St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-28
THAN KSGIVlNG DAY.
Recollsctlons Of the Festival in the
Early Times.

! Morris county, where was bOrB aud got my
! schooling, farmers who were In comfortable
Circumstances always sent 4 Thanksgiving
| day turkey-oGr Yankee fowl, "a We used 10
call ito the neighbor who could not afford
TO buy one. To DesIeet poor bat hoscsi
neighbor on that festival was in those good
/ old days almost an usp2rdoRsbe oafensc,
and the farmer who did Do offend was Cos
! Siped about.
GAN, Their Ans old custom was the collect
I ing Uf all tae members OF = family around
the homestead table On that cay, and mar
ried children came from distant towns 10
honor the event. Those family reunions are
the sweetest and greenest memories Of the
past cherished by me now when my feet are
turned toward the grave. How anxiously
father awaited the annual return OF a wan
dering .on, or the greeting Of married sun
| or daughter, and how fuSsy dear cid mother
was while browning the turkey and baking
the minee pies Although my eyes are dina
| with age, eaA SOC mother now bus,iin z
about the old farm house in her Asmespun
gown and high frillod Gap, while father, like
an uReasy spirit, Prstsnds he has business
|
But when the absent children arrived be w.s
the first to greet them, and mother ran like
! yosng girl 10 the gate to kIss and be kissed
and Rugged. II all the members a. .as
family were gathered absut the dinssr table
cur parents were very happy, and sss gossip
Of the year kept Us 1t the table for Ions
time.
but it was in the evening, whes We we're
all gathered in front OF the glowing logs IL
the huge fire place, that the real family re-
union took place. Apples and cider. pHmp-
kin pie and hickory nuts were served, and
we ehatted about our childhood, who were
married and who died during ths year, and
how such and saeh girl was Tilted. Church
affairs made up great part Of the cen Vsrsa-
ton, and II the village pastor or his wife
called for a few minutes Tie family felt that
the celebration Of the day ras con- plete
Before going to our beds father always led in
prayer, asking God to preserve as ali in good
health and prosperity during the comm 2
twelve-month.
''Ons OF the best features of = Thanksgfv-
ing dinner was, to my mind" the old lady
went ON to say, ''the tsashiax Of the sons to
carve well the country folk said at once taat
his education had bsen neglected To carve
turkey nicely was considered = great ae-
complishnOnt, and a young man
who could carve so 20 TO give everybody at
table bit Of his or her favoritc piecs of the
turkey was sure 10 be popular. My father
used 10 say that no would be disgraeed il any
OF bis sons could not acqun himself abr
with the carving knife and fork II in Vited 10
preside at a dinner. NOWADAYS young men
are ignorant Of carving, and think it 10
shame for parents to bring children up in
such slpshod manner. Few people can az
ford to hire cook and carver, and even II
they car il looks mors sociabe and home
like to have the father Of the eldest son carve
the fowl and serve ths suests azd family A
few years ago was guest At = ThzAksSiv-
ing dinner az tho home of a wealshy citizen
who is proud Of bis skill in carving at table
On this occasion he had injured his right
hand, and hs therefore requested Young
man, relative OF tho family, 10 carve, for
ne would not permit servant to carve
Thanksgiving turkey. The young nan re-
luetaatly attsm pied to comply and he male
such a mess OF it that was sorry for him.
He splashed the turkey on the snowy table
cloth and spattered the silk dress of one of
the lady guests By over;urning the gravy
bowl. Then my son relieved him and served
everybody to their complete satisfaction.
Isn't it awkward thing for a young mar
RED man not 10 be able 10 carve for his
guestsi would be deeply mortified il a son
OF mine could not preside with credit at his
ow table. Ny feelings are those Of all
Americans, or Yankees, IL you please, of the
Old school, and am pleased to hear that our
best familios o. tn mid le-elass are rsviving
the old cuStoEi OF carving the Thar ksCiviug
turkey themselves. Let every American
father see 10 1t this Thanksgiving that the
good old Yankee fowl Is carved By himself or
one Of his sOas, if he has any. Mother WAS
prime hand At carving, and all OF US girls
had to learn TO do il. Every farmer was
proud Of tie mines and punpkis pies his
daughters made In the old times, and we all
had 10 learn bow to dress a turkey and stuff
it before we passed the school age
"a large number of people keep up the
old custom Of going to the old home for
their Thanksgiving dinner" the venerable
lady said, "snd am glad that
the practice ia becoming more general Ii
shows that the sons and daughters are not
spoiled altogether By the kmpta1Ons and
fri7olities Of city life, and that tho old folks
at home are remembered. BY All msap.. let
sons and daughters eoatinus the cid custom
aud teach their children to honor il BY a
stricter observance in the future. No nat
ter how good or great the nan or woman
may be, visit once year to their parents
Is beneficial. Ii gladdens the hearts Of tie
old folks and warns the hearts Of the shil-
dreh. Wa all know how happy gran dfafbsr
and grandma are 10 meet tasir children enes
Al least in the year, and tAUss who have b.
rents In the country should remember taat
the Than ksgs wing visit 10 an oasis in the old
peePls's lonely lives. II the parents are
dead, the surviving children should rather
at the home OF an unelo or aunt and spsnd
one day in recalling their childhood DAYS and
experiences. Men and women have often
told me that those visits did thom a world of
good, and that they alwsys retursed froz
such ThaH ksgiVing dinners with a resolve 10
lead better lives. l hope tAe Col will adyo-
cate the revival Of those good oil customs
whieh prevailed before the days of broken
banks and defaulting cashiers.
During tue past Eve years." the reuer-
abis lady continued, 1.-THE pracsies Of making
excursions 10 village taverns fer a Tsanks-
siviHg dinner hss grown In favor vita mes
and women whose parents are dead or live
tee far away 10 be easily reached. This Is
good thing IL lot carried too far, and ny
daughter said last Hight that she knew a
party OF sixteen young men and women whe
VIII go 70 Pine Brook Eext week. Another
large party have engaged stages to take
taem TO Madison, from which pl&ee they 20
to waysids tavern for dinner and a danes.
They are to pay only sevsnty-ays cents a
head for ths dinner
II look upon Christmas as the chflSren's
festival, and also a tias Of prayerfH jubI-
lee in honor OF tho Christ Man. Thanksgiy-
Ing day is above AL the festival Of tse homo
circle. when the hexrthstoHe is sacred 30 sous
and daughters, the parents, grandparents,