The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-11-29
Thanks lVing.

Thanksgiving as home day, day
for the rallying of kith and kin, the
merriment Of children, the closer
gathering around board and 6residc
of the dear ones, from the grandpar-
ents to the fodder just taking uncer-
tain steps across the nursery floor,
has Of late years fallen somewhat
into dcsuetude, at least in New \ DIRK.
For was there not the annual game
of football, when two great colleges
were pitted against each other i'll the
field, with all the world looking OH,
and did not this great contest
abridge the. hour devoted to worship
in the morning, and sadly encroach
on the hour set apart to the sacred
duty Of dinner and to social pleas
ure?
Everybody. yonng and old, rushed
to the place where the game was to
be held. Grave clergymcn, fair mat
rons, and stirring men of business,
office boys, the rich and the poor, JOS
tied and elbowed one another in the
GOOD -humored but frantic rush which
taxed street railways and elevated
roads to their utmost capacity, and
set our island city and its suburbs
throbbing with a wild excitement.
AS for the girls, they wore the
blue or the orange, as it happened,
with devoted loyalty, and Haunted
their colors as of old the lady her
knights favor. TWAS thrilling and
picturesque, and beautiful pageant,
the whole of it, but it spoiled Thanks
giving as a domestic holiday, and so
we are glad that the game is pushed
little forward, and the dear old
fashioned American gala-day is to
come to its own again.
In what penury, what hardship,
what sense of exile, what darkness OF
bereavement, what dependence upon
the Divine hand and gratitude for its
bounty, were the earliest Thanks
givings kept! The story of the Ply
mouth colony can never be too often
recalled by Americans. For uncom-
planning fortitude, for sturdy endur-
ance, for strength that knew no fall
tering, for splendid faith and un,
daunted heroism, that story has no
equal on the page of history. Many
delicate women died in those first
wears, but we never read that they
weakened in courage while they lived.
Theirs was the underlying might of
purpose which had its root i'll prlncl-
ples; and whoever may celebrate the
Pilgrim Fathers, women should for
ever keep green the memory OF the
heroic Pilgrim Mothers.
We like to think of the groups
which assembled at those Puritan
dinner tables in those far. away days.
The harvests were rcapcd; the
churches and the school-houses were
built; the children were brought up
in The fear of God. In the cold meet
ing house on the top of the nearest
hill there had been 9 long service,
prayers, psalms, sermons, all OF 2
generous prodigality of time to which
we in our religions services OF today
are strangers. Then came the ny
bending, the lavish dinner, the frolic
of the little ones, the talk beside the
fire, when the parents drew upon the
"reminiscences of fair England, OF OF
Holland by the sea.
Many a trothplight was spoken In
the twilight Of Thanksgiving day
Youths and maidens then, as youths
and maidens still, met and fell in
love. The beautiful story which
never grows old was told by the ar
dent sutton to the blushipg girl jn tht the
Puritan home, as in our household
yet.
"Long was the good mans sermon,
But it seemed not so to me.
For he spake of Ruth the beautiful,
And then thought Of thee =
After all, the world changes little
| in essentials as time passes. The
girl will wear her blue or her orange
few days later this year, but on
THANKSGIVING day, as on all days, her
Hover will find his sunshine in her
eyes, and her favor will be his high
est incentive to. manlipess and nobili-
ty.
And that other love, stronger and
more hallowed than any on earth, the
love of the sons for the mother, will
make our land moving camp for
the days which antedate the Joyous
holiday. From Maine to California,
| from theAtlantic to the Pacific coast,
travellers will hasten, g iourneying
night and day to keep Thanksgiving
under the old roof-tree Beyond all
other Joy in life is the JOY Of these
home reunions. and while they exert
their tender influence. and hearts are
Eswayed by loyalty to what was learn
led ID childhood, in sweet and simple
homes, so long will the prayer be an
Eswered, aGod save the Common
wealth! '-Ha,Yer's Basar.