The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-28
A Nations Gratitude for a Year of
Peace and Plenty.
PRACTICAL BENEvOLENCE.
The Rich Blessed in Giving and the
Poor in Receiving.
A WIDESPREAD CELEBRATION.

aud merriment, thankfulness and feastng. iester-
day was no exception to what the past has been
what the future will be. The bright sunshine of q
November day ushered IN Thanksgiving morning
and the bamy autumn air waited on it's soft wings
to many listening ears and thankful hearts the
chimes of old Trinity announcing the Tabernacle
Feast of the Ingathering. In most of the Roman
Catholic churches there early mass as mt
preparation for the festivities of the day. The
Episcopal churches generally gave full choral
service having special reference to tho ma
tioual feast of plenty. In the Congregational,
Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist churches
where faith and repentance are preached on
Sundays, there was grateful DEPRESSION lncui-
eating the lessons taught by abundant harvests ana
returning prosperity But while the Ihanksgivlns
bells were Ginning from the church towers and tho
worshippne multitude bowling in the churches.
while the streets full of people in holiday attire
going hither and thither in search OF enjoyment.
while the great national holiday manifesting
itself in it's outward forms and observances there
was more prosaic background to the picture and
20 the cooks in the kitchen the labor and
preparaon that would make the feast perfect III the
dining hall.
AS was to be expected. Fifth avenue q living
panorama. Had the bright sunshine Of the morning
lasted throughout the day this fashionable thorough
faro would have been more gay; but in spite Of
the heavy, leaden clouds which enshrouded sun and
sky it was alive with youth and beauty. The young
men and the maidens. whether going to church to
pray the Park for stroll. whether going abroad
to dinner returning to dine at home, all
knew of no way to their destination
cept through Fifth From Fifty-ninth
street to Washington square the sidewalks
were lined with the multitude, and in the afternoon
tho street filed with vehicles on their way to
the drives and bouevards. Have you said turkey
yetY was the customary salutaton, and even in the
air there was q savory smell from the spit in the
kitchen which the emblematic bird was turning.
1t plain, to the olfactories, that feastng
was the principal business OF the day. and wherever
the curtains withdrawn sufficiently to reveal
glimpse of dining room table the celery tops and
the cruet stand spoke eloquently of the embrowned
and gravied bird. In some households there were
faint attempts at decoration, crimson leaves from
the woods setting for purple grapes and golden
pears and russell apples, and i'll many places the alb
sence OF Thanksgiving legends was felt real
want.
WHY NO THANKSGIVING SONGS?
'Wby can we not have Thanksgiving songs as
we'll as our Christmas carols?" question that
was asked more than once; and in household
full of spirit of the day the feast of plenty
supplemented by celebration of it's origin. There
postprandia speeches, it is true, but after
dessert disposed of the following ode sung
spired anthem
In sixteen hundred and twenty-one.
When the Pilgrims first years work was done
When the golden den, grain and the Indian corn
We're gathered and stored ganst tho winters wrath
Far into the woods. on iowling bent,
-Four good men Governor Bradford sent
"Let us have" he said, "n a special way
A joyous and merry festai day
A day when shall gather once year.
With fervent thanks and wonted cheer.
Both sire and son round the parent board
And Lei e., this day Of JOY and ress,
The fowlers through tho forests tricked
In their crimson robes, the flint locks clicked
The gobbler proud and the turkey hen.
The birds were put on the spit to roast.
For az who live and work and pray ,..,
We thank Thee for Thy bounty, Lord.
Who thus hast ble;. US with our hoard"
While round the board the Pilgrim band
In Joy gathered. hand in hand,
Chief Massasoit and all his tribe.
Ills now of years full thirteen score
Since thus our fathers blest their store;
The The blessings which our fathers sought
Rich harvests ripe with golden grain,
And fruits and turkeys slain.
j. % heard s on ans each Da0 Thank Day
The day probably more generally observed
yesterday than ever before In the columns of the
HERALD this morning will be found full picture OF
the celebration in the churches and in public
places; but. aside from the morning devotions and
afternoon sports of the people, the chief features Of
Thanksgiving bay indoors, consisting. as they
do family reunions and bountiful repasts. These
cannot outlined but it is safe to say that in
this great city, with its thousands OF sufferers in
many ways. nobody went hungry yesterday.
THOUSANDS PEAsTED.
On stroll through the public institutions the
peculiar nature of the day could be recognized at
glance-prsoners, keepers. employees all at rest and
nearly all wearing look of satisfaction by
customary. The inmates of the Charity Hospital,
the Island wero first attended to. In addition to tho
which usage and medical advice had assigned the
patients, all WHO strong enough had plentiful
rcpast OF chicken and in spite of their ailments it
all seemed to do it justice. At the
penItentiary and Ainshouse 1900 pounds OF
chicken were prepared Tor consumption, ana
not moraei was LETT. one thousand two
hundred pounds were disposed OF in the Workhousc
1900 III the Backweps Island and LOGO in the Wards
Island Lunatc lums. All the lesser institutions
supplied according to the number or their IN
mates, and NJ noon nearly twelve thousand people
to whom such luxuries rare indeed sat down and
rramIuod themselves with fowl at the public
pense. of course. every institution had peculiar
observances behtting the occasion. Religious SER
vices OF some kind held in all. and in
eral instances entertainments Of various kinds
given 10 while away the day. Although tho inmates
of these places ate their diet with relish it in
tho institutions for Juveniles that the keencst APP
probation OF the day aud the banquet mani
tested. The descent those immature consu made
upon the tables was most disastrous for their bur-
dens. They ate chicken aud gorgcd themselves with
pudding as though their hopes happiness de-
pended ON the absorption of these ed bcs; and then
went on TO play with mind untroublcd by any
thought of their riondless state and with
disposition toward the providers of the feast.
PRISONERS.
In the city prisons the occupants of cells awaiting
trial or serving brief terms OF punishment were
provided with holiday fare. There were u good
many mouths to MI, far more than usual. for the
municipal provisions of Thanksgiving Day quite
.sI.o and Ia fharts 80
the yagrant and the homeless at the prison doors
that occasion unknown ut other times. Year after
year the familiar faces OF the thanksgiving Day
Rcpcators" as they arc called. appear-men who
generally shun the police as they would Satan him.
golf but who on the day OF public prayer ana feast
ing Dcg commital at tho magistrates hands, that the
coveted square meal" may be- obtained.
Commissioners Cox aud brennan were In attend
ancc ut the Tombs, and Warden Fun supcrincnded
CHILLING TINT the Rnnd timing of tho day