The Evening critic., 1884-11-26
THE MONARCH OF THE FEAST.


Notes About the Festive Turkey.
Thanksgiving Day has rolled down upon US
once more, and that perennial Visitor that
comes with the frost-the turkey-has arrived,
clad In his rich, yellow ulster OF fat, massive
OF chest, prodigious In drumsticks, and laden
with those gibletory morsels that become him
so we'll. His phalanxes adorn the markets In
Whistlereequo symphony, and his robust form
swings complacently from the green-grocers'
meathooks, as though ho delighted in his
maityrdom for the glorious cause Of thanks
giving for good year and bounttful crops,
and considered himself the patron saint OF
tho feast. No groveling geese or obese ducks
can hope to vie with him. No huge roast or
reigned and Will always preside In state mt all
Thanksgiving dinners. With delicate tint OF
cracked brown, a asavory stufling Of onion, sage
and oysters, and garland OF artistic saus-
ogee, no is supreme.
There have been few turkeys In the market
up to this time. The demand for them this
week Will undoubtedly be so great that tho
country people have held them back, and the
poulterers have not been In hurry to buy
because OF the continued warm weather. The
cool change OF the pact few daye, however,
has precipitated the slaughter, and to-day the
markets will be crowded; and many Thanks
giving turkey Will be purchased early aud
dow, so that the flesh Will receive that last
esculent delicacy which the frost gives it.
The Thanksgiving turkey may range In size
n
little turkey is not tho best. 1t is usually an
old hen, and It's lesh Will be found strlngy
and tasteless. The big gobbler OF year Is
tho most sought after. Old turkeys eau be
told by the scaliness OF the skin around the
breast bone aud the sinewy wings and drum
sticks. Always get turkey that 10 yellow
and full around the breast and has great fatty
accumulations about the abdomen, inside
and out. A dollar and a-half or two dollars
Will buy beauty. Tho price now ranges, ac-
cording TO the size and plumpness, from fifteen
10 twenty cents Der DOuQO. but DOllterDr
will refuse good bid In bulk for q particular
fancy OF customer.
huckster said yesterday that almost oyery
housekeeper thought she could pick out good
fowls, bur, TO his certain knowledge, very few
Of them could. The near-sighted old lady who
poked them In the breast with her inquleitve
iorennger and smelt under their wings was
the very one TO be fooled. Ho also said that II
was almost impossible TO lay down any definite
whether 1t was six months or six years old,
even when tho head was left on. He thought
the biggest turkeys were the best, because
they were the fattest, from lazlness, and their
wild turkey has more gamy flavor, but for
tender Juiciness It does not compare 10 the
huge barnyard gobbler.
Thanksgiving I'm the Oiden Time.
The earliest Thanksgiving on record in the
Colony OF Massachusetts was held on tho 22d
OF February, 1851, under circumstances that
are recorded as follows In Youngs "Chroni.
cles:"
''But now as the winter came on, provisions
began TO be very scarce upon the grounds afore-
said, and the people.wero necessitated to live
upon clame,and musclee,and ground nuts, and
acorns, ana these got with much difficulty In
the winter.tlme. Upon which people were very
much tired and discouraged, especially when
they heard that the Governor himself had the
last batch OF bread In tae oven; and many
were the fears OF people,that Mr.. Poarce, who
was sent to Ireland 10 fetch provisions, was
caet away or taken by pirates. But God, who
delights 70 appear In greatest straits, did
work marvelously at this time; for before the
very day appointed TO seek the Lord by fast.
Ing and prayer, about the month OF February
or March, In comes Mr.. Pearce laden with pro-
visione. Upon which occasion the day OF fast
was changed, and ordered to be kept as a day
OF Thanksgiving; which provisions were by the
Governor distributed unto the people, pro-
portionable TO their necessities"
In the first book OF records under the "Jourt
OF Assistants" OF Massachusetts, under date OF
June o, 1852, It is recorded as follows: "rhis
court, taking into consideration tho great
mercy OF GOD vouchsated TO the Church OF God
pointed the 18th day OF this present month TO
be kept as day OF thanksgiving throughout
the several plantations"
In June, 1888, the court ordered as follows:
"The 10Th day OF this present month is ap.
poynted TO be kept as Il day OF publique
thanksgiving throughout the several planta
ti0ns."
