The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-11-26
THANKSGIVING DAY.

THANKSGIVING DAY.
This has been Thanksgiving to be truly
thankful for. It was an ideal day for a
winter holiday. Every one was astir and
filled with anticipation an hour before the
gray dawn peeped in through the barred
windows. None knew what the day would
bring forth except that the time honored
custom of serving turkey would be OBJ
served. After the usual morning routine
the guards aroused suspicion of what was
coming by going from cell to cell telling the
boys to wear their heavy coats to chapel.
At a few minutes before nine O'Clock the
bars were thrown and we took up line of
march for the chapel. Gathered about the
organ were Mrs. Gish. Mrs. Armstrong
and the members of the choir. Warden
Garvin. Chaplain Albert and Hon. Jared
Benson occupied seats upon the platform.
The exercises were opened by the choir
with the Golden Anthem. IA Nation Re-
jOices." Chaplain Albert read that wonder
full One Hundred and Forty Seventh psalm.
He then gave thanks to the Almighty in
prayer. A quartet then sang Will L.
Thompson's moonlight Will Come Again. +"
Chaplain Albert arose and said that he was
sorry to announce that the gentleman who
was to have entertained us had failed to put
in an appearance. also that he was sorry for
the boys and himself, too. that he had been
called upon to take the vacant place. How
ever, Notwithstanding his apologies, he
made one of the most concise and interest
ing speeches ever delivered in our chapel on
a holiday occasion. We give below only a
synopsis:
Some of you, at least know the origin of our
national Thanksgiving Day. Away back in the
very earliest days of colonial history there came
time when those venturous pioneers were about to
perish for want of food. Misfortune had assailed
them from all sides, they had divided the last bit
of food, and where the next was to come from
they knew not. They appointed fast day which
to be devoted to supplicating the Lord for de-
lverance. On that very day came ship into the
harbor ladened with provisions. Thus the day was
turned into one of rejoicing and Thanksgiving.
Thiswas the origin of Thanksgiving. But it
was not established regular holiday until
many years later 1t was Abraham Lincoln that
established our national holiday of Thanksgiving.
1t was in 1862 that we for the first time observed
Thanksgiving as a national holiday. But the GUS
tom Of thanksgiving did not originate with us.
The Jews had their thanksgiving days. The an
cient heathens had their days for offering thanks
to their gods. So thanksgiving is about old as
the human race. We as a people have good
many things of the past to be thankful for. But
we never before had so much to be grateful for as
we have this present year. While almost every
other country earth is suffering from scarcity
of the necessaries of life we are blessed with a
superabundance. We have advanced in every re-
spect that makes people strong free and happy.
So say. never before had we SO many reasons to
be thankful on this Thanksgiving Day of 1891.
The chaplain's speech met with the
hearty applause it so truly deserved.
Warden Garvin then arose and after COM
plimenting the chaplain, said that there
were few things to be thankful for which
the chaplain had neglected to observe. lie
said: 1--WE ought to be thankful that we
are all accounted for to day. (This asser-
ton may not seem quite appropriate, but it
is right if we'll considered.) We ought TO be
thankful that there is not man in the hos
pital who will be unable to eat his Thu nkS-
giving dinner, that there is no one in the
solitary. We should be thankful that but
two have died since last Thanksgiving"
The warden then said as there were not
speakers present to talk to us longer, aud as
there were good many who had not in
spected the new shop, we would. after
singing "Auld Lang Syne." adjourn to
that building where we could talk for our