Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-30
From the Springfield Republican
Before Thanksgiving.

Coming events cast their shadows be-
fore. hut Thanksoiving casts something
more Substantial than shadows. Our stores
and markets already are stocked with
abundant tokens of the coming festival,
aud thronged with eager customers buy
ing in antici patton. Boxes of spices,
raisins, etc, tubs of butter and lard and
egee, barrels of apples and cranherries,
aud baskets of lemons and dried fruits,
are displayed by show-window and door
way in unwonted profusion, and as early
as it is safe the sacrifioial turkey will
make his advent. fanked by the usual
subjects for chicken stew and pie. The
bivalves will appear on the scene just on
the ave of the memorable day, least and
last, but in ample time to garnish the
feast. Perhaps oysters were not Included
in the original bill of fare, but they have
come to be as essential TO thu breakfast as
turkey TO the dinner of Thanksgiving.
Busy, busting housewives are mp to
their elbows in dough, and the palest of
them grow red in the face with frequent
inspections of the oven and its s4vory con-
tents. and no week of the year is happier
and more exciting to them than this of
prep 4ration for the great dinner of the
year. The humblest house is in oommo-
ton to devise ways and means for faring
sumptuously on the 30th. and the poorest
family is sure of something rich. It re-
lieves mnoh of the preliminary outlay
for families of relatives to combine IL one
festal reunion, instead of each fesstiug
apart. Now it devolves one brnch of the
family tree. and next year on another, TO
bear fruit meet for Thanksgiving, and
the wider the circle of kindred the less
fre uupntly will devolve on one particular
household the labor and cost of entertain
ing. From far and near the scattered
members are being gathered in, and those
too remote are sending letters of congratu-
lation and "reminiscences, and perhaps,
grateful donations, to the old folks at
home. The rai-cars overflow with devo.
tees and pilgrims, net clad in sackcloth
or worn with weary vigils and fastinga.
but arrsyed in holiday attire and radiant
with happy anticipatiOns of the good old
pilgrim festival. Long absent sons and
daughters of New England are renewing
their vows Of allegiance and rekindliug
the waning fires of youth "a they muse
npon the good time com ng. Everywhere
the pilgrim spirit is reviving and quick
ened into unwonted activity as the festal
day approaches so frAught with pilgrim
memories, and for this reason. if for no
other, the anniversary deserves hearty
recognition by every New Highlander, at
least.
We are glad 70 know that the succeed
ing feast of the Nativity is coming into
general favor among descendants of the
rigid Puritans. but it should never be al
lowed to suppl4nt our festival of graft
tude that is native to our hills and valleys
THANKSGIVING has its social claims and
usss which seem as sacred to our home
and hearts az those of Christmas. The
one need not interfere with the other,
and both are none too many to cheer the
dying year.
But we have as yet no current phrase
of we'll wishing for Thanksgiving. We
wish one another a merry Christmas and
a happy New Year, but have no recOg
nizad saiutstions for this earlier holiday,
and vet does not this inspire warm
good wishes az the later ones? Do we
not feel AZ kiodIv disposed during the
closing days of November as of Deeem-
Der? Suppose. then, we wish each other
jolly Thanksgiving, or Joyous one, if
jolly sounds too undevout. 1t should
bring TO all Joy rather than sorrow-sun-
shine rather than clouds and darkness. If
during these preceding days sad expert
euces will suQQest only gloomy anticipa-
tions, let them be struggled against more
and more, as the anniversary draws near.
Let memory be tasked to recall the mer-
cies of the year rather than its trials, and
there IL no life but what has in the long
run really more cause fer thankfulness
than repining. Let every son and dsueh-
ter of sRiction no gathering in advance
material for thnnkoffering, and not treasur-
ing up against the day only sad, depres-
sing thouohts. Why, the heart and
home of eff1ictiou needs jnst such festi-
val as this of Novembe 30 70 bring sun
shine back again. 1t is no mockery of
grief but its blessed autidote. 1t is no in-
iustine to the departed. but mercy TO the
surviving. Aud think how many hearth
stones, seemingly desolate aud deserted.
may he made to glow with unearthly
brightness at the thought of loved ones in
heaven. Why should those white robed
saints in glory be recalled on thanksgiv,
ing day only in sack cloth and ashes
brighter than its MONDAY sunlight, purer
than its evening starlight, may beam
down through the blue, their heavenly
radiance on the places that know them no
more foever. And from no source come
Aincerer wishes for joyous Thanksgiving
than from yonder happy spirits to the bu-
msu hearts that keep their memories
Will the approaching day be a sad ami
versary to those who have gone up higher
since the last2 o, no, but happier than
they ever spent on earth.