The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-25

on account OF the interest taken by the
Daughters of 1912 in the CONSTITUTION
Inc event took place in the Council
Chamber of the City Hall, the presenta-
ton being made by Major De witt Gin
ton.
The Civil War will have three scenes
and with these the entertainment viii
close. They viii be Going to the War
- "a P1cket Guard at the Front and
The Return of the Veterans"
The Washington parts in all +ba
scenes VIII be taken by William D. H.
Washington, a collateral descendant
of the Father of His Country" MT
washington bears a striking resen-
pIance to his distinguished relative and
mas often persOnated him in historical
tableaus.
The history of Thanksgivtns Dav
may well be retoId here, for it is not
SO very generally known. The earliest
THANKSGIVING proclamation printed ia
now IN the possession of the Nassacbr-
seLls historical Society, and bears the
date of 1871 Long before +bfs bo-,,-
ever, new England knew the lneaniue.
OIL thanksgiving, and the pumpkin pie
nad Deen discovered by inha bftants of
massachusetts, and Connecticut. 1,ran-
perry sauce is of less ancient origin. for
we ma no mention of it much before
the early part of this century.
Days set apart for Thanlzserfvi,,e, 7,-a7e
Known to the IsraeIites and are men
tIoheo throughout the Bible. They
We're common in England before the
reformation, and We're in frequent use
by PrOtestants afterward. especially in
the church of England, where they
We're a fixed custom long before 4ba-z
were in the colonies.
"Gyving God Thanks for safa sr,,-
val and Tor many other BLESSINGS was
hrst heard on New England shores
| from the lips of Popham colonfsts at
! MohheGan, IN the Thanksgiving, service
of the Church of England Tba f7re+
Thanksgiving week-not dawn PIv-
mouth was observed in December 1904
MS was week of feastine. Venison
was brought in by the Massasoft In
dams and dozens of wild turkeys "a h.
DTS and smaller game were slaugh-
tereu Tor the feast. The Indians were
IhVIted 10 JOIN the whites in the merry
making, IN invitation which xvas
promptly accepted. The records v,,aI-.
no mention of any special religious e,-
erclses during this week Of feastine.
IN J uiy' 1873, fast day of nine hours
OF prayer was observed by these same
coI2hlsts' Who were suffering from the
eHects of prolonged drought which
had scorchad their corn and st1Intad ne
De4u5. The rain which soon aftervvard
| fell they believed could not have coma
ton.
10 ~ pQUllC THANKSGIVING
! held II Boston by the Bay Colony. on
February %, 1870. This was an ex
preston of gratitude for the safe mr.
rival Of food-b bearing ships from Eng
land.
From then until about 1854 there
were About twenty-four Thanksgiving
days appointed in Massachusetts but
1t was not d regular biennial custom
In 1919, time of deep gloom IN both
Massachusetts and Connecticut on ac-
count of the many attacks from fierce
saVages, no days of thanksgiving were
celebrated.
Rhode islanders paid little heed to
the days set apart by the Massachusetts
authorities, and many of them were
punished for this lack Of conformity
Governor Andres caused William Yea
zie to be set in a pillory in the market
place at Boston for blowing on the
Thanksgiving Day of June Is. 1906.
In Connecticut the festival was not
regularly observed until 1716 The
earlier Thanksgiving Days were not al
ways set on Thursday, nor were they al
ways appointed for the same token Of
Gods beneficenCe. Days of thanks
giving were appointed in gratitude for
great political or military events, for
the safe arrival of persons of special
use and quality for the dissipation
of pirates" for the abatement of dis
ease, for victories over the Indians and
for plentiful harvests; the frequent ap-
pointments for the last cause finally
made autumn the customary time.
To the early Puritan Christmas smelt
to heaven of fdolatry, so when his own
festival, Thanksgiving, became an
nual, it took on many of the features
of the English Christmas. 1t was a day
devoted to family reunion, to feasting
and to the giving of presents Such
'superstitious meats as baron of beef
boars head and plum pudding were ex.
Guided, and turkey, Indian pudding and
pumpkin pie were eaten instead.
Washington issued a proclamation for
a general thanksgiving by the Cont
mental army, Thursday, December Is.
1911, and again at Valley Forge May
Z, 177S. A few days before the ad-
journment of Congress in September,
1859, Representative Elias BoudinOt
mo Jed in the House that the President
be requested to recommend a day of
thanksgiving and prayer to acknowl-
edgment of the many signal favors of
Almighty God. and especially His az
fording them an opportunity of estab-
fishing a constitution of government for
theit safety and happiness. Roger
Sherman, Of Connecticut, supported the
motion. AedGnus Burke, Of South Car
DINA, did not like this mimicking of
European customs" and Tucker, OF
Virginia, intimated that it might be as
well to wait FOR some experience OF the
efficiency of the constitution before re-
turning thanks for it. In spite of these
objections the motion was carried and
President Washington issued a procla-
nation, -ppointing as Thaaksgiyins
Day November %.
one mint of milk. 21a tablespoons