Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-11-27
THANKSGIVING.
1T WILL BE OBSERVED HERE
GENERALLY.
GOOD THINGS IN TIE MARKET.
The Churches will Hold Special
Scrviccs...Thc Banks and Busi-
ness Houses Will be Closed.
The Poor.

In accordance with the good old
Puritan custom handed down from
the Plymouth fathers, President Har-
rison has by proclamation set apart
tomorrow as day OF national Thanks
giving, and Governor Lee following
the example of most of his predeces-
sors has supplemented the proclama-
tion of the president by one of lis
own.
Before the late civil war Thanks
giving day was but little regarded in
the South, where the people had
stated holidays of their own, much
more in accordance with their tastes
and inclination, but with the free
dom of the negro many of our Gus
toms have gradually changed,
and in nothing has this fact been
more completely exemplified than In
the general acceptance of Thanks
giving as day of happiness and
good cheer. While slavery was in
existence Christmas week was the
period of general rejoicing in the
South, aud by none was it as much
enjoyed as by the negroes themselves
Easter and Whitsuntide were also
special holidays in this section, and
hard hearted irdeed was the master
who would deny his slaves the full
enjoyment of those periods of rest and
happiness. Now, however, the colored
man has all the holidays he needs,
and, being his own master, he often
takes more than necessity demands
or his own happiness and welfare
requires.
Thanksgiving Day, coming at the
season it does, seems particularly
suited for mans needs for rest ana
pleasure. He finds the harvests all
gathered, the fruit for winter ready
for use and fowls fat and palitahle.
In this city the preparations for the
day have been on an unusually e1ten.
sive scale The stores are well filled
with everything good to eat, and
since Monday the city market has
been supplied with all the most
exacting epicure could demand.
Fresh meats. such as beef. mutton,
lamb, pork and veal, with long strings
of sausages. dressed chickens, ducks,
turkeys, fresh fish. oysters. eggs, celery,
apples, cranberries, nice butter;
white cabbage 70" slaw, and
all that Is needed to make
good dinner are displayed with
lavishness indicative of the abundance
which has blessed us generally as
nation and the people of this section
of Virginia in particular.
While the market has been well sup
piled with meats and fowls, hun
dreds of turkeys have been sold for
tomorrow by grocers and countrymen,
who at the appointed time will appear
with what they promised to swell the
list of good things for the Thanks
giving dinner.
In the midst OF this general rejoic-
ing the people will not forget the
poor. While the great majority OF
residents in Roanoke have prospered
there are many, who by sickness or
other misfortune, will not be able
unassisted to provide themselves with
even the necessities. There will be no
occasion, however, for any one to lack
good cheer tomorrow II but their
wants can be made known. lndG-
viduals, the churches and the benev-
client associations. with united effort,
will do all that can be done TO
give them happiness tom orrow. AT
the several churches, where Thanks
giving services will be held, special
collections will be taken.
At the Greene Memorial church
Rev. J. n. BOYD, the pastor, will
preach at II o'clock, and the role OF
baptism will also be administers at
tina place OF worship.
At the First Presbyterian church,
Rev. W. C. Campbell, pastor, Thanks
giving services will be held tomorrow
morning, beginning at II O'Clock,
when special sermon VIII be
preached.
At the Lee Street Methodist
church Rev. J. w. Hammersley, the
pastor, will hold Thanksgiving ser
vices, beginning at II o'clock in the
morning.
Services will be held at ST. Marks
Lutheran church at II in the morn
ing. The pastor, Rev.. E. Bushnell.
will preach the sermon. His subject
will be, Gratitude for national, local,
and personal blessings"
The Ladies Union Benevolent
society requests the pastors of the
city churhes to take up collection
on Thanksgiving day for the benevo-
lent work of the society, which has
already expended nearly S2nO for the
present year. The St. Marks Lutheran
church has already responded to the
general call. Contributions can be
handed to the treasurer, Mrs. j. L.
Smoot. y
All of the banks will be closed to.
morrow, and after 10 o'clock most OF
the stores and business place will shut
their doors also.