TheRoosevelt Bearscelebrate theFOURTH

TEDDY-G went out the night beforeTo Market Street, to a fireworks’ store,And bought a load of crackers red,And torpedoes round like balls of lead,And great big whirlers which you lightAnd then run off with all your might,And flags and kites and pistol toys:The kind to give to little boys;And rockets which go whizzing highTo shoot bright stars around the sky;And sticks to hold and turn aboutWhile balls of fire come popping out;And drums to beat and horns to blow,And things to shoot and things to throw;And small balloons in colors gayAnd a hundred flags to give away;In all about twelve dollars’ worthTo celebrate July the Fourth.

TEDDY-G went out the night before

To Market Street, to a fireworks’ store,

And bought a load of crackers red,

And torpedoes round like balls of lead,

And great big whirlers which you light

And then run off with all your might,

And flags and kites and pistol toys:

The kind to give to little boys;

And rockets which go whizzing high

To shoot bright stars around the sky;

And sticks to hold and turn about

While balls of fire come popping out;

And drums to beat and horns to blow,

And things to shoot and things to throw;

And small balloons in colors gay

And a hundred flags to give away;

In all about twelve dollars’ worth

To celebrate July the Fourth.

TEDDY-G—His paw

They didn’t sleep a wink that nightBut started out before ’twas light,To historic Independence Square.“For that,” said TEDDY-B, “is whereThis western world beyond the seaUnfurled the flag of liberty;And that’s the place and this the dateWhere loyalty must celebrate.”“Oh you come off,” said TEDDY-G,“It’s fun that I am here to see;Who cares to-day who won the game?We’ll shoot off crackers just the same.”And this is how the two Bears talkedAs down the street to the Square they walked:

They didn’t sleep a wink that night

But started out before ’twas light,

To historic Independence Square.

“For that,” said TEDDY-B, “is where

This western world beyond the sea

Unfurled the flag of liberty;

And that’s the place and this the date

Where loyalty must celebrate.”

“Oh you come off,” said TEDDY-G,

“It’s fun that I am here to see;

Who cares to-day who won the game?

We’ll shoot off crackers just the same.”

And this is how the two Bears talked

As down the street to the Square they walked:

TEDDY-B of heroes brave and boldAnd things they did in days of old;While TEDDY-G just had his sayAbout things to do that very day.

TEDDY-B of heroes brave and bold

And things they did in days of old;

While TEDDY-G just had his say

About things to do that very day.

TEDDY-B—His paw

At the Liberty Bell they took a tryAnd hoisted it up good and highAnd rang it out both loud and clear,And at every ring there went up a cheer;For the only day in all the yearWhen the crack doesn’t spoil the tone sent forthIs Independence Day, July the Fourth.At least that’s what the children say,And they know this bell from Z to A.

At the Liberty Bell they took a try

And hoisted it up good and high

And rang it out both loud and clear,

And at every ring there went up a cheer;

For the only day in all the year

When the crack doesn’t spoil the tone sent forth

Is Independence Day, July the Fourth.

At least that’s what the children say,

And they know this bell from Z to A.

But the fun began with the Roosevelt BearsWhen boys stole on them unawaresAnd put a match to TEDDY-GIn his coat-tail pocket, where, you see,He had stored some crackers, a good-sized bunch,Along with hard-boiled eggs for lunch.

But the fun began with the Roosevelt Bears

When boys stole on them unawares

And put a match to TEDDY-G

In his coat-tail pocket, where, you see,

He had stored some crackers, a good-sized bunch,

Along with hard-boiled eggs for lunch.

Lickety-split-pat-pit-bang-boo!And the coat tail smoked and split in two,And hard-boiled eggs shot here and thereAnd the Bear went up and down in air.But he told the lads he didn’t care,That fun might start in anywhere;At front or back, in hat or boot,Put punk to powder and let it shoot.“We are out,” he said, “for fun and noiseAnd when fun is trump, boys will be boys.”And from that hour the lads and heShared all there was to do or see.

Lickety-split-pat-pit-bang-boo!

And the coat tail smoked and split in two,

And hard-boiled eggs shot here and there

And the Bear went up and down in air.

But he told the lads he didn’t care,

That fun might start in anywhere;

At front or back, in hat or boot,Put punk to powder and let it shoot.“We are out,” he said, “for fun and noiseAnd when fun is trump, boys will be boys.”And from that hour the lads and heShared all there was to do or see.

At front or back, in hat or boot,

Put punk to powder and let it shoot.

“We are out,” he said, “for fun and noise

And when fun is trump, boys will be boys.”

And from that hour the lads and he

Shared all there was to do or see.

They strung a wire from tree to tree,And then the fellows with TEDDY-BPut crackers all along the wire,To prepare the field for an army fire.Said TEDDY-G, as he explained the play,“We’ll fasten a flag on the wire half-way,And you boys under yonder treeWho have taken sides with TEDDY-B,When I say the word, you put your fireAt the cracker next you on the wire,

They strung a wire from tree to tree,And then the fellows with TEDDY-BPut crackers all along the wire,To prepare the field for an army fire.

They strung a wire from tree to tree,

And then the fellows with TEDDY-B

Put crackers all along the wire,

To prepare the field for an army fire.

