The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-25
Thanksgiving.


Thanksgiving was invented, let's see, 80 years
ago, l626--yes, that is close enough. 1t seems
that in those days our Pilgrim Parents had been
grievously deceived. This land didn't flow with
milk and honey as much as their imagnations
and the stories OF travellers had led them to he
>, leve. Indeed, there was neither milk nor honey
| They had come over to Plymouth rock for "con
science sake" and that Goods blessings on this
pitiful land might not be msapplied by the hea
then who knew Him not" They found heaps OF
liberty but precious little BLESSINGS" hence a
not over exuberant state OF feeling among them
In fact they nearly starved. Finally the pun
kins" ripened the wooden nutmeg crop was
fairly in; every home stood on foundation OF
dried Goldfish, and all were happy. Then there
was inaugurated Thanksgiving, on which day
the chief business of the people was eating
When mans belly is full he is very apt to be
high.strung and arrogant to his neighbors; so il
happened, in later days, that the good old Lib.
erty ok Conscience Seekers, the Free.Speech
Lovers, varied the monotony of the day by an
after dinner fiogging of a Papist or aChurchman
for presuming to think Christmas bigger day
than Fourth a.Ju- Thanksgiving" or cowhiding
a Dutchman for presuming to step across the
line with his wares or for presuming TO object
because a"Yanokie" encroached upon his do
minions with his red ribbons and glass beads, and
all the other truck of an Indian peddler. This
was the general method of giving thanks in those
days. If we give thanks now, it is presumable
We have very much improved the style, at least.
The daynow is more honored in the breach
than the observance" In the old days, our
Puritan fathers had fierce struggle for exis-
tence and if they escaped death from one years
end to another and if their crops failed not or if
they increased in wealth, it was matter to them
worthy Of true praise to God, and they gave it.
Besides, they had no other holidays. The Christ
mas feast and the Easter festival, celebrating the
birth and the resurrection of our Saviour, and
other Holydays of the church, were to them
Popish mummeres, to be abhorred; so they
crowded all their feasts and fasts into day of
Thanksgiving. 1t became the day of the year
the day when the wanderers returned, the fani-
lies united, day dear to the hearts of all through
many generations. Much of this character re.
mains; but the day, instead of being day Of
praise to God, has become one Of notorious in
diligence, day for eating ald drinking, The
praise Vi UOu 10 HOW lllc VI INC GUN +,
the prayers not to be forgetful of His merces,
petitions to the god of good victuals that the
head waiter stumble not and the songs of praise,
choruses inspired by the richness of the cellar
or the fldelity of the wine merchant
A few pious souls will 90 to church next
Thursday, however, and return hearty thanks to
Heaven for its mercies and bounties, and con-
tribute of their abundance for the aid of the
starving and the destitute; the majority will not.
The morning hours will be spent in the business
houses, in the billiard saloons, at the ub,-the
women will sweat over the roasting fowl and
worry over the salads, the escoloped oysters, the
cranberry sauce and the mince pies. At four
will be the big dinner-at which all will eat and
drink three times what they ought to and go to
bed miserable to writhe in nightmare through
the night-getting up in the morning sour and
cross, cursing themselves and every one else.
In Ottawa, Union Services will be held at the
Congregational Church, Rev. r. L. Colwcll
preaching the sermon.
1t is unnecessary to state that all the saloons
will be open at the same time, and those who
want TO play fifteen ball pool or billiards will go
early!