Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-11-08

with religious services.
In June, 1882, Governor Winthrop,
of the Massachusetts, Bay colony. re.
commended day of thanksgiving on
account of the action Of the British
privy council, favorable to the colonies,
and invited the Governor Of the Ply.
mouth colony to unite with him.
Old records show the official ap.
pointment of days of thanksgiving in
Massachusetts Bay in 1888, 1875, 1857
1888 and 1889, sometimes of more
than one day ia the same year. In
Plymouth we find mention of them in
1851 and 1868; in 1850 the form oil
the recommendation indicates that il
had become an annual custom. Dur
ing the Revolution, Thanksgiving Day
was national Institution, being an
nually recommended by Congress; but
after the general thanksgiving for
peace in 1884, there was no national
appointment until 1889, when Presi-
dent Washington, by request of Con-
gress, recommended day of thanks.
giving for the adoption of the consti-
tuition. Irregular proclamations OF
thanksgiving followed, notably in 1895
for the suppression of insurrection,
ane in April, 1915, under President
Madison, day of thanksgiving for
peace was appointed. The Official re-
commentator of this day was mainly
confined to New England, where an
nual proclamations were issued by the
Governors of the various States, and
where the day was the principal social
and home festival Of the year, observs
ed almost universally with religion
services.
During the war Lincoln issued pro
clamations appointing special thanks
giving for victory in 1865 and 1863,
and national proclamation of annual
thanksgiving in 1863 and 1864. Since
that time such proclamation has been
issued annually by the President as
we'll as by the Governors OF the States
and Mayors of the principal cities.
The prayer book of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, ratified in 1880, re-
commends for a day of thanksgiving
the first Thursday in November, unless
another day be appointed by the civil
authorities. In an old diary of my
grandmother, of blessed memory,
written in quaint old fashioned and
girllsh hand, is made mention of one
of these memorable feasts of ye olden
time, which may give you some idea
of the bounty of thanksgiving table
of long ago. The date is 1895.
On an enormous platter at each end
OF the table lay a glorious. golden
brow turkey, fiat on its back. There
were two luscious hams, boiled in cider
without doubr, and festooned with
graceful overshadowing box; two
tender sirloins of beef, an immense
venison pasty, golden salmon, sausages
garnished with fried apples, and
pumpkin and plum pudding, with
satellites of fruit tarts. Then, too,
there were home made pickles and
preserves, and branded fruits, and
apple butter. This latter is, | think,
lost art, although I used to eat it in
perfection at the house of this same
grandmother, something more than a
quarter of century ago.
Dinners were not served in courses
in those days--at least not in country
places--but surely dining tables have
grown less wide, for I know of none
to day that could hold such display,
except my own, which is more than a
century old. Have not appetites, too,
grown less? Where could now be
found the assembly that could so much
as taste of all the good things that
were heartily partaken of in my grand
mothers day?-7able Talk.