The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-11-30
THANKSGIVING DAY

] 49,
Most Americans find u dlnirIlt G,
make Thanksgiving day seem real en-
tropical soil The historic settling ~
the day n snow and ice aud harsh No
vcmbcr gales. lis local hnbtntior a
lonely farmhouse half-smDthcred In
neecy drifts: iis keynotcs the sound OF
approaching slelghbells and the CHEEKY
notes OF hospitality and family reun-
lon at the door. In n million hooks and
corners there will be such sights and
sounds today How many there are
nmong us. far from New England
SHOWS who can conJure IN the scene.
The farmers fnmlly turned out early
this morning before darkness had loft
the sky and while the chill was keen
est, for there was much to do. From
far and near the scattered members of
the home circle were coming, with the
grandchildren 10 the old manse. Roar
ing fires must be built not only In the
kitchen stove but in the two base
burners and in the wood-consuminC
stoves upstairs. All the dreary house
must he warmed and coal and wood
enough brought In to keep up the heat
for the day. There are chores to do
before the hasty breakfast of ham and
eggs has been laid; cows to be MIXED
paths to he dug from the roadway to
the door outer drifts to be cut down;
and Sticking up" must be done by the
women folks" Much of the prepara-
ton for the coming feast had been car
red on the day before Then the TWEEN
tv-fve pound turkey. lordly gobbler Of
the flock. long fed on corn and beech
nuts, had been killed and hung Chick
ems for the inevitable pie had been
prepared; mince meat, redolent OF
spices and cider was chopped and put
in n jar; big potatoes were sorted out
for the oven; n white batch" of bread
was cleverly baked; red apples had
been chosen from the barrel and set in
the pantry near the stove: butternuts
were cracked and the best barrel OF
cider was lifted on saw-horses, ready
to have hot poker thrust through the
frozen part to let out the cod. concen-
trated Juices at the heart. So what
remains this morning is to cook the
meal and lay the table and receive the
ompany-enough though. in all con-
science, when 1t Is remembered that
dinner comes at noon. But all will be ,
well: the table will groan as of yore
with the best of good things and the
old father and mother and the maiden
daughter will be dressed in their fad
ed best when the married sons and
daughters reach the homestead. God
bless them all, and may good digestion
wait on appetite and health on both
There isn't much of that sort Of n
day here in the tropics. A
moist heat rises from the earth or per-
haps a summer rain makes the grasses
greener and foods the rice fields
plumy palms browse along the shore
where bathers plunge or fishermen cast
their nets: the mountain peaks rise
like ochered Islands in a lake of clouds:
the strange. foreign birds call harshly
to one another; when the sun shines
the perspiration starts and the appe-
lite fails: alien races trudge the streets
and lanes, unmindful of the meaning
" the day. But for the spirit OF those
who worship and for the turkey that
appears, whether it tastes like turkey
" not. Thanksgiving day would seem {
Instant and intangible indeed-a mere
ngment Of the calendar, the mere
memory OF good times far gone.