Litchfield enquirer., 1846-10-29

day, the 18th day OF November, 70 be obscr.
-vett lhrughoNt this State asa day Of pub \
lie Thanksgiving. The return Of this AN
nual festival, which has been observedby
the Puriltans and their descendants from
time memorial, is well calculated 10 excite
Peasurable emotions in the minds Of all
New EnglanderS. And whether they re-
pain upon the old "homesteds," or have
gone out in search OF fame and sfort1nc 20
distant States, the recurrence of this day
will be hailed by them with the usual de-
monstrations Of public praise, and domes-
tic and social meetings. The joyful ingath-
ering of the scattered members of many a
household-the greeting Of friends long sew
ered-thc earnest inquiries after each 9th
er'S welfare, and the welfare Of the absent;
the merry laugh and jest OF the young, and
the graver converse of the aged-these are
among the scenes and occurrences which
tuition of "Yankee land" II is, or ought to
be, cause of rejoicing, that while many of
he once cherished customs and observan-
ceS Of our fathers have been suspended, or
altogether abolished, as inconsistent with
the progress of modern tdsfe and refinement,
Thanksgiving day"is still regarded with
pious reverence and welc omed with much of
the olden time. -.,us... r.H
Listen to the buy "anote of preparation
as the long looked for day approaches How
active the senior, how animated the youn-
ger, members Of the family! How m 7steri
ously the contents cf the -four barrel and su-
gar-chest disappear, and what an inhuman
warfare is waged against the pigs and poul-
try! Then follows the apple pairing, pump
kln-Shaving, mincemeat-choppitg oven
wood splitting, and all tie other clceteras
which go 10 make up the preliminaries OF
the occasion. And while all this is going
on at home," there are other parts Of the
performance, equally essential, being enac-
ted abroad, viz, the hurry, hustle, confusion
and excitement consequent upon making the
necessary preparation for "going to Thanks
giving" New dresses must be had for the
ladies, or the old ones must be remodded
after the newest fashion-the boys must be
furnished with new hats-clothes must be
brushed and mended, brass buttons secured
bootS and shoes creased, wagon painted:
harness oiled. horses we'll fed and curried ::
all in anticiE alton Of the intended journey.
And then, as the time draws nearer. how the
public thoroughfareS TEEN with cll-loaded
Wagons! What glorious time for tav.
erners and toll gate keepers! And as each
draws near the place of destination, how
The full heart fintlers in the Joyous hope Of
again meeting those objects Of affection
from which il has long been cxiled Chilli
| rem are on their way 10 the parental roof;
| parents - visit their children the lover TO
meet his beloved. And here and there along
the road may he seen the apprentice boy
from some neighbo. Ing town or CITY, with Q
bundle under his arm or over his shoulder,
| poding his way homeward on foot. How
J his yonng spirit leaps within linn as he APP
proarheS the halloved spot, and thinks of
the 2lal welcome which awaits him fom
his parents and bIothcrS and sisters! lie
has met, perchance, in his absence, but little
Of The split Of kindness little, for him,
save cold and rigid severity; and why should
he not feel the livelicst sympathcs of his
nature called iulo exercise at the thought of
again beholding the smile and listening to
the voice OF parental and llaternal love?
Reader! the ever welcome festival is near
Il hand! Let it be spent not in ro.ous
mlrth and excess, but in spirit Of graft
tude to thai BeneiIicent Providence who has
rewarded your toll and shielded you from
danger and death, and in distributing, ac-
cording to your abundance, to Tie wants and
necessities Of the destitute and needy, that
they also may rejoice with you. .-
0t-Geo sc Dawson, f. r ten year. associated
with the Rochester Democrat, has announced