The Portland daily press., 1874-11-26
THANKSGIVING Dinners.

Before the present month closes, the usual
proclamations for the annual day of thanks
giving will doubtless be made. Public
schools, universities, and semlnaries will
hold a brief vacation; and thousands OF
working men will obtain short leave OF abb
sence to allow them to celebrate the day.
Public services will be held in many of the
few; but the most prominent feature of the
day will be the famous thanksgiving din
ner," in which the time-honored turkey will
play conspicuous part. The tables of the
rich with all the delicacies and tempting
viands which wealth can provide, and even
the poorest mans board will present some
thing more than its usual variety of fare.
We trust we shall not be accused of un-
fairness when we say that the dinner is the
main feature of the day; tor it has come to
be a very trite observation that very few in
deed of those who celebrate the day bestow a
moments thought upon the ostensible object
of its appointment. Indeed, the day par
takes much more of the character of holi-
day than of anything more serious. AS be-
fore remarked, the usual avOcations are sus-
pended, and considerable portion Of the
time is devoted to gustatory enjoyment, to
mere sensual qualification, and that, too, of
a morbid character. So-called luxuries, the
most pernicious of dietetic denominations, are
INDUCED to repletf6n and even engagement,
to say nothing of alcoholic libations, which
are not infrequent accompaniments. '
As q consequence, the day following thanks
giving usually finds the student going re-
iuctantly back to his studies, with clogged
liver and clouded brain. Study, which be-
fore was pleasure, is ,distasteful and ardu-
Gus. The labOrer drags himself back TO his
necessary toll with weakened energies and
unrefreshed muscles. The wealthy complain
of ennui and msalaise. But the greatest suf-
Nrers are the poor housewives. Ihey sufier
the same sources of evil as their husbands
and children, but they have rendered them
selves powerless to resist the causes Of disease
by many hours OF severe labor in the kitchen,
and over the heated stove, preparing rich
cakes and pastry, dyspepsia pies, and numer-
Gus other indigestible, though savory and pal
atable, yiands. Many a woman can trace
the origin of painful and chronic disorder
to overtaxation in the preparation OF a
Thanksgiving dinner" And many prom
ising youth has laid the foundation OF fata
tempting dainties which his fond mother
placed before him. just such cases have
come under our immediate observation.
| It must occur to our more thoughtful read
ers that manner of observing day appoint
| ed for rendering thanks to Providence tor hi
bountles and prosperity, which works sucf
results as these, must be in some degree OBJ
| jectionable. Indeed, may it not be fairly
questioned whether the common practice o
making the matter Of eating and drinking sc
| prominent part of the days doings, is moi
unwise and Inappropriate? Would it not bt
infinitely more fitting to the occasion to make
an intellectual feast, in which should be In
cluded comprehensive consideration OF the
| many tokens of providential care and pro
lection which should elicit the deepest graft
| itude to munifcent Creator? Why should
one of the baser faculties, a mere anima
sense, be called into exercise as an expires
sion Of gratitude, instead of the higher ant
nobler intellectual faculties. IL +. -s.....
| but the custom of thanksgiving dinners
has become to thoroughly established b.
long continuance that we cannot hope to un
settle it, even though such a measure nigh
be somewhat desirable. And we doubt no
that there are very few of the readers of th
Reformer who will not celebrate the day ii
the usual way. But we have one suggestion
to make which will certainly render the oil