The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13

telt the necessity of home Eoyernment something more than a century ago an act or congress created the Territory of Alisslsslppi, extending to the Chattahoo- che River. There was a Governor. some county boundaries were established and the beginning of a civil government s,;- perceded the rude and pioneer methods or the first settIerss The work of State building had advanced another step. but It could not stop there: The Territory thus formed was too large and unwieldy to continue. A country bounded on one side by the Mississippi River and on the other by the Chattahoochee could only exist as one domain while the settlers were few, and the time soon came when division was inevitable. The second war with Great Britain, which included serious troubles with the various tribes of Indians still in our borders, came to 2 close. and with peace came an impetus which brought white settlers in fiocks, and soon the next step was taken.
 By. act of March 3. 1917, the division of the unwieldy domain was accomplished, and the Territory of Alabama found a place on the map; We had our own Gov ernor and Legislature, our own courts and officers and began our existence as separate Territory. Even this, however, could not last. The country was settling rapidly and it was found that another step must be taken, and 1t trod almost on the heels of the last. Congress, on March 2, 1Sl9 authorized the inhabitants of the Territory of Alabama to hold Conven- ton for the purpose of forming State Constitution. That Convention, composed of the best men of the Territory, whose names prove them to have been well fitted for their work met in Huntsville and did their duty well and faithfully. Their work was accepted and the Joint Resolu- ton of Congress admitting Alabama as sovereign State of the Union, was signed by President James Monroe. December IA, 1S19. The toga virilis. the manly robe" was, put on for all time to come.
 Thus we see that eighty-four years ago the work which had been in progress for more than century. and for which sev- eral centuries had prepared the way, was consummated. The Indians were no longer masters of the soil, De Soto's raid was almost forgotten, but the struggles the energy and the perseverance of ths Anglo-Saxon had prevailed and a new State had been born to take her place in the great sisterhood of States, in law and equity the equal of any
 We do not have general celebration of Alabama's birthday. but 1t is well to keep
 Improvised Turkey,
 A small company of Yankees had taken up their temporary residence in a far-off. odd corner of Northern Canada, because of the possibilities of great electrical de- Velopment from the falls in the St. Mau- rice River There were nine people who wished to celebrate Thanksgiving with a dinner. but found it very difficult to get material together for such a feast.
 There were no pumpkins to be had and almost no vegetables. Even turkeys seemed impossible to obtain. One of the women of the party did obtain two very small ones from nearly hundred miles away and kept the secret of having them. Tho only possible chance of there being enough to serve the company was 10 carve them and serve from the kitchen.
 The women placed an improvised turkey on the table fin front of the gentlemen of the house where the dinner was served. which was cabbage. They sewed shoe button for eyes and placed notched red fianE@l for comb and the tail feathers of turkey.