Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-25
THANKSGIVING.
How IL Was Observed Here Yes.
terday.

The old Puritan holiday, first estab-
lished by the early settlers away back
in 1923, three years after the Plymouth
Rock landing, has become national
affair, and was yesterday generally OBJ
served from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and from the gulf to the northern
confhes Of the United States.
Here the custom had many thou
sands of observers. Any one who
cared to know how the day would be
spent, had only to drop into the places
where edibles we're sold on Wednes-
day evening. The game dealers had
their hands full making up packages
of oysters, celery, venison, ducks, tur-
keys, end the many good things that
go to toward a bill Of fare liked by
epicures or good livers. The market
was we'll supplied with an extended
variety Of fresh game and oysters, and
prices we're not excessive, hence a
good dinner yesterday did not cost
much more than it has in former
years,
In addition to the extra spread at
private residences, which, as before
remarked, was general, public houses
had in many instances an extra repast.
Where ordinary lunches are usually
set, hot oyster soup and sliced turkey
with oyster dressing and a hot potato
was served, while hot drinks, cheer
and conviviality ruled in all circles.
Though the doors of store houses
were generally open, no business Of
importance transpired, and but few
people strolled the highways except
folks in neater attire than usual, and
the most Of these seemed to be out for
exercise and to make calls on friends.
During the afternoon working people
enjoyed rest. Many attended the
exercises at the skating rink, the the
ater had its share Of amusement seek
ers, private residences gave dances and
merry makings, and all in all the day
was of pleasure to everybody. 1t was
especially so to the middle and
poorer classes of the people, who,
by the way, enjoy feast day
far more than those who arc hampered
with a bounteous supply, and have
only dainty appetites to nibble over it.
Even the poorer classes, whose purses
are stinted SO that frugality is matter
Of necessity, enjoyed their turkey
dinner, and INDUCED in these merri-
ments usual on this feast day, at least
SO far as heard.
Numerous people took trips out of
town. Some went on hunting tours to
Nonconnah bottom and elsewhere,
others left by steamer for up or down
the river, and still others passed the
day in the quietude Of their family
circles, before a comfortable fire. The
day was unusually raw and wintry, the
thermometer lowering about the
freezing point even through the
warmest hours, and part of the time a
dozen degrees below it.
Services were held at various
churches, and the religious ceremonies
were generally suited to the occasion.
All we're well attended and the devO-
tional exercises were reminders of the
happiness we have and the debt Of
gratitude we owe to the Almighty for
it. No event occurred to throw a
cloud upon the festival as far as has
been heard.
1t may be well to men
ton that the first general
Thanksgiving Day ever proclaimed was
1O4 years ago, when Washington at
Valley Forge issued call upon his
army and its friends to join in giving
thanks to, and asking the blessings Of
the Great Giver of all good. The first
national thanksgiving was proclaimed
also by Washington in 1889. While
the festival has lost some of the vigors
of its earlier history, it is now almost
universal throughout our broad land