The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1884-12-13
INTERESTING HISTORY.


little village of Plymouth, in iss lie OF
three years, had grown from its original
number of one hundred and two persons,
/ who were divided into nineteen families
for the better distribution OF building lots,
to that of one hundred and eighty inhahi-
tants, who were now living in thirty
cabins.
On high hill could be seen the fort
built of wood, loan and stone. ON the
roof which we're mounted the guns 1t
was here that all the religious services
we're held, for not till twenty-five years
| later was the first Westinghouse built.
At short distance were the graves OF
those who had found The haIdships of
the new coun'r, too much for them. The
fair wa.ch-tower looked out upon the
town which compassed only about half a
mile.
In the plans for the government Of the
people, this autumn had seen the trial
by Jury of twelve honest men" become
an established Law. In the spring before,
the plan had been adopted for each man
to plant and cultivate his o~n corn. The
people had previously, but with some dis.
satisfaction, worked in common aud
shared all things. But now. in this
I
couragements, for all their victuals were
spent and they xere only to rest on Gods
providence, at night not many times
knowing where to have a bit of any
thing the next day, they had planted
twenty acres of corn and dressed it with
fish but the long. continued drought
threatened such great evil that, 10 July,
Governor Bradford appointed day OF
fasting and prayer that they might be
blessed with rain. The rain came
sbundantly, the crops were blessed and
the harvest was very plentiful. This
caused great reJolcings among the pt D.
Pile, which so warmed the heart of the
good governor that he determined to
have a good time in honor of 1t. SO,
after the gathering of all the harvest, he
sent out company into the woods TO pro-
cure all the game possible. In the mean
while, he sent for Massasoit the chief
of the Pokauoket tribe of Indians, which
inhabited the territory from Cape Cod to
Narraganse. Bay, to come with as many
Of his followers as possible and Join with
him and his in a general Teasing and
thanksgiving. Massasoit accepted the in
vitation and came with ninety of his fol-
lowers to the fes.al board. where was
cooked and ready to be eaten the game
which the party had been able to procure,
as well as all the good things which the
land could produce for them.
Ii is pleasant to fancy the little COM
pany OF men, women and children gath
cred together to entertain so Hospitality
this great s2chem, that FIST Thanks
giving Day in New England, in 1923
Governor Bradford, who had filled his
present Office for two years, was then
only thirty five years old. His wife had
died soon after the arrival of the Pilgrims
He had as yet no council, for it was not
till the following year that, at his request,
2 council of five was chosen, which was
afterwards increased to seven. So the
honor Of founding our Thanksgiving
Day rests solely upon his shoulders.
There was no consent of the council"
which has become so familiar to our ears
The mantle of Iohn Robinson
pastor in Leyden, who was still alive and
doing good work there-had fallen upon
Elder Brewster. Ever since their de-
parture from the old land he had been
the lay preacher to the little colony. AS
he had never been ordained, he had
always declined to administer the sacTa-
ments, much to the sorrow OF the people
but he always preached twice every Sab
bath, persistently declining TO take pay,
but choosing to work for his bread with
his own hands. He was at this time
nearly sixty-three years old, and, doubt
less, was present at these festivities,
which he opened with prayer, thus lead
ing their minds to the contemplation OF
higher things.
AS their music was limited TO few
tunes, and nearly all instruments were
banished, their musical expression must
have been peculiar to their own time and
place.
i 1t is probable that the children of the
good elder, Fear" Love" and
" Wrestling" were among the governors
guests that autumn day. 1t may be
necessary to say, in passing, that the first
two were of the feminine gender. History
gives NO mention that the last-named was
full and unique expression of the name
with which he was afflicted. Possibly
Mercy, Hope or Charity, a Prudence or
Thankful for those names were then
common. Miles Standish was, without
doubt, one of the party. He was then
thirty-nine years old. His wife has
dieo curing tnat nrst marc WINTER. ne
was the captain who fought their bl,ties
and wholly deserves the n anne then 81, en-
to him, of Stalwar, Standish He vas
proud of the name. Whether he would
feel proud to claim the stalwarts tf to-
day as his descendants, is a question for
the future historian 10 decide.
OF course, John Alden was on hand;
but he had not yet married Priscilla Null
Inns: for we read that it was in 1927, four
years later, that he went for her when,
on account of the absence OF horses, "he
covered his bull with broadclo,h and
rode on his back; when returned he
placed his wife there and led the bull by
his nose" A man capable of such dAr-
ing gallantry could certainly have added
much to Thanksgiving least.
Massasoit vas then about forty years