As a result of seeing I saw this particular 1981 episode of The Tonight Show live, I had Mr. AOW get a signed copy of Jimmy Stewart and His Poems on September 19, 1989, while I was at work (no personal leave at the private school where I was working):
Recently, I reread the little volume Jimmy Stewart and His Poems by Jimmy Stewart—as good now as when I first got the book.
As of September 3, 2020, after decades of having only cats as household pets, I have a dog named Callie, pictured left. To my chagrin, she is as disobedient as Jimmy Stewart's Beau. But she's a pretty face—and a crazy clown!
Pennsylvania Evening Post, April 30, 1776:
ReplyDelete"As old ago came on, he grew blind, deaf and dumb,
Tho' his sport ‘twere hard to keep from it,
Quite tired of life, bid adieu to his wife,
And blaz'd like the tail of a comit, my brave boys."
John Dickinson, "Farmer's Letters" 1768:
"Then join Hand in Hand brave Americans all,
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall"—
"Eddis Letters from America" December 24, 1771
"The Americans on this part of the continent have likewise a Saint, whose history like those of the above venerable characters [St. George, St. Patrick, St. Andrew, and St. David] is lost in fable and uncertainty. The first of May is however, set apart to the memory of Saint Tamina on which occasion the natives wear a piece of buck's tail in their hats or in some conspicuous situation. During the course of the evening and generally in the midst of the dance, the company are interrupted by the sudden intrusion of a number of persons habited like Indians, who rush violently into the room, singing the war song, giving the whoop and dancing in the style of those people; after which ceremony a collection is made and they retire well satisfied with their reception and entertainment."
A later writer adds, "This custom of celebrating the day was continued down within the recollection of many of the present inhabitants of this city [Annapolis, 1841] ." We have noted this celebration here to show that the fame of Tamanend had traveled from the neighboring Province of Pennsylvania, where he had long been celebrated on account of his services to and friendship for the early settlers, and also to call attention to the custom of those taking part in the affair to decorate themselves with buck tails or buck skins, for the reason that a little later the followers of Tamanend and those subscribing to their ideas were designated in the public prints as "Buck Skins." The first meeting of the Society is recorded in an issue of the Pennsylvania Chronicle, dated May 4, 1772. "On Friday, the first instant, a number of Americans, Sons of King Tammany, met at the house of Mr. James Byrn, (Located on the west side of Tenth Street between Mulberry (Arch) and Sassafras (Race), Deed Book I, p. 36.) to celebrate the memory of that truly noble Chieftain whose friendship was most affectionately manifested to the worthy founder, and first settlers of this Province. After dinner the circulating glass was crowned with wishes loyal and patriotic and the day concluded with much cheerfulness and harmony. It is hoped from this small beginning a society may be formed of great utility to the distressed, as this meeting was more for the purpose of promoting charity and benevolence than mirth and festivity."
(continued...)
The following toasts were drunk on this occasion:
ReplyDelete1.
The King and Royal Family (George III. of England).
2.
The Proprietors of Pennsylvania (Thomas Penn and John Penn, son of Richard).
3.
The Governor of Pennsylvania (Richard Penn, Lieutenant-Governor son of Richard Penn).
4.
Prosperity of Pennsylvania.
5.
The Navy and Army of Great Britain.
6.
The pious and immortal memory of King Tammany.
7.
Speedy relief to the injured Queen of Denmark (Caroline Matilda, sister of George III. of England, and wife of Christian VII. of Denmark).
8.
Unanimity between Great Britain and her Colonies.
9.
Speedy repeal of all oppressive and unconstitutional acts.
10.
May the Americans surely understand and faithfully defend their constitutional rights.
11.
More spirit to the Councils of Great Britain.
12.
The great philosopher, Dr. Franklin.
13.
His Excellency, Governor Franklin, and prosperity to the Province of New Jersey.
14.
His Excellency, Governor Tryon, and prosperity to the Province of New York.
15.
The Honorable James Hamilton, Esq., late Governor of Pennsylvania.
16.
The Chief-Justice of Pennsylvania (Honorable William Allen, vice Kinsey, deceased, 1750 to 1774).
17.
The Speaker of the Honorable House of Assembly of Pennsylvania (Joseph Galloway).
18.
The Recorder of the City of Philadelphia (William Parr, vice Chew, resigned).
19.
The pious and immortal memory of General Wolfe.
20.
The Pennsylvania farmer (John Dickinson).
21.
May the Sons of King Tammany, St. George, St. Andrew, St. Patrick, and St. David love each other as brethren of one common ancestor, and unite in their hearty endeavors to preserve the native Constitutional American Liberties.
Kawanio che Keeteru!
-FJ
FJ,
DeleteKawanio che Keeteru!
A tradition from you on the blogs every May 1.
