St. Paul daily globe., 1892-11-21
/ | HANKsoIylNo Day. Day

vest CLEANED and garnered, the barns
batten ed and stocked with provender,
the cellars stored with the winters pro-
vision, the larders filled, the houses
banked and snug, and the unconscious
barnya rd swell fattened for the slaugh-
ter-it is a time well chosen for glad
ness. rejoicing and thanksgiving with
young and old.
The modes of its celebration are as
varied as the celebrants are numerous,
and manv of the methods are striking
departures from the spirit of the day.
The picture Of the ideal Thanksgiving
is a pleasant and should be familiar
one, and its contemplation is fruitful OF
beneficial suggestion.
There is Rob, the roSy-cheeked school
boy, who has been these many frosty
mornings anxiOusly watching the ponds.
and testing with his toes the margin or
the icy skim upon their surfaces, which
al first melted al touch, but grew firm
er and stronger day by day, until, though
bending under him. it bears his weight
al last. lie furnishes up his SKATES,
polishes and Sharpens their runners,
DIS the gearing and lays them ready 10
his hand against the morrow. lie hoteS
gleefulIy the predictions Of cold wave
in the weather tables, untrOubled by
supply of coal. He observes with crit
ical eye the ample preparations for the
feast going on in the kitchen, and forth
with establishes peculiar dietary syS-
TEN for himself, consisting OF UNUSUAL
moderation in his eating, with the
avoWed purpose of "leaving plenty of
room for tomUrrer" He does not hest
tate to impart sundry suggestions to the
cook concerning lots o sugar in them
cramberries, " and "'nutf sage III the
dressing" and quarts o. sauce Tor the
plum pudden, an have it big un," un-
til he is admoniShed by batter-smeared
mixing ladle IN the hands OF the pest
cred Martha to get along 18th you, you
to yer stummlck?' when lie departs
with laugh, well knowing that Martha
is only ''funnin'" in her simulated
anger, and will bear his injunctions in
mind.
There is Rob's grandpapa sitting
costly by the fire in the living room. Il
hale, hearty old gentleman Of heavy
build and swelling paunch, which latter
the boy often enVies, as his own smaller
capacity fails to answer the measure OF
desire. Grandpapa reads. and laughs,
and shakes his head from time to tine
over his pipe and appears to be very
well satisfied will himself and the rest
of the world as he sits there smoking
and arranging the current OF his AFTER
dinner story, SO as to have all snip
shape and smooth when the time comes
to tell it. He has a reputation to main
tain among the young people, who re-
gard him, one and ALL as more remarka-
bly, gifted with narrative powers than
any story writer of ancient or modern
times, and who are Of an unremOVable
and unanimous opinion that If he would
turn TO authorship he could make the
best book that was ever written" And
to be sure, grandpapa almost always has
in his story Prince Charming to inter
est blushing young Edith, or a wonder !
fully bright and lucky boy, rich in tops !
and balls and skates and SiX-bladed !
knives. to entertain Rob himself, or a /
most loYable little lady. with most ele- |
gantly dressed and equally lOvable doll, |
to delight the heart OF blue-eyed little !
Lou, the five-year-Old "baby." And
then, too, he has an astonishing cOllec- |
tiOn of the very best songs imaginable |
to wind up with, and which are believed |
to be entirely of his own composition, |
and which he sings in hearty, tuneful |
voice, with an accompaniment of facial
expression and manual geSticulatlon |
that is the very acme OF pantOmime.
And there is ROb'S grandmamma, be-
sides, tn assist mamma, her daughter
in-laW, in decorating the rooms with
eVergreenS brought from the neighbOr- |
ing woods by Rob, VINO knows where to |
ind the buShieSt trees. and selects the |
branches with cones on them because
they festoon SO prettily, and the cones
hang like punches of grapes; and Rob |
informs lady parent and grandparent, |
as he brings the cuttings in, that there
is still the indefinite but highly salts
factory quantity OF "slathers more OF
'em out there" whereat grandmamma |
laughs, aud mamma fOrgets to repri-
mand him for his use OF slang, because !
it is Thanksgiving time, and she is very !
busy.
And then there is the neat and com |
Portable little church, with its walls and |
pillars decked in holiday garh, where
they all go to attend the morning Serv-
ice and listen to the Reverend Mr.. |
Friendly's Thanksgiving sermon, which |
grandmamma, who is very pious, thinks |
is rather short, and which Rob, who is !
anxious about the ice, and nervous |
about the effect of the mounting sun
upon it, thinks is "a deal too long"
And after the final prayer and dis
miSSal, there are neighbOrs and friends
to meet and greet pleasantly, and chat
with for half an hour or so; and the |
mammas ask kindly after each others
families, and solicitously after each |
measles and baby's whooping-cough.
and the like; and the papaS discuss |
markets and prices. and the prospective |
duration of the winter season, and the |
results of the late elections with refer |
ence to their general effect on business |
and the welfare of the country, and all |
III most courteous and sensible way,
very different from the methods of ar !
gument used by them amOnth ago, when
the electoral contest was at its height.
And while their elders are thus en-
gagged, the susceptible youths, less
prOsaic, gather about the pretty, blush
Ing maidens, and, having much to say, |
are unaccOuntably slow i'll saying it,
until they pair and wander off in |
couples, out of earShot, when their /
silent shyness gives place to earnest |
speech, which is rewarded with answer |
ing animation Oh the part of their fair /!
companions.
After a time, good-byes are inter |
changed, hands shaken, the whispering !
lovers part with promises to meet again |
at evening merry-maklngS, and all turn
homeWard to enjoy with tranquil minds, |
clear consciences and eager appetites, |
The feast allotted for the day. But Rob |
has long since vanished, leaving at the |
earliest moment, with "come on, fell |
Prs!" summoned his mates, and they |
have all rushed off to the skating resort |
with a shout and hurrah, and are now |
bnsily engaged in cutting figure eights" |
and "grapevines" and doing the Dutch |
roll forwards and backwards" j." and eX-l
ecuting other artistic movements OH the |
smooth and CLASSY surface OF the ice.
The dinner hour is latened in recog-
milton of the general freedom from busi- |
ness cares and the abundant leisure at
command, and it is not Rob alone-Who
has returned - that now nurses the
pleasure of anticipation and awaits
with easy patience the summons to the
table. When it comes, and they go to
take their places in the dining room,
what gratifying sight greets their
eyes! Here are no courses going to and
fro at empty, uninvitIng, boards, but
groanlng tables spread in wondrous