The Ordway new era., 1913-11-21


to come on Thursday every year. in
stead Of Topping all over the week
and coming in turn on Saturday and
Sunday. when there would be holiday
anyway. For is there anything 30
tragic as holiday that does not fall
on q school day?
Thursday is Just right, for then, you
see, the school people reason that
there Is no use bringing the children
back for one day. and they might as
we'll have Friday, too. Thanksgiving
on Wednesday would be overstepping
the mark, since they would not allow
two extra days, and Friday meant
only one day on, Thursday was the
enc to choose, and looking back now
you cannot help wondering how the
president ever happened to hit upon
such an altogether satisfactory day
On Wednesday. you will remember,
not much work was done, for every
body was looking forward to the in
tertainment." Perhaps you even spoke
q piece. II you did your selection was
limited, for the poets seem to be
kept SO busy grinding the mills for
Christmas that they have not one lit
tie inspiration left for Thanksgiving.
But what Thanksgiving poetry there
is agrees on one point-a lively vener-
alton for the "eats." No matter how the
poem starts dinner will be served by
the end of the last verse.
Take that one you recited about
Thanksgiving Eve" Sentiment riots
in the opening lines. The snow falls
gently outdoors, for the scene is not
laid in Baltimore. Md, where they
usually reserve snow for Christmas
treat. We have touching picture OF
the little ones creeping silently to bed.
you get in a melting good. sort Of
anticipating that when the youngsters
reach. the attic the poet is going to
spring a vacant crib at you. But no.
Listen!
1t wns Thanksgiving eve. don't you think.
The pies were in rows on the pantry
shelves.
And nice things to eat. and nice things to
Reaisnedly looked for the morrow to
bring
A miserable end to everything.
Not that it rhymes especially and
the last line Is painfully ambiguous as
to where the miserable end is going to
strike, but what matter when the rows
of pies and various beverages are safe
on tne shelf.
After you had stumbled through
this, getting purplered In the face and
wondering why all those "fellers" you
could lick with one hand down in the
school yard should look SO terrifying
assembled before the platform, you
beat q precipitous retreat, falling over
= hole In the carpet on the way.
The next number on the program
was The First Proclamation" done
By another boy. The family of that
other boy had suffered because Of
"The First Proclamation" for it was
to be recited in costume. Now, how
should plain American mother know
In what garb Governor Bradford de-
lvered that first proclamation Fa-
ther found q picture of the Pilgrim
Father in tho history and thought
that would do well enough, and grand
father said: "Oh, pshaw now; don't
he look like one Of them big-hat fel-
lers around Pen-Mar?" Finally they
borrowed a suit that a neighbors
son had worn when he went as John
Alden to a mask ball, though it was
much too large, and Johnny protested
violently against wearing 1t. Just 80
does a simple thing change the course
OF . noble life. II the suit had not
been too large Johnny might have
been able to take his mind from his
appearance and divert it to the lines
he was to speak, but terror that the
boys would guy him occupied his
young brain to the exclusion Of all
else.