Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-12-01
Washln9tun Standard
O1.S1IpIi. WASH.
fElDM EVENING, DECEMBER I, 1899.
Thanks giving .

Thanksgiving.
"Thanksgili IN" is not wholly an
American custom, as many have been
led To suppose, but dates back bcvond
the Christian era, to the days of Moses.
when the Hebrews were accustomed
t" celebrate plrntcous haryc>t> 10y pub
he festivals and acknowledgements.
From this, the custom OF celebrating
national and local events Lv festivals
became established at the earliest pc
RODS. The discovery OF the GUY
Fawkes plot to blow up the Houses of
Parliament in 1905, is one OF the mem.
orablc occasions that WAS made the
subject of national Thanksgiving.
Some are inclined to believe that the
custom IN the United States sprang
from the . Harvest Home" festival. an
annual feature OF popular acclaim in
Holland
However this may be, the origin of
Thanksgiving in this country is due to
the early settlers, the Pilgrim Fathers
OF New England The first Thanks
giving proclamation was issued, after
prolonged season OF suffering and
want, by Gov. William Bradford, the
third season after landing upon the
inhospitable shores of Massachusetts
bay of the Pilgrim Fathers. The fcs-
tival lasted several days, and it is re-
corded that the Indian chief Massasoit
and ninety of his braves participated,
the latter especially in the feast which
accompanied the religious exercises.
The ceremonies began on Thursday,
(probably the last in November) and
opened with prayer and singing of APP
propriate hymns. Then followed a
season of feasting, and the chronicles
state that the piece de resistance on
the festive board then was, as it is
now, that king-bird OF festive renowr,
the turkey gobbler! In the fall and
winter season New England was the
wild turkey habitat, and this circum-
stance afforded the pilgrims a means
OF ready supply OF that delicacy. 1t is
related that the menu consisted of
"roast turkey dressed with beech nuts,
venlson pastries, such as the Pilgrim
mothers knew so we'll how to make.
savory meat stews with dumplings Of
barley flour, clam chowder served in
enormous bowls, with sea biscuit float
ing on the surface, roasts of all kinds,
boiled fish, salads, cakes and plum
porridge," a bill OF fare that it would
be difficult to improve, in these DAYS
OF peace and plenty. The greatest day
OF the feast was the last Saturday.
History says, 1T was one of the love-
Hest days of the Indian summer, and
so mild was the weather that the good
Puritan danes were able to set their
tables in the open air." There, in the
forest, with no other covering than
the blue canopy of Heaven, closed one
OF the brightest THANKSGIVING feasts on
record.
During the Revolutionary war, Con-
gress repeatedly recommended the Set
ting apart of day to be devoted ex-
clusively to thanksgiving and prayer.
At the close of the war, upon the adop-
ton of the Constitution, and at other
periods in the early history of the ma
ion, public thanksgiving were rec
commended and celebrated. 1t is a
notable fact that Thursday was the
day invariably selected by the New
England Governors and the precedent
has been universally adopted through
out the country. From New England
the custom extended into the Middle
and Western States and finally into
the Southern States. It was not until
after the so-called Civil war to sup.
press rebellion OF the South that the
National Executive appointed days of
thanksgiving, and the precedent thus
established has been carried down to
the present time.
Thanksgiving day is now generally
celebrated by union services of the
Protestant churches, and since 1883
by recitation of prayers for the State
and Nation in those of the Roman
Catholic faith. In the homes of citi.
zens, without respect to religion, faith
or church utilization, it is made day
OF merriment and feasting and gener-
ally as period OF family reunion.
SOLDIERS HoMEs.-In reply to a
query as to the locations of the SOL
diers' Homes, under control and direc.
ton OF the general government, we
state that the United States Home
for soldiers is situated in the District
OF Columbia, and is under control of