DeleteTell Neddy "hello" from me! ;)
Delete-FJ
Independent Gazetteer, April 21, 1787:
" BUCK'S TAILS.
"For St. Tammany's Day may be provided at the Tuft and Tackle Warehouse in Market Street.
"Ye lovers of frolic, who blithsome and gay,
Resolve to be merry on Tammany's Day;
I Neddy the Sachem, by some surnamed P—e,
For a moment would like your attention to call.
In barbarous days, ere America rose
The pride of her Friends, and the scourge of her foes,
Old Tammany bounding o'er valley and hill,
Every deer that he met would constantly kill:
So each of his sons in remembrance of that,
On his birthday displays a Buck's Tail in his hat.
Now those who this tuft emblematic must buy,
To me let them come, and their wants I ll supply.
Since S—dd----S's deer skins I plundered of late,
I their tails can retail at a moderate rate:
‘Tis the joy of my heart all my neighbors to fleece;
Come buy my fine Buck Tails at six-pence apiece.
"NEDDY THE SACHEM."
But she's a pretty face—and a crazy clown!
ReplyDelete...and I sure would miss her, weren't she ever around.
Quite a reading, AOW. Good find. And thank you.
ReplyDeleteIn loving memory of FreeThinke (aka - Franco Aragosta)
ReplyDeleteA little Dog that wags his tail
And knows no other joy
Of such a little Dog am I
Reminded by a Boy
Who gambols all the living Day
Without an earthly cause
Because he is a little Boy
I honestly suppose —
The Cat that in the Corner dwells
Her martial Day forgot
The Mouse but a Tradition now
Of her desireless Lot
Another class remind me
Who neither please nor play
But not to make a "bit of noise"
Beseech each little Boy —
-Emily Dickinson
Pablo Naruda, "A Dog has Died"
DeleteSome day I'll join him right there,
but now he's gone with his shaggy coat,
his bad manners and his cold nose,
and I, the materialist, who never believed
in any promised heaven in the sky
for any human being,
I believe in a heaven I'll never enter.
Yes, I believe in a heaven for all dogdom
where my dog waits for my arrival
waving his fan-like tail in friendship.
-FJ
Cynicism... is a philosophy (etymology - philo: love; sophy: wisdom) w/o "love" (philo) a philosophy, or merely the sophie (wisdom) of a sophist? Sure, a dog demonstrates the faithfulness of true love, but is it truly love? But a dog has no wisdom of its' own, so surely "love" is all that is left that can explain its' faithfulness.
DeletePerhaps all the "wisdom" of cynicism comes from dogs, who have none. :(
-FJ
I probably need to go take a walk. Ciao!
Delete-FJ
...but don't hold your breath! I may be a while. ;)
DeleteI love Jimmy Stewart and his poem is lovely. I also think your dog is an adorable little creature that acts more like a teenager than a dog! Love that name Callie.
ReplyDeleteLovely post today and it made me happy that for awhile he was with Mr. AOW too! I hope Callie at least listens to Warren! :)
Thanks for sharing!
Layla,
DeleteMy dog's name is actually California Sky. Too long! Her original owner thought so, too, but the original name remains on Callie's chip-registration file.
I mean she. I also wanted to ad that my daddy's dog Mr. Chips (my mom named him)-we just called him Chips, lives with my sister back in Illinois. But when my daddy was alive Chips would come and sit in front of him and just stare at it and my daddy got pestered by it and wondered why he was doing that because Chips would just sit looking at him for a long, long time. All the time. My dad did not realize it and I did not not tell him that Chips new he was going to die and that my mom would be gone to assisted living due to dementia and he was saying goodbye. Dogs are awesome creatures and truly mans best friend.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteSounds like your mother, much like another character referenced in his the receipt of Chips' matronymic, paid faithful homage to a dog's function when naming him.
Delete-FJ
:)
DeleteLayla,
DeleteYes, dogs "know things" (as the saying goes). Cats do, too. When I came close to dying in October 2016, my beloved Cameo grieved non-stop for six days after the ambulance took me away. When I returned, that sweety kitty came running on her short little legs and meowing like crazy. She never meowed like that except the one time! She was greeting me and singing for joy, I think. And she didn't leave my side for days after, either.
What a marvelous reading! Thank you. I was entranced. "They" know. My mother had an old mama cat with independent ways. But when mom got sick near death when I was 3, that kitty stayed with her on her bed for weeks. She'd get up to go out and pee and eat, and return. One morning she got up, ate and went outside. The next day mom turned the corner and was able herself to get up and stir about. Reminds me of stories you read in nursing homes.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that greeting you with joy!
BAYSIDER
May your Callie live as long or longer than my Callie.
ReplyDelete12 human years she stayed with us, until she was called to the hunting grounds of heaven. I miss her very much.