Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-11-28

A Time When Members CT the
Family Circle Are Reunit d. hs
MuCh-SOueht Turkey.


land the beautiful custom rests upon us
like a benediction. From far and near
the members of the family circle who
have flown away from the home-nest
find their way back for Thanksgiving.
like carrier pigeons, bearing with them
tender thoughts and remembrance of the
loved ones who, with the poet, decided
that ITO stay at home IS best.
There is no law saying that Thanks
giving shall be observed, nor is there need
of any, for the law of custom has decided
the matter. and the President issues each
year Thanksgiving proclamation set
ting aside certain day III the latter part
of November for the general celebration.
The first public Thanksgiving day APP
pointed officially IN this country was ob-
served by the Puritans on October II,
1921 In ITS the chaplain Of Congress
recommended that "wednesday, Decem-
Der 80, be observed as Il day of public
thanksgiving and praise In llio the
first Tuesday IN May was SET ASIDE ana
in October. 1lI9, Congressman Root SuS-
gested that the day lee changed TO Thurs
day. December 9. But i'll 1872 Thursday,
November %, was chosen, and from that
time to the present the last Thursday III
November has been the day decided upon
for the great festival
George Washington issued the hrst
presidential proclamation for thanks
giving observance. 1t may not be gener-
ally known that Il woman WAS largely m
strumental in bringing about the annual
observance Of the day. but such is the
case Sarah JoseDha Buell. Hale Is the
name of the woman who advocated the
yearly Thanksgiving day; for seyeral
years previous to 1864 the custom had
fallen into disuse. Through the columns
of magazine she edited, Mrs. Hale
earnestly urged return to the annual
custom and President Lincoln ably sec,
onded her pleadings by issuing III lS64
another presidential proclamation for
general Thanksgiving day. Since then
the custom has not been changed, and II
bids fair to stay as 1t is TO the end OF
time.
And who would wish to change It:
What would we do without the great
family reunions. when the children,
grandchildren and perhaps the great
grandchildren come back to the dear old
home bringing happy memories of her
young days TO the silver-haired. serene
faced mother. as she clasps her children
and her children's children in her eager,
loving arms? 1t is hallowed day. and
old and young alike love its joyOusIess
and generous good cheer.
It is a good day to lay aside and forget
all differences and to keep III ones heart
only the tenderness and sunshine out OF
which the lips and eyes will make such
loving smiles and glances.
After father and mother, the oldest
grandchild and the newest baby, the next
most important Thanksgiving parsonage
is the turkey. He is a noble biped, and
shine at the festal Thanksgiving board.
it is most assuredly his end. The turkey
is the great American bird, and on
Thanksgiving days he outshines the lord
ly eagle in point of utility and as a sub
ject for discussion of the most absorb
in, ind of OF q t1r n
is buried i'll obscurity, but he himself IS
so resplendent that his ancestry may be
forgiven him, or rather the haziness of 1t
may be. Any bird SO thoroughly salts
factory and admirable as the turkey must
have had noble ancestry, and the proud
blood of some great and royal biped must,
perforce, flow gladly through his veins.
In the fore part Of the Sixteenth cen
fury the Old World had become ac
quainted with the charms of the New
World bird, and wherever he has been
introduced he has made favorable and
lasting impression. Who can imagine 4
Thanksgiving dinner without it's piece de
resistance being the turkey, stuffed with
cheStnuts, oysters truff1eS, and reveal
ing its noble proportions and golden
brown breast to the admiring gaze of the
assembled diners?
Can it be possible that the turkey Will
ever occupy a less lofty pinnacle than he
at present enjoys? Perish the thought.
Akin to our Thanksgiving day celebra-
ton is the green corn dance of the In
dian, which probably had it's origin hun
dredS of years ago. 1t falls due every
September and is observed with great
enthusiasm and picturesque savagery.
The event is commemorative Of the year
~ ripening of the corn and grain and all
the members of the tribe assemble at
given place, arrayed in the glories of
paint feathers, red blankets, beads. moe
casins and other similar adornments. But
alas! There Is no roast turkey! In its
place is boiling caldron of real dogl
SO saith tradition. at any rate. But to
return to civilization.
The exchange Of Thanksgiving souve-
Mrs is almost as universal now as that
of birthday and Christmas remembran-
ces, and really the occasion is eminently
fitting for such a custom. One always
enjoys the possession of pretty souvenirs,
fer many happy little memories cluster
summer rose. Thanksgiving souvenirs
should not be Ella borate, but appropriate
and suggestive of the merry occasion. All
kinds of cunning little bOnbon boxes are
now shown, decorated with tiny Gilt tur-
keys or silvered baby pigs, with tiny
candy apples in their innocent little
mouths. Small paper pumpkins, filled
with dainty bonbons, are also timely lit
tie souvenirs, and real Thanksgiving can
dies in the way of sugar turkeys, an ear
of ripe corn in cream paste, nuts and
pumpkins in chocolate and barley sugar
are especially appropriate decorations
Autumn leaves and flowers form beau
tiful adornpent for the dining room and
table. the halls and parlors, and only
the rich autumn colors Of red md rus
set, tan and gold and brown, should be
allowed to hold high revelry at the great
autumn carnival of the year.
1t IS happy custom now. for Thanks
giving evening to be filed up with mer-
~. informal games and Dances in which
old and young may both join with equal
propriety. Any of the games played dur
ing the holidays and on birthday and so
| cial occasions are perfectly suitable for
Thanksgiving night, and proverbs, buzz
storytelling, reading character in the
palm, fortune-telling, quotations. the
memory game and others Of a similar ma
ture will afford any amount Of fun and
pleasure to young and old.
A big. splendid. golden pumpkin, decl<ed
with vines about its base, makes a fine
ccnterpiece for a THANKSGIVING dinner
table. Or just the shell of the pumpkin