Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-10
Thanksgiving Day.
BY Anna Schell-Mason.

republican form of government exists,
than the spirit of appreciation and
thankfulness manifested in the celebra-
ton of Thanksgiving day, which car
ries US backward more than two CEN
turtles and a half-back to the first
struggling colony of stern and heroic
Pilgrims, who, amid surroundings
most unpropitious and with famine
lowering over their rude and cherries
dwellings, still found reason to be
thankful; and Governor Bradford is
sued the first Thanksgiving proclama-
ton. How we'll they builded they
knew not From that day till now sue
cessiye generations of devout, patriotic
and generous men and women have
gathered together from year to year
and, with hearts attune in praise and
thanks, rendered thankfulness to God
for his provident and protecting care
and bountiful blessings. How true it
is that
THE more we live, more brief appears
Our lifes succeeding stages.
A day to childhood seems a year
And years like passing ages"
To the young the twelve months
which have passed since last Thanks
giving seem a long time no doubt, but
to most of us it seems incredible that
a year has really slipped away in SO
brief a space. The SHOWS of winter
have melted spring has come and gone,
summers green has been transformed
into autumn's scarlet and gold, the
harvest has been gathered and now
Thanksgiving tells us that another
year is over. How paradoXical is the
Specification of the term a year, How
vast when we consider that each year
shortens very materially our life. How
insignificant in comparison with futur-
ity! A mere drop in the boundless
ocean Of eternity! Yet, it has been
ours, this year of life, with its oppor-
tunities, its joys and pleasures, There
has been sunshine in it, joys scattered
through it, trifling pleasures perhaps,
which we hardly priced as they passed,
but which after all, made no insignifi-
cant part of the sum Of our happiness.
True, there have been cloudy days,
sorrows and griefs, but let us not hold
them so closely to our eyes as to ex-
Guide the wealth Of blessing that has
been ours.
A saddening feature of all anniyer-
sary days is, I think, the vacant chair
in the hQme-circle. How keenly the
loss is felt on such days, as the family
and dear ones gather,
within our hearts what happy mem
cries well
The by-gone years return, with only
their
Remembered tenderness, and unaware
Of age, and change, the old-time love
retell
But while we feast, we cannot quite
dispel
Regret for lost ones whom we love so
we'll,
Yet why thus grieve? There is no
vacant chair
Within our hearts.
All! friends, does not this constant love
foretell
A future greeting for each last fare
well?
Even today we tread the Heavenly
stair
And now their Immortality we share,
If our beloved ones thus ever dwell
Within our hearts"
Then, too, anniversary days make us
retrospective. We are always thinking
and saying, where We were a year ago,
two years ago, ten years ago. Where
are the old friends-the old faces?
Such retrospection is pleasant if one
can feel that he has grown with the
years, grown spiritually and mentally,
has *'builded more stately mansions for
the soul and left the outgrown shell by
times unchanging sea-" has made life
sweeter and brighter for others, has
lived unselfshly, wisely and well.
'On the wintry storms Of life
Looking back,
On the folly and the strife
Looking back,
Loves that lost their charm and died;
Buds of hope that never bloomed,
| Friendships broken, trusts belied,
Dead ones sundered by the tomb;
| Sowing where we could not find
All! what tares we see behind
| Sorrows tears arise and blind,
Looking back.
| Is that all you can descry
| Looking back?
| Have you nothing left to show
From these years through which you
| trod?
Are you nearer to your God,
Nearer not by length Of way
But for progress day by day,
Are you better, can you say,
Looking back"
| Then the regrets and remorse which
come to US, over temptations which
were not resisted. We think how We
have been not quite true to ourselves
| not true to our ideals. The symetrica'
| character We had hoped and striven for
| has been if not quite broken. marred