined and dined until they could no longer dine;
And when food's drowsiness began across their nerves to creep,
He read to them the following lines, and put them all to sleep:
THE THURSDAY SABBATH DAY.
It is with us, it is with us, be the weather dark or fair;
See the joy upon the faces, feel the blessings in the air!
Get the dining-chamber ready, let the kitchen fire be filled,
Into gold-leaf slice the pumpkins, have the fatted turkey killed!
Hunt the barn, with hay upholstered, for the ivory-prisoned eggs;
Tie the chickens in a bundle by their strong and yellow legs!
It was eagerly expected, and a year upon its way;
We've a royal welcome ready for the Thursday Sabbath Day!
See the joy upon the faces, feel the blessings in the air!
Get the dining-chamber ready, let the kitchen fire be filled,
Into gold-leaf slice the pumpkins, have the fatted turkey killed!
Hunt the barn, with hay upholstered, for the ivory-prisoned eggs;
Tie the chickens in a bundle by their strong and yellow legs!
It was eagerly expected, and a year upon its way;
We've a royal welcome ready for the Thursday Sabbath Day!
And we first will go to meeting: where the parson one may hear
Pack in gilded words the blessings that have gathered round the year;
And the choir will sing an anthem full of unincumbered might,
That their stomachs would not let them, if they waited until night;
Older people will sit musing of Thanksgiving mornings fled—
Younger people will sit thinking of Thanksgiving Days ahead;
But they'll join in silent concert when the parson comes to pray,
For the world is all religious on the Thursday Sabbath Day!
Pack in gilded words the blessings that have gathered round the year;
And the choir will sing an anthem full of unincumbered might,
That their stomachs would not let them, if they waited until night;
Older people will sit musing of Thanksgiving mornings fled—
Younger people will sit thinking of Thanksgiving Days ahead;
But they'll join in silent concert when the parson comes to pray,
For the world is all religious on the Thursday Sabbath Day!
Then I hear the kindly racket, and the traffic of old news,
Of a meeting after meeting, 'mid the porches and the pews;
They will tell each other blessings that are fondled o'er and prized—
They will tell each other blessings by Affliction's hand disguised.
For the health that is a fortune, and the harvest full of gold,
Side by side with influenza and rheumatics will be told;
Here we'll hope that many foemen to each other's side may stray:
For the world should all be friendly on the Thursday Sabbath Day!
Of a meeting after meeting, 'mid the porches and the pews;
They will tell each other blessings that are fondled o'er and prized—
They will tell each other blessings by Affliction's hand disguised.
For the health that is a fortune, and the harvest full of gold,
Side by side with influenza and rheumatics will be told;
Here we'll hope that many foemen to each other's side may stray:
For the world should all be friendly on the Thursday Sabbath Day!
“Come to dinner!” We are coming, we are coming, fat and spare!
Smell the sweet and savory music of the odors in the air!
Hear the dishes pet each other with their soft and mellow clash!
Feel the snow of loaflets broken, see the table-sabres flash!
Let our palates climb the gamut of delight-producing taste,
Our interiors feel the presence of provisions neatly placed;
Full of thanks and full of praises, full of conversation gay,
Full of everything congenial, on the Thursday Sabbath Day!
Smell the sweet and savory music of the odors in the air!
Hear the dishes pet each other with their soft and mellow clash!
Feel the snow of loaflets broken, see the table-sabres flash!
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Our interiors feel the presence of provisions neatly placed;
Full of thanks and full of praises, full of conversation gay,
Full of everything congenial, on the Thursday Sabbath Day!
Ah, the poor and sick and suffering! To our glad hearts be it known
That God never gave a blessing to be clenched and held alone;
They are brothers, they are sisters, and entitled to their share;
We shall always have them with us—He has put them in our care.
You who clutch at every mercy and devote it to yourselves,
You are putting mammoth treasures on the weakest kind of shelves.
You who take the wares of Heaven and divide them while you may,
Will behold their value doubled, on some other Sabbath Day!
That God never gave a blessing to be clenched and held alone;
They are brothers, they are sisters, and entitled to their share;
We shall always have them with us—He has put them in our care.
You who clutch at every mercy and devote it to yourselves,
You are putting mammoth treasures on the weakest kind of shelves.
You who take the wares of Heaven and divide them while you may,
Will behold their value doubled, on some other Sabbath Day!
They are coming, they are coming! Let the breezes lisp the tale,
Let the mountains look and see them on the centuries' upward trail;
Let the valleys smile their sweetest, let the lakes their parents greet,
As the river seeks the ocean with its silver-slippered feet.
Let all pleasures be more pleasant, let all griefs with help be nerved;
Let all blessings seek their sources with the thanks that are deserved.
Every spirit must look heavenward, every heart must tribute pay
To the Soul of souls that led us to the Thursday Sabbath Day!
Let the mountains look and see them on the centuries' upward trail;
Let the valleys smile their sweetest, let the lakes their parents greet,
As the river seeks the ocean with its silver-slippered feet.
Let all pleasures be more pleasant, let all griefs with help be nerved;
Let all blessings seek their sources with the thanks that are deserved.
Every spirit must look heavenward, every heart must tribute pay
To the Soul of souls that led us to the Thursday Sabbath Day!
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