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Show (g f,p 17- CyX ' Marry Irrinv (j recti It chanced that o?ice upon a time remote, The weary giant, known as Labor, smote His thigh a sounding whack and cried, " 'I'm blest, But I have toiled enough a?id now I'll rest. I'll let the world wag onward as it may, While I go home and have my holiday." ' So, Labor laid aside his tools and crept Deep in his cavern, where he promptly slept. An hour went by, an hour without a sound. The shops were stilled, no more their wheels went' round, The mills were fastened close with bolt and lock, The steamship idly rubbed against her dock, The engine moveless slept, the anvil stood As silent as a gravestone hi a wood. While Mankind, startled by the awful still, Together whispered, awed, "Is Labor ill?" I- ' And as the moments passed o'er town and farm, And all was still, there 'rose a great alarm, Went forth the giant Commerce, loud to shout, Deep into Labor s cavern, "Friend, come out, You're needed by us needed in a trice. Please come at once! We' 11 pay you any price. You've slept aw hour already all your fill. Come forth at once. The world is standing still." And3 Labor, wakened by the other's cries, Stretched forth his brawny amis a?id rubbed his eyes, And mused a bit, then with good-natured smile, Said, ' ' Tes, I'll come, but make it worth my while. One day each year you 11 give me privilege free, One day each year you' Jl consecrate to me, While one day I will consecrate to play, , And (chuckling, said), we'll call it Labor Day." F . - t:1 t . i |