Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-11-29
Thanks giving.


giving 1t appeared if kind nature had spoken
specially to the several elements, to do their
best on hatoccasion, towards turning out beau
tiinl day. The heavens above, and the earth
below, were In their best attire, and look ed as if
they were strongly in favor of sleighing, and the
kind old Sun brightly smiled his appreciation.
The atmosphere was the clearest of the clear,
the bluest of the blue, and deIiciously bracing.
The snow might have been deeper, but still it
held manfully out, and gave the sleighs a fair
track as they skinned it, to the music Of the
merry bells. God bless the light and loving
hearts, that kept time to those bells, as they jim
ged along the high roads and bye-roads of dear
New England, towards the cottage homes that
stand so beautifully within the picket fences, be-
side the stately elms, over all the pleasant land.
God bless the fathers and mothers, whose listen
ing ears caught the echoes of those bells, when
they were far down the road, and whose hearts
responded to them, and to the quicker pulses of
their CT ildrens hearts that beat beside them
as they came nearer and nearer the old homestead
God bless all those reunions of hearts, in the sa-
cred habtations of dear old home, which made,
and make, and will always make, Tn anksgiving
a grateful jubilee to ms.
The day is formally appointed by the Cover
nor of the Commonwealth, to be observed as a
day OF general prayer, praise, and thanksgiving
to God, for National blessings and benefits, and
the appointment Is one worthy of Christian
people; but tradition, custom, old memories, and
fond affections consecrate ''Thanksgivng'' to the
general heart far more than formal proclamations,
multiplied by thousands, could ever do.
Think ofthe impatient glances that in child
hood we used to cast into the deep bosom of the
year, towards this day of days. Think of the
dreams we had of treasures vast, that were then
to be donated to us, from our kind and numerous
kinsfolk's pockets. Think of the bright and hap
Ply faces that used then to meet around our So
cla board. Think of the home hopes aud home
joys, that we've in their fullness and glory there,
when those of us, who had fastened back to the
old homestead from parts far distant, met to in
crease our memories and renew our love of it.
These things became woven with the day into one
bright web of rainbow texture and the day it.
self became part ofthem
Then, as the years went round, and changes
came, and vacant chairs were gathered around
the homestead table, tears, and sad smiles, and
sorrow, consecrated "Thanksgivipg, and estab-
lsheJ it more and more in our love- 1t is the
great poem New England. 1t is the song of
joy, and it is the chant of softened ssorrow. that
comes up annually from the general heart The
youthful and the bold rejoice in its joys; those
who have outved the hopes it brought, still smile
in the peace and tranquility that are born of its
recollectons
1t is the social and domestic sentiments that
inpart TO Thanksgiving its essential vitality. 1t
is the brightness that home, past, present, and
future, throws around it, that keeps it alive in the
national heart.
Long may it continue to be the great winter
festival ofthis people. Long may it be recog-
nlzed as the one green spot in the year, npon
which the cares and tolls of business, and the
struggles and asperties of public life can bel laid
down, and upon which the hearts of our peop.e
shall berefreshed, and shall renew the light and
love of other days.