Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-11-27
by Edward winslow, dated December

by Edward Winslow, dated December
IL, 1921:
''You shall understand that, in this lit
tie time that a few of US have been here,
we have built seven dwelling-houses and
four for the use OF the plantation and have
made prepare ton for divers others.
I'VE set the last spring some 20 acres of
Indian corn, and soWed some six acres
of barley and pease; and according to the
manner of the Indians we MANFRED our
ground with herrings, or rather shads,
which we have in great abundance, and
take with great ease at our doors. Our
corn did prove well; and God be praised,
we had good increase of Indian corn,
and our barley Indifferent good, but our
pease not worth the gathering, for we
feared they were too late sown. They
came up very late and blossomed; but
the sun parched them in the blossom.
our harvest being gotten in, the gov
ernor sent four men on fowling, so that
we might, after special manner, re-
Jolce together after we had gathered the
fruit of our labors. They four in one
day killed as much fowl as, with a little
help besides. served the company almost
a week. At which time, amongst other
recreatlons, We exercised our arms, many
of the Indians coming amongst us, and
among the rest their greatest king, Mas
sasoyt with some 80 men, whom for three
days We entertained and Toasted; and they
went out and killed five deer, which they
brought to the plantation, and bestowed
others. And although it be not always
plentifyl as it was at this time with US,
yet by the goodness of God We are so far
from want, that we often wish you part
ners of our plenty"
We believe that first Thanksgiving
scene was one worthy the painters
brush, one worthy handing down to
admiring posterity. That little band
of white folk on the stern New Eng
Iy savages partaking of the au-
tumnaI bounty. We should like to
have looked upon the demure maid
ems and sober wives passing amongst
them the smoking platters, heaped
high with golden Indian corn and the
flesh the hunters had brought in
from the chase. Venison and fowl
appeared to have been the chief
dishes at that first Thanksgiving
feast. 1t would not be out of the
way, trust, to suppose the fowl was
wild turkey.
The old Plymouth laws further re-
fer to Thanksgiving and its observ-
ance, thus: SIT is enacted that none
shall prsume to attend servill works
or labour or attend any sports on
such days as shall be appointed by the
Court by humiliation by fasting and
prayer or for publicl1e Thanksgiving
on penalty of five shillings."
A penalty of five shillings if one
failed to observe Thanksgiving Day!
Those old Puritans were about as in
tolerant as the masters they had fed,
it would seem, in matters both secu-
lar and spiritual. But, come to think
of it, all matters were to them, in the
final analysis, of spiritual concern.
If everybody was forced to be thank
full, willy nilIy, it was because the
old Fathers thought every one ought
to be thankful. And, to-day, though
no fine is imposed if we neglect to
keep the day, still we feel somewhat
churlish if we do not lay down ac-
customed toll, betake ourselves to
Divine service, and later to the feast
ing that for so many, many years
has followed the religious rites.
What a contrast their Puritan
Thanksgiving and ours of to-day.
The Priscillas, with their demure
faces looking out from the encircling
hoods, walking sedately to meeting
beside the erect, dignified John
Aldens. No gay, roistering, chrys.
anthemum and streamer- bedecked
girls and men jostling each other
on the way to the football game. No,
life was very serious business then.
and holidays were observed seriously,
pleasures taken sadly.
For two centuries Thanksgiving
Day was a popularity of the Eastern
States. Now, that the great middle west
and west are peopled by men and wom-
en- of eastern extraction, and now when
the south has outlived much of the
old reluctance toward the adoption of
anything with the Puritan mark on
it, we find we have indeed a national
Thanksgiving Day, much and wide
loved holiday. In 1901, from Alaska
to our wee possessions in the South
Seas, from the Bay of Fundy to Ma
Mia, Thanksgiving bells will call
American citizens to places of wor-
ship, and Thanksgiving dinner gongs
will call them to feasts of good cheer.
Men of divers races and divers col
ors will take part in our great Har-
vest Festival, whose first observance
dates back almost 300 years.