The Portland daily press., 1868-11-28


THANKSGIVING DAY--Thanksgiving Day
dawned upon US with pouring rain, which
held up sufficiently between the hours of nine
and eleven in the morning to partially Justify
one with the hope that by noon the sun might
appear. and dispel the clouds that still threaten
ed further aqueous supply. But such hope
was thoroughly quenched at the latter hour
mentioned above, by recommending MT of
the ram, which poured down until eleven al
night with little cessation, if any, accompanied
with gale of wind. The roads out of town,
particularly over to the Cape, were over ankle
deep in a thick mud which had the conslsten-
cy of pudding, and all the little brooks and
creeks were swollen to overhowing. In many
places the violent storm had produced deep
gullies and ponds OF water in the road, through
which the horse had to pick his way carefully.
In town, services were held at several of the
churches-at the Bethel, West Congregation
al, st. Luke's aud st Paul's (both of which
united and held services at the State Street
ChapeD st. Stephens, Central, New Jerusa-
lem, First Baptist, High Street and Newbury
Street. The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton also held a prayer meeting at their rooms
on Congress street. The trains of the night
previous brought to the city large numbers of
persons who had come home for the annual
feast, the train over the Boston road number
ing twenty-six cars, so we have been informed.
The family gatherings this year must have been
larger and more general than usual, from the
fact that the Governors of the different States
named the same day for the festival that had
been chosen by the President, and, there fore,
arrangements could more easily be made by
business men in different parts of the country
to return to the old homestead and meet once
more the loved faces, many of whom the next
return of the day will see quietly sleeping, no
more to be disturbed by the cares and worries
of this rushing, busy eager lfe which they have
borne with such christian resignation, to seek
rest in the bosom of an all-merciful Father,
who shall make the crooked limbs straight or
remove the sufferings of bruised and wound
ed spirit. 1t seems sail to mar our happiness
"ise ~.,oh sad reflections as we are seated at
the long table laden with the bountiful gifts of
Ceres and Pomoua, aud cast our eyes down
the long line of bright, happy faces, but they
will intrude and cast drop of alloy into the
full measure of our enjoyment.
The severe weather prevented as full house
at the theatre as wonld have been the case on
a holiday, although there was a very fair at
tendance in the evening despite the gusts of
wind and the drenching rain Tae ball OF the
Blues was great success, as tn ere are num-
bers Of people who think that Thanksgiving
would be no Thanksgiving at all if it did not
end off with Dance
In comparison with other celebr ations of the
day, and notwithstanding the high prices of
| provisions, we think that Thanksgiving Day,
| 1868, will take foremost rank among its pred
| ecessors.
2. NJ B.-If there had been the faiutesl
| shadow of doubt that the success of the
Blues" was owing to the interest they had
created in the hearts of our citizens, 1t would
have been quickly dispelled by a visit to City
Hall on Thursday night The winds howled
as if legions of demons were suffering the tor
lures of endless punishment, and the rain de-
| scended as if the clouds had concluded to do il
| all up at once and never rain again. 1t would
not have been strange therefore, if woman,
tenderly nurtured woman, gazing upon the
war of the elements, had let fall the curtain 10
veil the disagreeable sight from her view, and
turned to the pleasures of the home circle fer
the evening. But, bless your soull lovely wo-
men didn't do anything of the kind. She had
had experience of what dance given by the
"Blues" meant, and she wasn't going to play
| blue-stocking at home when there was to be
such an extra good time at the hall; particu-
la,ly as that elegant new dress with the lovely
| panier "a four-decker) was inst finished, ex-
! pressly for the occasion, and John (tall man,
blonde m"ustache, Vandyke beard, front rank)
had told her that she looked perfectly lovely
| with depth of tenderness in his eve, (and not
| all in has eye either) that her quick woman's
wit discovered would end in something besides
| mere attention before long. At halfpast eight
the "Blues" marched into the hall, aud were
there reviewed by General Shepley and staff
consisting of Col J. F. Miller, Maj w. p Jor-
dan, Capt. Geo. w. Parker, and Lieut. Chas
w. Roberts. The galleries, all ablaze with
| beauty and bright-colored dresses, were wrapt
| in attention during the inspection, but hardly
| gazed with the same interest as on that of the
presentation of gold pin to the best soldier in
the corps. The idea of the thing! The best
| get less than six anyhow, and they dress lot<.
Oscar Littlefield was the happy man, to whom
| Gen. Shepley presented it with happy speech.
We should like to know how the best soldier
feels on such an occasion. We never had any
| gold pins or gold anything else since the war,
| and the memory of man hardly runs back any
| farther
| There were some one hundred and fifty cou-
pies Joined in the dance, and it was a fit wind
| up to the Thanksgiving festivities.
N. B.-Johnp proposed