The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-11-30

lnGS seems inner tnan any CoIourateu In lnls ue-
generated age. And yet 1t must be confessed
that time has left traces Of his blight, even upon
that which he has not been permitted to destroy.
The Thanksgiving of to-day Is not precisely the
Thanksgiving of the past Old men miss few
of the ancient and familiar features of this iubi-
lee. Nature has done something, civilization
has done something, and something the flying
years which have left tbeir SHOWS upon the head
and their SORROWS in the heart, have done, to mod
ify the manners and color the features of this
glad season. OF these influences that of climate
isnot unimportant. Thanksgiving which whilom
found Us at the frosty beginning of a hard win
tel, now comes while the warm gales of October
are yet lingering, and while the embers of the
fiery summer yet shoulder. Once the wheels OF
the old ohaise bearing the pious people to church
ratified over the frozen ground the sleigh Gid
ed on the same devcut errand across the snow
which had thrown q silvery veil over meadow,
woodland, and mansions. Within the great fire.
place gaped wide and warm welcome, while
the doughty backlog grimly sustained its mar
tyrdom under the splitting and suffering small
fry OF small fore-sticks, back-sticks and cross
sticks, which were piled upon it. Not only
fowls. but faces, were roasted shen, and the ten
der chickings of the home grew ruddy bv the
same blaze at which their little prototypes of the
barn were growing brown. The vigor without
only melted the more the relaxation within, and
10 SAC AAACioiCuoAy WluQ Wtub Willing On. the
mellow laughter of virtuous hearts greeted him
through the rafting easement. Perhaps our
Thanksgiving is less freside festival than it
was. Long miles are no longer stretched between
the lonely farm house and the scattered hamlets:
TO travel is now easier than TO stay at home.
Great cities now stand where once the thin viii
lage struggled; and from this teemingismart to
the other run iron links OF the railway, CARRYING
through the freshness and virtue of the country
h. xzI 4. Al
thrown less upon those innocent resources which
our fathers found 40 full of enjoyment We are
tempted to seek somewhere we know not what
to leave those "best things" and GO in anest of
" the distant and dim" The privilege Of a re-
turn to the scenes of our youth, to the old house
which sheltered our infancy to the dearest of the
dear, who guided our first ,faltering footsteps,
has lost something OF the value which it had
when it was more difficult TO secure The sa-
cred pilgrimage even by those who still refuse
to abandon ii, il more rapidly performed hour,
are devoted to the annual visit which once claim
ed whole days, and found the claim conceded.
But we must still praise the past, The Thanks
ing Of to-day is not the Thanksgiving of the
good old time" of New England days
1t were easy to permit ourselves 10 indulge
still fnrther in these reflections, and perhaps TO
touch tender cord. We might suggest that
not all the frolic and feastng the loud laugh and
Jocund song can restore Ia the freshness of
childhood, or bring back that keen and exquisite
relish, which once made mean things magnificent,
and small ones very great. Time may teach US
gently; but he teaches Us still. Drop by drop
falls into the clear well spring Of our youth the
bitter cup of experience, and there is no filter
this side of the grave that can restore the old
purity. But however natural to the philosophic
mind these thoughts may be- we suspect that a
majority of those who read these lines will vote
them 10 be unreasonable. We will remember,
then, that it is feast, and, not as fast which
We are celebrating. From our little room. we
bestOw our benson upon the merry groups which
1t does not require very fervid imagination
to summon before the minds eve As we scrib-
BILE in the stiffness of the night like music drop
ped from the everlasting stars, there come to us
dancing chorrses Of laughter, and the merry
madrigals which sing of youth and hope We
see gathered around the table the sacred broth
erhood and sisterhood of the family, while side
by side sit wrinkled age and callow childhood
We hear the strong and sincere greetings which
manly voices utter; We hear gentle tones. in
which tinid love is first confessed; we hear
the kiss which seals the great compact of life,
and az all these sights and sounds come TO US in
our solitude, We thank God that the earth still
holds cheerful and courageous hearts and that
the blithe lesson Of the day is lost upon so few.
and we send ont our humble greetings and
wish for all, not merely outside prosperity, but
that inward peace and we'll rounded life which
good thoughts and great desires will secure to
the rich and poor, in lofty defiance of all the
capricious, changes in this worlds affairs
PBB
Ottawa, Nov 2sth, 1867