The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-26
The Day Given Up BY All Glasses to Whole
some Enjoyment and to Appropriate
Observance of the Occasion
The Church Services Very Largely At
tended by the Earnestly GRATEFUL
Manv Happy Events Furnish Enjoyment for
All Glasses in the Evening-Ihe Observ-
ance of the Day in the State.
GENERAL OBSERVANCE OF THE DAY.

How the People OF tbs City Enjoyed Them
selves I'm Various Ways.
general observance of Thanksgiving festiv
tiles has been of slow growth outside the New
England home. When the setting apart of day
for this purpose depended Governors proc
lRmatons a response, if any at ALL came from
isolated localities, while others and the larger
number, went about daily affairs as if there was
NO need of additional holidays. and particularly
one that called for religious observance Then
Christmas. New Years and the Fourth of July
were considered sufficient; but Thanksgiving as
a national feature came in with the civil war
and has remained 10 distribute cheer, and max
ing community the better for it. Little by lit
tie the Western people are giving to it its right
full character of home festival. The South,
too is dropping its horror of THANKSGIVING as
Puritan institution, in gradually adjusting its
to the days domestic delights, and it
will rot be many years before the observance of
the festival will be uniform throughout the land.
1t is pot so long ago that it thought IN
necessary even to limit the day to school holt
day Then, if 1t had any religious significance,
it was sure to come from some congregation and
minister who held pleasant traditions of its OBJ
servance in the church gatherings Of New Eng
land. Now the Western Thanksgiving is, in
fact essentially religious. The services are con-
Quoted after the time honored plan of hymns of
praise, prayers of thankfulness and sermons i'm
pressing human dependence on the bounty of
the Giver of all good. In WAS in accordance
with this that larger congregations than usual
we're seen in several Indianapolis churches
Here, as elsewhere union services popular,
the churches of each denomination uniting
This. too. came in with Thanksgiving when it
began to grow i'll national Importance. But
holiday observers not all church goers; yet
there has never beer day of the kind when so
many people joined in observing it suited
them hest. The city had the air of Sunday
quietress, for but little business was DONE
while the factories at rest. Along the
streets there was no sign of shopping, nothing
but evidences of purpose to enjoy whatever the
day afforded in feastlng and social pleasures.
Thanksgiving dinners abounded as they have
never before. Many poor family had its tnr-
key, celery and pumpkin pies. There was dis
trihution of Inquiries in fulfllmeIt of the boun-
tful year, for this falls markets, in variety and
quality. were never eqnaled. Prices ran so low
that those who acquire especial flavor from
meats and delicacies account of their cost
were, for once. forced to share with those whose
means are limited. Game of all kinds came
der this class, for the quail, and other kindred
Injuries of the season, had but little advantage,
IN polnt OF price. over Darnydra FOWL announcer
tseasirg feature CT the day is the rapidly widen
ING custom of giving turkeys and their Thanks
giving accessories as membranes of the time.
Il partakes largelWof Christmas generosity that
includes friends, employees and dependents
dealer who, on Wednesday, had barrel after bar
rel Of turkeys, the average weight of the fowls
be ng from twelve to fourteen pounds,
said: 81 have sold as many as
you see here and will sell many after
these are disposed Of Turkey this year is
cheaper than meat The great THANKSGIVING
bird. while his numbers increase also gains in
as whole. 1t is now rated by the pound,
fact that induces breeders to pay more attention
to the quality of the poultry they throw upon
the market ALI charitable and reformatory in
situations emoered their charges in spread
ing before them the delicacies of the time, while
the traveller. the bachelor without invitation and
the hap-hazard guest found the hotel tables rich
with the markets abundance.
1t noticeable that while the churches in
the morning had large congregations, the theater
Watinees and other places of amusement did not
snjoy their usual holiday patronage. The do
mrstie feature Of Thanksgiving seems to have in
this dropping of grown apace. Custonarily
there has been more less public tpsiness
but wherever men congregated the aroma of
fresh drink was absent Perhaps it was because
the bars rgidly closed. and probably too
because extreme conviy:aiity III public places is
being and mor6 frowned upon. As an
evidence of the absence o. drink from the days
festivities, what tray eler in one of the hotels
said will go a great ways: This is peculiar
town. | wanted nip. and werS from hotel to
hotel. and bar to bar and could get none for
lore or money" In the larger bars billiard
uted placards along the counter and sideboard
informed the thirsty. This bar is closed until
Friday morning" The day was one of whole
some enjoyment