Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-23
THE FESTAL DAY IN STORY
Thanksgiving Gradually Approaching a
World Wide Holiday.
CELEBRATIONS BOOKED FOR THURSDAY
Picturesque Features of Past Observ-
anees-How the Country Has
Grown since Thanksgiving
Of Half q Century Ago.

Copyright. 1902, by George q. Graham.)
This Thanksgiving will be such a ma
tional holiday as never was previsioned by
builders Of empire from the days Of the
Assyrian Sargons to the followers Of Ma
p~oleon's star OF world-conquest.
The flags that salute It will salute the
sun in its course. Great Britain's boast
Of The drumbeat that circles the world
will be equalled by the record of the Amer
ican holiday; and II will be greater than
any one country's holiday that ever was
celebrated, in that It will be observed, in
| at least a semi-oficlal manner, in foreign
palaces-even the palace Of the ruler of an
empire. the Lord Of Kedleston, viceroy
Of Brisish India.
Being purely a day OF thanksgiving, en-
tirely free from references to victories
over other nations. the American day OF
Thanksgiving is a holiday Of a kind that
appeals to all humanity.
1t is essentially a home day, and is
observed with deep sentiment by all Amer
leans in foreign countries. So while tact
may prevent the noble families Of England
whose women are American from celebrat-
ing such days as the Fourth Of July too
demonstratively, there is every incentive
to celebrate Thanksgiving thoroughly. And
a day OF celebration in a manor house of
England means a feast day for the country
side.
From the stately and splendid govern
ment house in Calcutta, where the vtceroy
again of1ciates in splendor that recalls
the old days Of the British East India
company, to matched huts in the Island
Of Guam: from latitude is south OF equator
to latitude 20 north OF the Arctic circle, and
on fully one-half Of all the degrees Of
longitude, Americas Thanksgiving will be
observed.
Mohammedan sultans and pagan kings in
the East India archipelago; painted war
| chiefs OF painted savages in islands washed
by the China and Celebes seas; yellow men
in Polynesia; jewellers on the sides Of
| burning Mauna Loa; men lying half clothed
under dropping palms on hot equatorial
lands. and men dressed In furs. gathering
around solitary frozen trading posts and
military stations in the Arctic world, will
| join in good cheer with &c, 1000, 900 persons
at home" between the two oceans.
The National Day I'm India.
Mary Victoria Letter OF Chicago. ruling,
as the wife OF George Curzon, over a court
which is second to none in the world"
according to Sir Roper Lethbridge, can
have Rajahs in jeweled turbans, warriors
on war elephants. troopers and foot SOL
diers from more than 500 feudatory states,
descendants Of the most ancient of eastern
rulers and Of the bluest-blooded families
| Of old England. to help her celebrate the
great feast day properly.
When the Curzons arrived In India, al
though the occasion was a purely British
affair, the American flag was as prominent
everywhere in Bombay and in Calcutta as
was the English flag itself. And since
then Lady Curzon by winning all hearts
for herself has won them also for her
country across the seas.
Thus the Thanksgiving that will be cele-
brated by the American residents In the
city Of palaces along the banks Of the
river Hooghly will be more than a mere
celebration by an American colony" II
will cast a holiday light over a good part
OF the Indian empire.
In the Philippines many Americans will
celebrate their Thanksgiving in a manner
that will duplicate the old Thanksgiving
days OF the early settlers in New England.
Like the old Puritans, who attended divine
service with guns in their gasp, ready
for Indian attacks. Americans in the Phil
ippines will celebrate with rifles in their
hands. But there will be no snow in their