The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-12-12
THE PURIPANS THANKSGIVING.

The scorching sun sent fiery beams;
No shielding clouds adorned the sky;
And dry and hard were beds of streams
Where ripping waters had passed by.
The sun-cracked earth absorbed the glare
Emitted from that glowing orb;
While clouds of dust blew through the air,
The clouds of moisture to absorb.
The lowing herds stood meath what shade
The withered leaves Of trees could give;
The dogs. with painting tongues, essayed,
On shady door-steps, hard to live.
The vegetation turned dull black;
The withered grass shrank from the heat;
And Natures ruin then did lack
But few more days to be complete.
The merry songsters, no more heard,
Then rested mute in shady trees;
And ne'er was voice of early bird
Or chandeliers cry on the breeze.
New England's stern and rock-bound shore
No more was washed by raging sea,
But hot waves, thirst not shaking, bore
Their crystal crest toward burning lea.
The farmers dared not work in fields,
But went home refuge there to seek
The fiery blast which never yields,
So fiercely stung each exposed cheek.
The sun went down in glowing fire,
And rose again in blaze of red
And Hope long did brave hearts inspire
Till faded then at last twas dead.
The corns rich promise was o'erthrown;
The rye and wheat ere ripe were dry i;
The vines were wilted, fruit o'ergrown;
Ungathered all did wasting lie.
Exhausted men began to sigh,
AS harvest blasts, and all hopes flee
And water water was the cry,
But for parched lips there none could be.
Three years ago these hardy mon
Had braved the storms tempestuous rage;
One hundred trod the Mayfower then,
But actors few were on this stage.
These men had bravsd the wlntry gale,
And they had lived Through storm wind rude
But saw they then their children pale,
And saw they then destroying food.
Each face grew pale as future want
Seemed surer still upon their shore;
They saw already the wolf gaunt,
Loud bowling at each fast closed door.
Canonicus, the hoary chief
Of all the Narrag ansett tribe,
Shook grimly then his head " Ugh Grief!
Great Spirit mad. Must give him bribe."
And Massassoit, sachem wise,
The Wampanoags called their chief
And Puritans did not despise
His thoughts so grave and great though brief.
He itf'lly pulled his calumet;
His raven locks were graVely still L;
He slowly rose, majestic yet,
And silence then the room did fill.
"No corn for eat. All man starve die
One moon grow old. No rain come down.
No fog ring see round moon, night sky.
The corn all kill ; the ground all brown.
Sand dry moon hang all time just SO
IN tho nnypdnr horn han drv
The sun all red, him much mad grow;
The clouds all fire, not gray in sky.
Much fingers times twelve moons past, 10!
The sun eat much big star with tail.
And then to him much others go
Too much bin eat make fever, no fail. -
The Pokanoket chieftain brave,
Samoset, famine prophesed
By flight of birds, and how squirrels save
An early store for want supplied.
And thus rude superstition's childs
Addressed those few pale faces there
Rude eloquence of boundless wilds,
With Britains sons minds to compare.
Those Puritans used reasons laws;
Accepted not an Indian myth.
These chiefs mistook effect for cause
Not so, those near the Plymouth cliff
These Indian words moved not their minds
They knew the truth, long. long before.
To Indians these were fearful signs;
Their reason more significance bore.
Gov'nor Bradford, wise and good,
Addressed the men assembled there:
" Good friends we stand. as we have stood,
In Gods protecting guiding care.
"Oh, God Oh, God Thou still canst save
Remember friends, when nearly wrecked.
When Gods help we did humbly crave,
The storms and waves had no effect
Remember when from England bound
To Hollands free and peaceful shore,
By storms, our ship near Norway found
Itself fast found'ring, rigging tore.
+" The seaman cried in last despair
The ship has foundered she sinks | she sinks
Thou still canst save = the Pilgrims there
Appealed to God. The storm-wave shrinks
" Remember how our vessels rose,
Sailed swiftly on to destined port
Remember God our trouble knows
He will protect. He's our support.
:. Our children aud our wives were left
On England's prosecuting shore.
Gods mercy shielded those bereft,
And brought them safe the water Ger.
g In 1921 we came
To live on this wild, barb'rous shore;
Gods mercy e'er has been the same,
And shall we not now hope for more
Remember when our harvest first
We gathered safely to our store
When certified Golfers nearly burst
With treasures and could hold no more.
And then had we Thanksgiving joy,
70 thank the Giver of all Good;
Ind Hope was eurs without alloy
And in prosperity We stood.
We rejoiced then in dinner grand,
ust two short years before this day;
We gave thanks for fruitful land
ur hunters. laden with game, were gay.
We worked no more that happy week,
We were most thankfully happy then;
nd praise to God arose to keep
he Peace on earth. good will to men.