The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-26

vailing fashion and sent forth Thanksgiving
proclamations, which did not meet, however,
with the enthusiastic reception that might have
been expected. Even now, while the day meets
with due observance, its observance is far less
universal among the people and far leas hearty
than it il in the North and West
The turkey, however, without which Thanks
giving day would be but barren event. came
originally from the South. Not hint of the exist
ence OF this prince of fowls had the world ever
heard until the year 1854. when the ancient voy-
ayers dropped anchor Of Axacan, now In North
Carolina, then q part of what was called
virginia, and, making a landing one
beautiful day in midsummer, reported
that they hand seen deer and snow-white
cranes, and "the highest and reddest cedars in
the world" and q certain large bird which the
sastronomists of the world have since learned
TO worship under the name of the turkey.
century or so later IL found its way from vir-
GINA to the tables OF the epicures OF Europe
And thus, while Thanksgiving day may be
New England invention, and, as q national OBJ
seryance may have had its beginning in New
YORK, the noble turkey, its most glorious fea-
ture, was first discovered in the South. II was
Ignorance, rather than malice, it may be pre-
sumed, that made DR.. Samuel Johnson in his
dictionary define turkey "a large domestick
fowl supposed to be brought from Turkey"
II 'the fate of nations depends on how they
are led, the New Highlander on Thanksgiving
day has diet that should produce sturdy citi-
zens. as. indeed, none but sturdy digestions
could stand IL without danger Pumpkin,
mince and apple pies, and especially the huge
chicken pie, large roasts of beef ana roast
chickens, puddings, fruit and nuts, besides the
turkey-it was no feast for an effemin ate peo-
pie.
Indeed, IN all its Accomplishments Thanks
giving was a New England feast and the long
ha
preached his tremendously long sermon, was an
excellent whet to the New Englander's appetite.
1t has been Publication peculiar to that region
and initiated from IL ever since 1861, when the
governor of Plymouth colony "sent four men or
fowling. that so we might, after a special man.
ner, rejoice together" and when King Massasoit
and ninety friendly Indians participated in the
three days thanksgiving feast, themselves soon
tribIting i've deer, which they brought to the
plantation and bestowed on our governor, and
upon the captain miles Standish) and others u
This was the first of the Puritan Thanksgiv-
ings, and others followed irregularly but always
after the same fashion, in the ensuing years
1t was a com bnation of religious sentiment and
keen appetites and strong digestions which was
not characteristic of people who belonged to
less austere religious sects
Even now the New Highlander is not volun
tarily absent from his home when Thanksgiving
day arrives. or, being absent, celebrates it in
new England style. FROM washington City
hundreds go home to New England on that day,
and as far back as 1855 before the custom had
become truly national, it was estimated that no
less than 10000 people had returned TO New
England from New York to pass Thanksgiving
day. ut can never" says Mrs Martha J. Lamb,
ain its observance be TO the children of other
states and elimes just what it was and is to the
children of New England" and Charles Ledyard
Norton bemoans the sad fact that modern meth
DDS of cookery with coal, or Kerosene or gas, or
steam, cannot achieve such culinary triumphs
as did the New England housewife of former
DAYS with her wood fires and the intelligent
skill that ordered her domestic establishment
Perhaps not but the cooks of today are not
altogether contemplate, and the New England
dinner which has been adopted, with the neces
sary modern notifications, by the whole coun-
try as fit subject for American appetites upon
the last Thursday in November is still pleas
ant thing to look forward to. Beneath the
formal phrase of President Harrison's exultant
Thanksgiving proclamation there comes a mer-
rier sound-it is the ringing OF the dinner bell