The same year, october /, this is recorded: :
SIN regard OF tho many and extraordinary
mercies which the Lord hath been pleased to
youchsafe OF late to the plantation, the plenti-
full harvest, ehips safely arrived with persons
OF spetiall use and quantity, etc, 1t Is ordered
that Wednesday, the 10Th day OF tho present
month, shall be Kept as day OF publique
Thanksgiving throughout the several planta'
tions."
This was probably the first thanksgiving In
Massachusetts which had reference 10 the IN
gathering OF tho harvest. We ind no mention
OF any thanksgiving for the next three years.
In 1857, the court appointed the 18th OF tho
fourth month June 10 be observed as day
OF Thanksgiving in the several churches. In
1888, the record says: "Intimation 10 be given
10 tho elders OF our several churches OF the
desire OF the court to keep the last Tnursday
OF the eighth month [octoberl a day OF Thanks
giving for the safe.coming OF so many ships
this year, ana the seasonable weather In the
spring and now TO ripen the harvest"
In 1850 in was "ordered that the 2Sth day
OF this present month lNovemberl should be
kept day OF public Thanksgiving through the
churches. Those churches that have Kept a
day already are left TO their liberty"
The records OF the Colony show, between
1851 and 1856, twenty-nlno (or thirty ordort
| for Thanksgiving, several OF which were fol
specific, but most for general causes OF gratl
The following is tho frst proclamation for @
day OF Thanksgiving, copied from the New
| England Weekly journal or october 81, 172S
"By His Excellency
"WILLIAM BURNETT, Esq,
| "Captaln.General and Goyernor-in-Ohlef 10
and over HIS Malesty's Province OF Mas
sachuseits Bay, In New England
Proclamation for General Thanksgiving.
SIN consideration OF the many underseryed
| blessings which II hath pleased Almighty COL
| OF His great Goodness, 10 confer on us In tht
Course Of this year, more especially In Pre-
| serving tho Sacred Person OF Our Soyerelgt
| Lord tho KING, Our most Gracious QUEEN
the Royal Iesue, and the rest OF tho Roya
| Family, In giving Success to His Ma1estlei
| Councils, for continuing the PEACE OF Europe
| IN protecting the Government of this Province
| and In preserving to us Peace and the Enjoy
| ment OF Our most valuable Privileges, Olvi
| and Religious, In granting us so good Meas
| uro OF Health, and In giving us such plenti
| ful HARVEST and In making our Merchandise
| and Fishery 20 prosper, and defending then
| from tho Violence or merciless Pirates, VIII
| manifold other unmerited favors-All whict
iay us under tho deepest obligations OF Graft
iudo Obedience to our most Bountltul Bsno
factor.
| 81 have, therefore, thought at, with the ad
| vice OF His MaiestleB Council and at the Dc
| sire OF the Representatives In the present Ses
sion, TO Order and Appoint, that Thursday
| Observed as Day OF Public THANKSGIVING
throughout this Province. Earnestly Exhort
Ing both Ministers and People in their re
| spectlve Assemblies, 10 offer up thelr most Un
| feigned THANKS TO Our Most Gracious GOD
| the author OF all our Blessings, With tnelr Fer
| vent Prayers that we may Fear tho LORD ant
| His Goodness, md walk worthy OF Him. AnC
| Hl seryile Labor Is Forbidden ON tho Said Day
0Given at the Council Chamber IN Boston
tho 18TH day Of october, l72S, In the second
Year OF the Reign OF Our Sovereign, Lord
| GEORGE the Second, by the Grace OF GOD o
| Great Britain, France aud Ireland KING, De
fender OF the Faith, etc. W. BuRNErT.
| "By Command OF His EXcellency, the GOV
| ernor, with tho Advice Of HIS Malestie5
'GOD Save tho KING"
|