Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-25
Thanksgiving Day, 1897.

DOWN deep IN their neditS tAc SoiiS
and daughters of New England, at
least, realize in some degree that
Thanksgiving day is an occasion full
of significance to them; that It's
memories, the old associations 1t re-
calls. the sentiment inseparable FROM
it so long as they shall remember the
Thanksgiving of their childhood are
yet dear to them.
And this in spite Of the fact that the
present generation have decided they
don't care for preaching on this occa-
sion. But when these recollections
well up through the crust hardened by
experience they bring along sermon
or two though We be unconscious of it.
tire of; these pictures of pictures our
childish fancy painted of the past as
we'll as of the future. What a fascin-
ating background we used to find in
the scene of that first Thanksgiving
day when the bewildered Indian
first partook of Christian cookery par
excellence. We can recall the old
prints on which was portrayed the
solemnity even on that joyful occasion
of the little Puritans looking up with
awe to the stern faces of their fathers
and clutclling at the kirtles of their
demure mothers.
Wherever did the artist get the con-
ception of so much solemnity at such
joyous moment? Evidently he thought
the founders of Thanksgiving day were
thankful from sense Of duty rather
than because of joyfulness. Possibly
they We're. Were we to give thanks
for no more than those good people had
cur sense of duty would need to be
strong and active. And though we
may not like to think so that need
exists today just as much as it did
two hundred and seventy-six years
ago. Indeed we can get greater re-
ward from seeking out all the causes
for thanksgiving than could those
stern old ancestors for we have come
to require more of the sunshine of life
in order to thrive. Accordingly if we
overlook a single cause for giving
thanks we miss a great deal. If We
are growing to be a pleasure loving
people and neglect the pleasure in
helping others to pleasure, or fail TO
discover wherein the finest qualities Of
true enjoyment consist then we are
robbing ourselves to no purpose.
AS a people the jewellers in Maine
have abundant cause for Thanksgiving
this year. Our chief executive well
expresses it in his message when he
says: The present year has brought
to the people of Maine fair degree of
prosperity, and though the harvest has
been less bountiful than usual, we have
moved onward in liberty and peace.
We have been signally preserved from
great calamities and pestilence ana
have very much for which to be truly
thankful
1t is a fact that Maine has moved
onward throughout the stress and
storm of the past four years. We have
not as a State suffered the keenest
edge of business disaster, our conser-
vatism has served as check, our sum-
mer business has helped, money that
has flowed back to us from Western
channels of investment has tided over
enterprises that otherwise would have
rest of the country feel that the tide tc
better conditions has turned and we
are in that tide though the current
just at present may not be so strong
with us as with the wheat producers
of the West. We cannot escape the in
fuence Of returning prosperity if we
would. We can we'll be thankful we
suffered no more than we did from the
poor crops, that what we have we can
sell, that those who owe us are IN a
way to pay US, that prospects are
growing brighter every day, and not
least worthy of mention that most OF
US have enough to eat clothes to keep
us warm, and good health. Verify
Thanksgiving day, 1897, is one on
which to give thanks.
Captain Lowering should have had
his commission under Xerxes when the