Son John has grown so gray and tired; he used to beg to hear
The Christmas stories—he and Bess. How sweet they were—and dear!
(No. 1 Tableau—The Stories.)
I told them of the blessed Child who in the manger lay.
Without these stories, so he said, it wasn’t Christmas day.
But now his children do not care to have these stories told;
They go to Christmas parties, and they, too, look tired and old.
They do not romp and jump about as children used to do,
They dance at “balls,” and go to “clubs” until it makes me blue.
(No. 2 Tableau—Children at Ball.)