Said TEDDY-G, as he explained the play,“We’ll fasten a flag on the wire half-way,And you boys under yonder treeWho have taken sides with TEDDY-B,

Said TEDDY-G, as he explained the play,

“We’ll fasten a flag on the wire half-way,

And you boys under yonder tree

Who have taken sides with TEDDY-B,

When I say the word, you put your fireAt the cracker next you on the wire,

When I say the word, you put your fire

At the cracker next you on the wire,

“They strung a wire from tree to tree and then the fellows with TEDDY-BPut crackers all along the wire, to prepare the field for an army fire.”

While I, if my boys a hand will lend,Will put a match to the other end.To reach the flag first, that’s the game,And the side which wins this piece of fameWins all the crackers big or smallWhich haven’t gone off when time I call.If on both sides the armies flunkBoth captains use again their punk.”When both the sides the rules did knowTEDDY-G called out, “One! two! three! Go!”

While I, if my boys a hand will lend,

Will put a match to the other end.

To reach the flag first, that’s the game,

And the side which wins this piece of fame

Wins all the crackers big or small

Which haven’t gone off when time I call.

If on both sides the armies flunkBoth captains use again their punk.”When both the sides the rules did knowTEDDY-G called out, “One! two! three! Go!”

If on both sides the armies flunk

Both captains use again their punk.”

When both the sides the rules did know

TEDDY-G called out, “One! two! three! Go!”

And at the words two armies shotTheir cracker guns both quick and hotAs on they marched along the wireIn powder smoke and blazing fire.The flag was won by TEDDY-GAnd prisoners taken, ninety-threeOf the finest crackers the others had,All not shot off, both good and bad.

And at the words two armies shotTheir cracker guns both quick and hotAs on they marched along the wireIn powder smoke and blazing fire.

And at the words two armies shot

Their cracker guns both quick and hot

As on they marched along the wire

In powder smoke and blazing fire.

The flag was won by TEDDY-GAnd prisoners taken, ninety-threeOf the finest crackers the others had,All not shot off, both good and bad.

The flag was won by TEDDY-G

And prisoners taken, ninety-three

Of the finest crackers the others had,

All not shot off, both good and bad.

But this army game was children’s playCompared with things they did that day:From noon till night they let things go,In sky above and on earth below,

But this army game was children’s play

Compared with things they did that day:

From noon till night they let things go,

In sky above and on earth below,

With slap and bang, in smoke and noise,Like any two July Fourth boys.

With slap and bang, in smoke and noise,

Like any two July Fourth boys.

They sent balloons up to the cloudsAnd a dozen kites to please the crowds,And then shot rockets just to tryTo hit the things up in the sky;They dug a hole down in the groundAnd filled it full of crackers roundAnd shot them off to hear the sound.They burned their paws and scorched their hair,And when darkness came they did their shareOf firing rockets everywhere,And in burning lights, a fiery red,Till long past time for going to bed.

They sent balloons up to the clouds

And a dozen kites to please the crowds,

And then shot rockets just to try

To hit the things up in the sky;

They dug a hole down in the ground

And filled it full of crackers round

And shot them off to hear the sound.

They burned their paws and scorched their hair,And when darkness came they did their shareOf firing rockets everywhere,And in burning lights, a fiery red,Till long past time for going to bed.

They burned their paws and scorched their hair,

And when darkness came they did their share

Of firing rockets everywhere,

And in burning lights, a fiery red,

Till long past time for going to bed.

When the day was o’er said TEDDY-B,“Let’s go to-morrow to the Zoo to seeThe animals imprisoned there:The elephant and polar bear,The lions, tigers, and kangaroos,And tell them one and all the news:That July the Fourth is the day that weWho own and love this countryDo celebrate in smoke and noise,That we may teach our girls and boysThat this one day of every yearIs given them free to shout and cheer,

When the day was o’er said TEDDY-B,

“Let’s go to-morrow to the Zoo to see

The animals imprisoned there:

The elephant and polar bear,

The lions, tigers, and kangaroos,

And tell them one and all the news:

That July the Fourth is the day that weWho own and love this countryDo celebrate in smoke and noise,That we may teach our girls and boysThat this one day of every yearIs given them free to shout and cheer,

That July the Fourth is the day that we

Who own and love this country

Do celebrate in smoke and noise,

That we may teach our girls and boys

That this one day of every year

Is given them free to shout and cheer,

As a safety valve for them and youTo keep things running square and true.”Said TEDDY-G, “I’ll freedom teachAnd try to practise what I preach;To-morrow I’ll let out the Zoo,The elephants and monkeys too,And the polar bear and kangaroo;They’re just as good as me or you.”

As a safety valve for them and youTo keep things running square and true.”

As a safety valve for them and you

To keep things running square and true.”

Said TEDDY-G, “I’ll freedom teachAnd try to practise what I preach;To-morrow I’ll let out the Zoo,The elephants and monkeys too,And the polar bear and kangaroo;They’re just as good as me or you.”

Said TEDDY-G, “I’ll freedom teach

And try to practise what I preach;

To-morrow I’ll let out the Zoo,

The elephants and monkeys too,

And the polar bear and kangaroo;

They’re just as good as me or you.”

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