Arizona republican., 1902-11-24
Colored Thankfulness.

III dtl SlSltItils Seild INtN- Azariah Jenkins, as he arose in a prayer meeting and cleared his throat, Init am now my duty to denounce to you dat de president of desc Nunited States has app'inted nx Thursday as day of pray'r an thinksgivin', when de people are enjined to repa'r to de chu ches, whar de rich kin sing s'ams of praise an rejoicin'. an der res of us kin give thanks dat we ain't no wuss off dan we is. Hits a mighty good thing, too, dat de day is sot by law. fo' de mos of us is so DO an hard run dat we'se liable to overlook de necessity of de situation. But, my breder,a an sisteren, de subjec' of thanksgivin' is tremenjus one, an darefore I divides hit into tree heads.
 "Fus' I lays down de proposition dat de less we'se got to be thankful fo' de mo vallyble is our thanks, des lak a nickel in de han gives yo' mo credit at de grocery stor' dan a dOllah's -ynth O promises. De man whut hitches his cheer up to de table an sticks his knife in a good, fat pOssum an sees de sweet taters swimmin' roun' in de gravy, an hears de ol' 'ooman a ratlin' de biskit roun' in ie stove pan, dat man ain't deservin' of no credit. ef he puts up a prar of thanksgivin' dat rattles de rafters of de mansion in de sky. But, my hear CTS, de man whut kin sit down to cold cawn pone an turnip greens an give thanks is jess full of everlastin' praise, an yo' better believe dat de good mas ter is gwine to score one fo' him on de do. Case one is natchur, but de odder takes grace.
 Tn de secon' place, my brederiu an sisteren, I calls yo' attention to de fac dat we ought to be thankful fo' whut we'se got, 'stid O bein' mad case hit ain't sumpin' elsee. De trubble wid us is dat we'se always lookin' de gif- hoss in de mouf, an kickin' cause he ain't an automobile. De nigger whuts get steady wuk on de levee ought ito be givin' thanks dat he ain't trompin' de streets lookin' fo' a job 'Stid O. dat. he's thinkin dat de kin O wuk he wuz cut out fo' wuz settin' in an office, like a white man, wid his feet on desk, an one desc here whirlima- gigs to keep de flies off'n him. De 'o0man whut's got good place to cOOh, an de privilege O totin' bas-
 
 thankin' de Lawd dat her chillen ain't never gwine to go hongrywhile de white folks vittles holds out; but I ain't heered O her pesterin' de throne O grace none wid her thanksgivin' 'Stid o' dat, shes hankerin' to take music lessons an ride down de avenoo on byshickle an spend her money on hyar ile toe take de kinks out Nav. my hearers fn 1ryf ~f,,rf we'se got. an less on whut We wants, if 'spects de sum is gwine to add up into happiness.
 "Fin'lly. my brederin an sisteren, we wants to give thanks fo' de things we ain't got. Whut is it, nIy hearers, dat keeps us in de straight an narrer path? Hit am de picket fence on de sides of de road. dat is too high to climb ovah an too strong to break th'oo. De sister whut has got to weah patched frock to de meetin' ain't de one whut is giben ovah to de sin O bein highhaided an vainglorious: de man whut ain't got dc price of a drink or crap game in his close ain't de man whut gifts into de calaboose: an as fo' me, my hearers, while I is an homes man, I thanks de good Lawd when yaller-legged bullets roos' high. Dere aint nary one of us whut has to lay wake nights, dreadin' robbers, or dat has to spen' his time dodgin' de tax gatherer De only man whut kin take life. easy an enjoy hisseli is de one dat ain't got nothin' an don't neb- Der expec' to have nothin' an derefo', my brederin an sisteren. among our mercies. let us remembah de cares an de burdens O riches dat we has missed.
 An now, havin' expostulated de generalization. I will dismiss de con sregation wid de remark dat ef any O de sisteren is gwine to celebrate de | occasion by havin' tukky. not to fer git to put plate fo' de preacher"