The New York herald., 1870-11-23
THANKSGIVING.
How the Day Will Be Cele-
brated.
Feeding the Poor and Lowly---Feasting
and Amusements for the People
Purple and Fine Linen.
THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

Thanksgiving Day is peculiarly Yankee notion.
good deal about what New England was years ago
long before the war Of the rebellion knocked in the
head great many notions, Yankee and otherwise
the idea OF setting aside particular day IN thu
year for Thanksgiving TO God for all His mercie
was started In the land OF the Pilgrims. In thes'
pleasant days, when hypocrttcal cats were hung OF
Monday for violating the Sabbath by mpiousIy
crawling over kitchen doors on Sunday Thanksgiving
was church institution or q high and sanctimo
NOUS order, which was rendered somewhat agree
able to the young folks "aftcr prayer meetins' by
c0nvivalities OF o temperate kind, which were not
allowed to overstep the limits OF prudence pre-
scribed by the Puritanical conscience. or late how
ever the day while retaining much Of It's old time
memories, has lost great deal OF Its New England
ascetcism and has become a day for coed time all
round for everybody who wants to enjoy himself,
whether he cares 60 to church or not or course,
this may be OF little credit to the
RELIGIOUS FEELING OF THE COMMUNITY,
but facts are very stubborn things. 1t Is not to be
leuied tnat there are great many pleus people in
the Union who Will go to church tomorrow bright
aud early and return thanks to Heaven for all the
ravors they have received during the year. and hun
dreds Of pastors who will ascend their pupts and
attempt to instruct that Heaven how IL sheuld act
hereafter to mankind In general and the universal
Yankee nation In particular, IL is pretty Ger.
tain that there will be more J0llfcatl0n than
religious feeling and more good dinners
than prayers. In oil that the day Will no doubt be,
as it has always been, ever since II became o
national holiday. a day Tor general rejoicing and
lots OF pumpkin PIE on every family table. Indeed,
o dinner tomorrow without the immortal pumpkin
ple would be very graceless thing, for everybody
who has ever been''way down in Massachusetts,
can testify that IL Is the sine qua non Of the dinner
even though modern Innovations have added the
luscious turkey to the congomeratlon o. good things
whcfewth to de light the inner man. Aside from It's
being festival OF New England growth, which
endearB IL t. tine heart OF every downeastcr, 40
what new-fangled IDEAS may to shear it ol some Of
its most attractive customs OF
"AULD LANG sYNE,"
the fact that 1t as always been considered the one
day OF the 500 for the reunion Of families where
members may have been separated all the rest of
the year, VIII always OF Itself guarantee 1t q
thorough celebration. This special feature OF the
day was. ~ oiden times as all ITS other features
where; but 1t has within the past three or four
years, become The days greatest attraction for
every family in the Union Where is the child at
look forward 70 Thanksgiving with the
most lively an!lcipations where the son,
and left the old homestead III cosey
little New England village 10 live In some far distant
State who WIN not If he can, hasten TO the OF
his boy mood days Just 10 SIT once more at the family
board with brothers and sisters father and mother,
and talk over the days that nave quickly noWn Dy
since he went away to build up home for hlmsellS
All over the country Tomorrow, IRON way down III
Name to the Pacific slope, there will be JOY IN thou
Sands Of households on account OF this beautiful
OF reunting for brief day In the year, the
family bonds whicn nave been temporarily broken.
Yot in many JOY Will fnd no resting place, aud
though the Thanksgiving dinner may be given and
the family sit around the festive board and Try 10
feel thankful for all heavens merces the absence
OF loved one, whose laugh was wont 10 ring out
the merrest VI ALL the vacant chair IN which only
o year beiore he sat and Chatted about what he
would do the year to come The grave In the church
yard over which the earth lies yet fresh as when up
turned-a will give The lie to tne sprlghty and the
joyful exclamation.