The Portland daily press., 1869-11-18
ru ASKservrse.-The leader in to-day

THASKsa1vING.-Th leader In to.days
paper has, we presume, done the correct
thing in regard to the historical associations
of the great New England Festival and the
lessons OF industry, prudence, and sobriety
Which 1t teaches, which have made our coun-
Try the wisest and most powerful nation on
Tue lace OF the earth, so that all there is left
'or the Local, is to confine himself to the Ma
tional Bird, the Turkey, and its relations with
the appropriate fixings) to the public on this
all important day.
The great difficulty with most writers is to
confine themselves TO their subject. We should
find TO difficulty, however, in combining our
selves to ours if we were fortunate enough to
secure good one But, as newspaper men
| are prcverbialiy impecuniOus, and furthermore
victims to that terrible fend dyspepsia, they
are compelled to dispense with the luxuries
OF the table and smile benignantly upon the
Widespread boards OF their subscribers.
Yesterday the trains were long and heavy,
for the brothets, sons, daughters, and hus-
bands had all turned their faces homewards,
and the old mansion will to-day resound with
the sound of youthful voices, and the long
table will be filed with the descendants of the
white-haired grandparents; yes, even the
great-grandparents, for in many cases four
generations will be represented. From the
North, South, East and West all have hasten
ed to meet each other face to face to-day, and
1t is this reunion of families that has given
to the New England Thanksgiving its great
est charm. We can all picture to ourselves the
scene, the grandfather, with his long white
locks, at the head of the table offering up a
prayer of thankfulness to the Creator that
once again the household band has been pei
mitted to gather and partake of his bounty, at
the foot, dear, good grandma, with love and
goodness beaming from every feature, while
around the sides cluster all the sturdy sons who
have gone out from the New England village,
with no other aids than stout hearts and will
ing hands, and faith in the holy teachings
that no power could shake, and returned blest
with fame and fortune; and the daughters,
noble specimens of Yankee womanhood. OF
these, both sons and daughters, may be APP
piled the words of the Psalmist "That our
sons may be as plants grown up in their youth.
and our daughters may be as corner stones,
polished, after the similitude of a palace"
The children are full of glee and gaze upon
the smoking turkey with eyes of affection and
regret-love for the noble bird, and regret that
their capacity is not equal to their ambition. |
And after dinner is through, what looks! as
Joe Gargery would say. Children, that five |
minutes ago declared they were full up to the |
neck, are seen dancing round, playing Blind
mans buff, and tag, and other noisy games,
and at last, the lamps lit, all indulge in good
old fashioned country dance, fitting ending
to the days festivities.
Our country may increase in population
until every inch of ground between the At
lantic and Pacific boasts an owner, and New
England may exist, only as little corner in
the immense domain of mighty nation, but
as long as New Highlander lives Thanksgiv-
ing will never be forgotten.