The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-12-13
BILL ARP IS
Glad that He and His Friends Are
Out of Jail-Thunks2ivinS Day Was
Fixed by u Woman, Who Got all the
States to Unite TOpcther.

Glau mat lie n HIS trlenuS Are
Fixed by a Woman, Who Got all the
States to Unite Together.
Thanksgiving Day is q good institu-
ton. 1t is one that all civilized peo-
pie can observe with pleasure and
gratitude, whether they be saints or
sinners, Jews or Gentiles. That is if
they have got the turkey or its equi-
valent. If we haven't got anything
good, we ought to be thankful for what
we haven't got-thankful that we are
out of jailNthankful that it is as we'll
with us us what it is" as the old-time
preacher always prays. Some folks
don't believe in Christmas. Some
don't observe Easter but all a unite
on Thanksgiving for on that day the
good and the tRoughtful will honor
their Creator and the others will honor
acknowledgements as Paul
said to the Philippians in the Sd chap
ter and 10Th verse. These last have
an idea that they are entitled to a
turkey because they have worked for
it or deserve it on the Little Jack
Honor principle. They are thankful
to themselves only.
| was Illuminating about Thanksgiv-
ing Day. 1t is an old institution in
England, and was observed in this
country before the revolutionary war
of 1776. But when independence was
declared, our rebellious forefather
quit it just because it vas English you
know. Just like we rebels down
| South quit the 4th of July for q good
while after the late war for we felt
like the yankees had stolen it from us.
like they did everything else. 1t took
us twelve years to get fairly back into
the union. and then we began to honor
the old flag and to shoot guns and ire
crackers ON the 18th of July. History
says that Il preacher by the name of
EbeneZer Pemberton, read the Kings
proclamation for Thanksgiving, in his
pulpit in Boston, just before the van
began, and it made those Bunker Hill
yankees so mad they left the church,
for they said there was nothing to be
thankful for. There was no more
Thanksgiving Day until General Wash
ington was chosen President in 1889
On the last Thursday in November OF
that year, the first national Thanks
giving was observed. That was just
l04 years ago today. Washington had
to send out his proclamation by mail tt
the thirteen States, and it had to be
started out about the first of October
so as to get down to Georgia and up tC
Massachusetts in time. Washington
was u good man as well as u great mar
and he continued the annual Thanks
giving days for the eight years OF his
service, but why they ceased to be
proclaimed or observed after his deatl
| cannot find out. But it seems thai
there werc no more national Thanks
giving days until November. 1864
when Mr.. Lincoln proclaimed one,
which was right and proper, consider
ing what a time he had had in subdu
ing us rebels. Mr.. Lincoln was g
thankful man by nature and | have nc
doubt he ate grateful his share Of that
turkey with IL grateful heart. 1t was
right mean in us to worry the old mar
so, but we couldn't help it.
1t is wonderful what great things q
woman can do. One women has fixed
our national Thanksgiving and gotter
all the States to unite with the nation
in establishing n day for all. That
woman laborcd for twenty long years
to accomplish the desire of her heart
She wrote letters to the President anC
to the governors and cntrcatcd them
in such beautiful, earnest language
that they finally gave heed to her re.
quest u so ever since the close Ol
the late war the day has been 0bserv.
ed. know that lady and SO did thous'
ands and thousands Of our people;
generation that has almost passed
away, for almost every household took
Goedy's Lady's Book before the var anG
everybody loved and admired Mrs.
Sarah j. Hale, who was its editress