St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-11-26
THANKSGIVING.

THANKSGIVING.
Robinson Crusoe, so the story goes,
when he had been on the desert island
a year or more began to "s"riOusly
consider his condition." and finally
stated every impartially, like debtor
and creditor" the comforts he enjoyed
against the miseries he suffered. He
was cast upon "A horrible, desolate
island but he was alive. He was
cradle; but he was singled out too
from all the ships crew, to be spared
from death. He was divided from
mankind, solitaire but he was not
starved and perishing. He had no
clothes but he was in hot climate,
where, if he had clothes, he could hard =
defense to resist any violence of man
or beast but he could see no man or
wild beast to hurt him. He had no
body to speak to but there was no
special need that he should speak to
anybody. Upon the whole he con-
Guided that there was scarcely any
condition in the world so miserable
but there was something mega
tive, or something positive, to be
thankful for in it, and that this might
stand as IA direction, from the expert
ence of Che most miserable of all con
ditions in this world, that we may al
WAYS find in it something to comfort
ourselves from, and to set, in the de
scriptiOn of good and evil on the credit
side of the account.
so Dcfoe's hero had quite a Thanks
giving day of it after all, despite his
surroundings. If a man on a desert
island could find SO much to put to
the credit side of the account, the
readers of the Caledonian ought to
make the hills of Vermont ring with
their thanksgivings tomorrow. We
all have measure of sorrow. Every
heart knows its own burden. The
mound that marks very small grave
often casts very long and a very
deep shadow. But let us on this
Thanksgiving day bury the sad
thoughts and the sorrows with the hap
Ply thoughts and the joys of the hour.
Let us try the worthy Crusoe's method
of keeping accounts.
The debtor side fills up easily and
quickly enough so we will lend a hand
not always or often that the people of
this country, and particularly of this
section of the country, have so many
good reasons for making this n genuine
Thanksgiving season, n season for Civ
ing thanks. As nation we have
been blessed both negatively and pos
itively in many ways the past year as
never before. We are at peace, while
from almost every section of the old
world comes the noise of waTlike prep
aratiOns and already the sounds of bat
tie reach us. The scOurge of pestilence
(which in other lands has claimed its
dead by thousands and filled the streets
with mourners," has been kept from
oar homes. Even the epidemic that
has ragged almost az our doors has been
saved a. though a bulwark had been
raised Co protect thl, special people.
.ad tuc command had gone forth, thus
-. shalt thou go aud uo farther.
W. have been blessed positively
This country has produced nearly >
obi, IAN. WO bushels of oats and Il ,OO,
UIu tons ct hay with other produce to
correspond in the past - months
blessed indeed iu basket aud in store. "
The recent copious rains hereabouts
have filled the springs aud prepared
the gtouud for the coming winter aud
spring a. II has not been prepared for
years, thus giving promise of a fruit
ful year To come.
From all the large business centres
come reports of business Improvement,
a slow bat healthy and hopeful revival
OF the industries of the land. The out
look ia every direction IL promising.
Let ~ reiegtte the pessimists TO the
back seats for this day and with thank
nh hearts To the giver of all good
things make il real Thanksgiving
day.
And, ia the words Of the president.
proclamation, ''let Us by no means for
get. while We give thanks and enjoy
the comforts which have crowned oui
lives that truly grateful hearts are in
ciined To deeds Of charity aud that q
Kind and thoughtful remembrance OI