Daily Republican., 1882-11-29
THANKSGIVING DAY.
SOMETHING ABOUT ITS ORIGIN
AND HOW THE DAY HAS BE-
COME a NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

ri
| -SA$
The recurrence of Thanksgiving u
doubt brings to many minds days ths
have long since passed, some Of whic
when tinted with the roSea . hues {
youth, were happier than those of tha
manhood to which they then looked fol
ward with SO many Joyous antioipa
tions, but which alas they have sine
found 10 be like the apples OF the DeaC
sea, that cIumble to the touch.
There are very few who can loOl
back upon childhood's days withou
rousing flood Of happy memories, AM
no doubt to day, in this great land ther
are thousands of poor weary hearts
who after n retrospect view turn from
the fanCies to the realities of life, ant
repeat the words learned years ago il
their school days:
when was young and very gay.
Oh how love0 Thanksgiving day."
SS.%,Thcre are some hearts to whom holi
days s seem like milestones on life's jour
ney, aud their annual occurrence re
calls to them scenes ofjoy mingled will
those of sorrow.
1t may prove interesting to-day, on
the eve of another Thanksgiving, to Civ,
a brief view of the origin of tho obser'
vance Of the day and some other tactl
concerning it. The setting apart of a
fday in this country for the purpose o
returning thanks 10 the Creator ant
great giver Of all good, originated a
mong the Puritans in 1921 in Massachu
setts, and for many years was only
observed in the New England States
The originators were no doubt insDi
red by a feeling of deep gratitude to tile
Creator for the many mercies vOuchsaf.
ed to them, and with the sole intention
of devoting one day in the year for thf
special purpose of returning thanks, the
festival was originated. The custom il
ether countries Of setting aside specifies
| days for thanksgiving is very ancient
and it is on record that the goodly citi.
zens of Leydon, Holland, celebrated
October s, 1876, the anniversary Of the
deliveranCe of their city from siege.
The pilgrims, afGeI they landed at
Plymouth Rock, in 1920, suffered a
year of terrible hardships, which was
brought to an end in 1921 by plenti.
full crop of corn that gladdened theiI
hearts. Governor Bradford, in the
primitive style of the day, issued 9
thanksgiving proclamation, the story
of which is thus told in an old history
of the colony:
"In due time the harvest was gather,
ed. They had good increase of In.
dian corn; their barley was inditferently
good, but their pease that came up vel
and blosIomed hopefully were not worth
gathering. Meanwhile their harbor
was beginning to show how successful
the wild ducks had been with their
broods, and now began to come in good.
ly store of waterfowl, and besides wa
terfowl there was great store Of wild
turkeys and venison in the woods. "
Winslow tells how that the governor
"sent four men out a-fowling with guns,
80 Wo might rejoice, after a special
manner, together after we had gathered
in the fruits of our labor. They four,
10 one day, killed as much fowl, as
with little help beside, served the
company almost week. Then came
Chief Massasoit with thirty of his tribe
and brought to US five deers, and were
by us feasted for three days"
There is no record as tOa the cuisine
10 Lro5e days, but it was probably ex-
treueiy primitive, while the table
trimmings undoubtedly lacked those
modern accessories to the enjoyment of
the noble American bird-Cranberry
sauce and celery. Two years later the
colony nearly starved to death, but in
the fall of 1923 q we'll laden vessel
came to its relief, and again the gov
ernor ordered day of thanksgiving.
10 1882 there was another hard year
and another thanksgiving to commem-
crate the arrival of provisions from Ire
land that came just in time to preserve
the little colony. In those days thanks
givings were ordained, apparently,
only on special OCCASIONS, and Celebra-
tions were held in 1861, 1868, 1850, 1859
and 1890. 1t is believed that the Gus
tom became an annual one, 80 far as
Plymouth was concerned, as early as
1850, although the records fail TO men.
tiOn the thanksgiving days between
1850 and 1859.
Massachusetts was for many years
the only State that observed the day,
Lhen it was taken up by the other New
England States, and New York and
Pennsylvania in short time also join
ed in its observance. Within the past
twenty years other states have adopted
it, until now it is looked upon az q Ma
tional holiday, and the President of the
United States yearly issues his procla-
calling upon the people of this
land co remember the day, and return
thanks to God for the blessings that
have been bestowed upon them during
the year.
The day is far from being observed as
q religious festival but Is generally y
spent rejoicing in the good things of
this life, and ther6 is no doubt but there
will be thousands of people to morrow
throughout the length and breadth of
this land whose mouths will be much
fuller of turkey and minCe pie than
their hearts are of thanks. The church
es will be open aud numbers will at
tend who will repeat the orthodox
prayers and listen to the thanksgiving |
discourses aud soon as the benediction |
is pronounced hurry to thOir homes eat
to repletion and spend the rest of the
evening with an attack of indigestion.
The day will as usual be observed in |
this city as a. holiday, and special ser
vices will be held In almost all the
churches. The banks and pablic schools
will be closed, and the pOst-otfice will
only be open until 9 O'Clock in the
Il
Excursion tickets will he sold to all
points on the Pennsylvania and Will
ningJon g. Northern Railroads, to af-
ford an opportunity to those who wish
20 spend the day with frisnds living at !
\ distance.
The steamers FELTON, and Wilmington
will leave their wharves at 646 in the
morning for Philadelphia, returning at
O'Clock in the afternoon. Both these
,oats are well heated, and passengers
Jan travel on them with as much com
ort as by any other conveyance.
The Guards Of DUPONT Post, No. 2,
will hold q grand tournament at the
Scheutzen Park, and valuable prizes
ire offered for the best shots.
In the afternoon Annie Pixley will