The Portland daily press., 1881-12-05

Thanksgiving in the Mountains.

NORTH CONWAY
Mr.. EDITOR: -Thanksgivin for every earth
ly blessing, happiness and enjoyment is always
in season, whether amid the storms and chill
ing blasts of Winter or in the brightest days OF
gentle Spring time, or through the many gold
en- gifts of glorious Summer-days that are full
of life, of hope, and fond anticipations, when
every human heart is touched with keener
sense OF that divine love that sends its bless
ings to the children of the poor as well as
those of the rich, when the humble dwellers Of
the Hills make glad and light with grateful
hearts their own New England homes, and
from their own surroundings, among the
charms of country life, within their native
halls, make vale and mountains, ring with
Welcome home," 'sBe it ever so humble
there's no place like home."
But m any, alas! very many the changes that
have taken place in this time-honored festival.
The Thanksgiving Days of our grandmothers''
have nearly gone out of fashion, days for
which we longed--and almost counted-which
seemed almost an are from one till another
slowly rolled round. We remember them all,
bright, joyous, and full of tenderest memories
The dear old form of Grandmother Osgood in
her SnOW-Wnlt0 fu1Ubu cap, WIN rosy CHEEKS
and dark, bright eyes! How she always hailed
Thanksgiving morn, and made the day o
world of happiness and enjoyment to all
around her, when aunts Hitty, Polly, Nabby,
Sally and uncles Sam, Jim and Lewis were
there together with more than half a
hundred of us cousins around the festive
boards. Alasl most of them are gone, and
strangers dwell in eur childhood homes
there the loved and loving no more may come
as in days of yore; though all that is beautiful,
all that is fair in the beauties of Nature, still
dwelleth there, tits our home no more" But
while the silyery voices of the loving and the
loved are to day silent in the grave" while
all the remembrances of dear departed days
we'll up from the fountains of our heart we
would again twine one more wreath in memory
of them all, add one more eforget-me-not," and
again thank God for giving us such noble ex-
amples of Christian love. of genuine deeds.
and withal true Christian charity, the greatest
Heaven-born gift to the world. In connection
with the subject upon which we have touched. 1t
may not be out OF place TO speak of Row
we passed our tbanksgiving-we we were
among those who were fortunate enough to sit
down to one OF those real genuine old Thanks
giving dinners under that old time hospitable
roof-tbe McMillan'e-a name that needs no
introduction TO Portland people, for it was as
familiar in the past as "Uncle John" is popular
and widespread to-day. Suffice it to say
what he don't know about setting princey
table every day, Thanksgiving not excepted)
Mrs. Mcmillan and Miss Jennie do.
We are very glad to learn that 'Uncle
John" will keep his house open through the
winter for the accommodation of all who
would like to view these grand old mountains
at this season. We would therefore suggest
that it would be very fine to make up select
parties to pass Sunday, take sleigh ride
and have good time generally. The
Portland & Ogdensburg road would doubtless
issue tickets for such parties for one fare the
round trip.
We will not allow this occasion to pass with
out extending in behalf of ourself and others,
| our thanks, first to "Uncle john and family
| and also to conductor "Hazen Osgood' and
| family, for their generous hospitality IN max
| ing us both glad and grateful in two glorious,
we'll cooked, old fashioned Thanksgiving din
ners. May their shadowsinever be less, and
| may they live to enjoy many more like them,
and their years be crowned with Heaven S
richest blessings to themselves and their chill
dren II would seem that after so much of
| good things one might be satisfied but how
could we resist the extreme politeness of DR..
j. A. Sweat of an-invitation to the ball at
| Brownfield on Friday night? We didn't do it,
but went right down with a delegation from
| North Conway and Fryeburg, were driven di-
| rectly to the Doctors fine residence, made
| comfortable and happy over an old fashioned
| wood fire, sat down again to the third Thanks
| giving dinner. or rather supper. Oh Phebusl
| what shall we say? as the Dutchman would
| say 1t was "Pig ting. Yes, the flavor of
| that roast pig "haunts me STILL" most
dainty supper was served, and all, after days OF
stuffing "eat well' but could not rise to ex-
| plain. The ball at the Town House was grand
success, and again places us all under obliga-
lions to our popular young NJ. d. whose perse.
verance and enterprise, assisted by the village
lads and lassies made everything complete.
| There were present some fifty couples, the
larger part being scholars of only this term
They danced finely for beginners and we don't
| wonder that Gee felt a little proud of them