The Tramp's Thanksgiving

The nlght before Thanksslving Day A tramp lay dreaming In the hay Of home before he ran away Tobes hniiKry Kluner; In dreams, wlth youth and beauty crowned, He wlth the dear ones eathered round The noble turkey, stufled nd brown, To ealThanksglvtug dlnncr. A(?a1n he bowed bis yon th tal head Wlth reverence wblie hls father sald The bleaslng- saw the table spread- Wltb dainttes made by mother; TIe saw lier famous pumpkin pies. Mr Ntnelled the turkey 's savor rise And hoped to get lts wlsh-bone prlze To pull wlth baby brotlier. nis llttle hand helped pass each plate Of lurkey meat In sllces greut, And O how hard hls turn to watt- How slow seemed father's carvlnst: At last hls pinte carne heaplng high ; He telsed lt wlth ajnyous cry, And- woke to find hls dream a lie, ElCept that he wna utüivlug. In tears he crawled from out the hay. And to the farm boue plckcd hls way- There In the open oven lay A turkey oookéd and stojxmlnc; He softly knocked- noone replied; He venüired lti- no one he spied ; He smelled the turkey- "O." he slghcd, "I hope I'm uot a dreaming.'' He wasn't. Wlth a motlon sllek He urnhbed the turkey, shoved it qulck lteneath hls coat- then feit a kick That told hlm he was living. And when the farmer let hlm go Ne reallMd lo all lts woe That home alone can eer hestow To man a true Thanksüivlnü.