Volume 99 — "KEEP THE POT A-BOILING!"

Christmas comes once more, Well-beloved Old Father! Though the season's hoar, Warm his welcome—rather! Parties come and go, True to him our heart is, With his beard of snow, Best of (Christmas) Parties! Say the day is chill, Say the weather's windy, He brings warm good-will, Not heart-freezing shindy. "Union!" is his cry,— Hearts and hands and voices. Confraternity His kind soul rejoices. When the youngsters slide On the frozen river. As they glow and glide, Do they shrink or shiver? Nay; nor dread nor doubt Their brisk sport is spoiling, Gleefully they shout, "Keep the Pot a-boiling!" Keep it? Ay, by Jove! We are on our mettle. 'Tis a game we love More than Pot and Kettle. Poorish sport that same, Angry mutual blackening. Here's a merrier game. Pull up there! Who's slackening? Not the leader, Punch! On he goes, amazing, To the rest his hunch Like a beacon blazing. Not Old Father X! How the Ancient goes it! 'Tis a sight to vex Malice, and he knows it; Not young Master BULL! At the game he's handy, Nor has much the pull Of his pal, young SANDY; Not that dark-eyed girl With her cloak a-flying, She can swing and swirl With the boys. She's trying Everything she knows. As for Master PADDY, Whoop there! Down he goes! Bumped a bit, poor laddy! What then? At this game Who would be a stopper Just because he came Now and then a cropper? Up and on once more, Chance by courage foiling! Hark the jovial roar! "Keep the Pot a-boiling!" Father Christmas, hail! Sure 'tis flagrant folly Now to rave and rail. Truce—beneath your holly! Darkest England waits Care Co-operative; Mood that moat elates Is to-day—the dative! You need not doubt, You're no "Grecian" giver. Many "cold without," Foodless, hopeless, shiver; Many a poor man's pot, Even at your season, With no pudding hot Bubbles. Is't not treason Unto more than kings To waste time in fighting Whilst such crooked things Stand in need of righting? In the name of those Starving, suffering, toiling, Let our quarrels close— "Keep the Pot a-boiling!"