The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-11-26
KEoKvrK. IOWA:
rgAR1SofvI1o DAv.

THURSDAY M0nriNo, ny. @e'
rgAHRSosyISo DAv.
Tn, proper Thankrei.ing Day IL - dead
4, Cotton Naf1er hinsslf. Il mat hass
died about hisssims = Ilsls later; oas =.
uslThask.G3vinss ~ bit anaivsrsaries q
its deash-ref Thanksgiving Day hat used %
be. Truly it never sxisted dutaids Ct New
England nor thers 1br these last one hus.
dred years. I. vent ont With starchless rufs
and ihs pu1pkin-S shell fashion Of cutting
hairs We have the turkeys, and the wintrJ
weather; the hare hills and leafless trees |;
the aold outside and the glowing warmth
within; after.aIl ~ An't sp,cs mp the day %
thatit il 10 our pa!aia rhst II was formerly 70
the palate Of yoars New England. This
ceassd TO be possible When it ceased to b .
sin TO be merry and enjoy ourselves on other
days in tie yesr - well - upon Thanksgiv-
ing. You know what Gruf and grim old
fellow ths Puritan vas when hs left the Old
England fosstbs Nsw. nov She dtses. the
department, the Language, The studies, the
amu.ements Of the rigid sect were regulated
ona11mHl4 smaain9 the Phgrie4ks.: Il
- ms sfla.as :. 44-ee'.s,
to dfs5k 2 Hind isaltK, 10 dy fa1t, 70
hunt > stag, to play ct ohess, to wear love-
locks, tn put starch into : ruG, TO touch The
virgnal., to read the Fairy Queen. The iae
nris were prescribed. The solemn peal Of
the orean WAS superstiions. Tbs dnna ~as
dissolate. Fine paintings esteemed either
iiolAtrous or indecent. The Puritan vas
known from other men by his gait, bis garb,
his lank hair, the sour solemnity Of his face,
the ur-trrned white OF his eyes, his nasal
twanK, snd scripture dislecs. Yoa know
whose painting that is, but its fidelity to fa,t
hash hssn qs sstisnsd. That vas tho PAR.
tan before he came TO the New World, and
here he didu't mend his manners and grow
jolly all or 4 sudden. Yon have read, OF
conrse, in Hawthorne's Twice Told Tales, Of
tho May pols = Merry Mount. "Not far
from Marry Mount was settlement Of Psri-
tssA n3oa fsnsI &sstches, who said their
prayers before daylight, and then wrought
i6sxs fbrsss OF the corn-feld till evening
made it prayer time again. When they met
is0encAssi j. Nsssnever to keep up The old
English m.rth, but to hear sermons three
hours lesG, or to proclaim bouptiss - the
heads Of wolves and the sealps Of Indians
Thsir festivals we're fast days, sad their chief
pasEiine The singing Of Psalms. Woe to he
youth Or maiden who did but dream Of :
dire! Tho selectman nodded TO the con-
stable: ard there sat the light heeled repro
bsss in the stosks; or if hs danced, 1t wa1
rennd the whippiug-eost, which might be
termed the Puritan May pole.'' And
when that Puritan of th. Purifans-
grizzly old John Endicott, broke with his
band spon the merry making Of the Merry
Meant jewellers, aud with his good stout
sword had Indignantly cut down their May
pols. "Th-re.' cried Endicott, looking TIL
umphantly on his work, "lhers lies the only
May-pole in New England The though. i.
strong within me, that BY ito fall 10 Swallowed
ior,h the fate ofligh, ond ids mirth makers,
among us and our posterity. Amen, saith
ohm Endco,t.a
"Amen r echoed his followers. And the
esly thought be had of rearing that pole
asaia vas to nakea whipping posi- Of i. for
the yosth and maiden Who would dare TO
selsbra.s hay-day viii nirsA And flowers.
verY grim old folks thoss Pnd,ans we're.
With n holidays bat fAst day., and regard
ing Christmas with horror. Nothing il not
religious And the only possible day they
could not observe - fast>day Wa Thanks
giving Day. Don't Jon $50 what . god send
thu, day was to all Young New Eagland.
One day when everybody had religious
right 70 be lish.-hearted and glad. Recan't
guess in these irrsYerent times how young
hearts and oil hearts appreciated that day 10
those grim old days. For every human
heart likes to thaw out. Those old Puritans
liked TO have 1t least an annual thaw, when
they could have II relisionsly. And We don I
care, how frosty any human soal is, set it, IN
consonancs with its convictions, beside !
tousing open FIRE, Il . full board, and pour
ehs gravy Of roast turkey over it, and the ice
lnelts o1l Of that soul, isstanter.
There never was ! properly esnstitu,sd
human soul that could Withstand the infla.
snos Of : vintsy day. bright sloxains hearth
IN warm room, and roast turkey never
There was one day whom oil puritaa New
Rsslaad Vas humanized. When psalms and
sermons had the gravy Of roas, turkey poured
Over Them, aud wsle hanAniaed. When
PsItapisn ceased t. be grim, and was genial
instead. 4 dsy when laughter vas no. .
sin, nor ! jest ~ offence punishable with
the stocks. A day when Love, and Joy, and
Hsppiness. and domestic graces, rsprssss1
nnder = whole years cold surface, spranE At
once into full growth and bloom, shedding
into every household the fragrance and slad-
ness Of sunny hearted home. Ay, the
hearts Of all yeunE New England could ap-
pss@i4te Thanksgiving Day.
Well not with she sane prompting, bat
with our cwn eladness, TOO for these differ
snt times and our lives in them, lie. US keep
Ills day. And We know no better way than
10 the simple suggestion ct New Eneland's
greatest genius He said once il his Note
book, This is Thanksgiving Day. good old
festival and have kept il with our hsarts.,
La rs keep it with our hearts.
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DDAr@ OF HON. .. =. WELLS.
Hon. D. F. Wells of Iowa CITY. died Of
rnenaonia Tue~day m. tks oath inst His