 | Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
82
A THANKSGIVING PARTY.
Banks and his wife consulted,
One bright November day,
Planning a princely dinner
In a pleasant, airy way.
“We'll have a grand Thanksgiving,”
Said Banks; “and, Polly dear,
You get the guests together,
And I'll provide the cheer.”
One bright November day,
Planning a princely dinner
In a pleasant, airy way.
“We'll have a grand Thanksgiving,”
Said Banks; “and, Polly dear,
You get the guests together,
And I'll provide the cheer.”
Then Banks, with heart o'erflowing,
Said, “Now 's the time, my dear,
To ask one's wife's relations;
So let them all be here.
Yes, ask them all, my darling;
Your husband 's not the man
To stop half-way in making
A pleasant family plan.”
Said, “Now 's the time, my dear,
To ask one's wife's relations;
So let them all be here.
Yes, ask them all, my darling;
Your husband 's not the man
To stop half-way in making
A pleasant family plan.”
83
So Polly asked her people
(And they were not a few)—
Papa, mama, and brothers,
And all her sisters, too.
These brought their little children—
A laughing, romping crowd;
And in the after-dinner speech
Banks really did feel “proud.”
(And they were not a few)—
Papa, mama, and brothers,
And all her sisters, too.
These brought their little children—
A laughing, romping crowd;
And in the after-dinner speech
Banks really did feel “proud.”
Yet through it all a shadow
Into his bosom stole:
He knew what bills were coming in;
They paralyzed his soul!
He knew that Mother Pippling
Was whispering good advice
In Polly's ear, and, somehow,
That was n't very nice.
Into his bosom stole:
He knew what bills were coming in;
They paralyzed his soul!
He knew that Mother Pippling
Was whispering good advice
In Polly's ear, and, somehow,
That was n't very nice.
He knew the romping children
Had done him damage dire
(For Banks had dainty furniture
As any could desire);
But still the guests were merry;
The dinner “went off well,”
In spite of many vexing things
One does n't care to tell.
Had done him damage dire
(For Banks had dainty furniture
As any could desire);
84
The dinner “went off well,”
In spite of many vexing things
One does n't care to tell.
And when, at last, 't was over,
And ev'ry guest gone home,
The tumbled house quite still again,
And resting-time had come,
Sweet Mrs. Banks said cheerily:
“My dear, how kind of them
To come to us! Though mother—”
(Banks softly coughed “Ahem!”)
And ev'ry guest gone home,
The tumbled house quite still again,
And resting-time had come,
Sweet Mrs. Banks said cheerily:
“My dear, how kind of them
To come to us! Though mother—”
(Banks softly coughed “Ahem!”)
“Yes, mother noticed—bless her!—
One slight omission, dear:
She said Thanksgiving dinners
Without one ‘thank’ were queer.
I know you don't say grace, dear;
But does n't it seem to you
That to give thanks at such a time
Is what one ought to do?”
One slight omission, dear:
She said Thanksgiving dinners
Without one ‘thank’ were queer.
I know you don't say grace, dear;
But does n't it seem to you
That to give thanks at such a time
Is what one ought to do?”
85
He fell into a reverie.
“You 're right!” he sighed at last;
“Thank Heaven the thing is over;
They 're gone, and all is past!”
And so, in simple language,
By that good husband Banks,
The grand Thanksgiving dinner
Was crowned by hearty thanks.
“You 're right!” he sighed at last;
“Thank Heaven the thing is over;
They 're gone, and all is past!”
And so, in simple language,
By that good husband Banks,
The grand Thanksgiving dinner
Was crowned by hearty thanks.
| Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge | |