Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-11-24
AL KNOW THANKSGIVING DAY
9pIrlt Of Festival Quickly Caught by
immigrants.

9pIrIt Of Festival Quickly Caught by
immigrants.
Go into the foreign quarter or any
American city and ask an Italian or
Slav. or any other immigrant, wheth'
er he celebrates the Fourth of July,
and he Is likely to shrug his shoulders
as he prafesses ignorance Of the day.
or answers:
"No; it's nothing to me-"
Ask him IL he grows enthusiastic
over Memorial day and you will hnd
that It leaves him cold. But just
mention Thanksgiving day and his
face will light up at once.
EYES," he will tell you, I'VE eat our
Thanksgiving dinner like any other
Americans, and go to church and give
thanks and have good time with
the youngsters In the evening"
Thanksgiving day means a lot to US,
for we have much to be thankful for"
The immigrants catch the spirit or
Thanksgiving day more quickly than
that of any other American institu-
ton. The new Americans show this
by their deeds and words, and the
etory OF an immigrant who caught
the spirit tho first day he landed Is
typical, even II In the majority Of
cases 1t is not impaired so quickly.
On a bleak November morning an
old Roumanian Hebrew landed In
New York from Ellis island with "his
wife and three children. The harbor
was wrapped In mantle OF fog,
which hid from their eyes tho prom
ise OF the Statue Of Liberty.
It was depressing scene. The old
mans spirits sank and the hustle and
hustle Of the Americans frightened
him after his quiet life in a Rouman-
IAN village. But his eldest son. who
had preceded his father to America
and who had sent the money to bring
the family over, met him at the pier
with a warm welcome.
Come right along, father" he
cried. I'VE shall have to hurry to
get home In time for dinner"
And he rushed the old man and
the children into a trolley car and
took them over to the East Side with
all possible speed.
When they entered the house, cold.
tired. wet and hungry, an inspiring
scene met their eyes. A roaring fire
blazed In the crate, the American
flag was draped above the mantel. and
a good, old fashioned Thanksgiving
feast was spread out upon tie table.
The turkey was there In all its
glory, Drowned TO turn ana stuffed
to the bursting point with chestnut
favored dressing. Big glass dishes
Evil of cranberry sauce and celery
flankel 1t at each corner, a1d two
bottles OF claret stood sensnel at
either end Of the table.
Vegetable dishes, cakes, sauces and
gravy bowls filled up the vacant
spaces on the board, while on q side
table the pumpkin pie held sway, sur
rounded by q court Of jellies. blanc
manages and tarts.
The son laughed at his fathers
surprise.
"Sit down, father" he said. you
must be hungry, and this is a day
when nobody is supposed to go hun
cry In America. 1t Is Thanksgiving
day.
every man who, by the sweat Of
his brow, has earned a Thanksgiving
dinner for himself and his family Is
in duty bound to eat and drink and
be merry and give thanks for the
blessings he enjoys in this rich land
OF freedom"
"Verily," responded the old man,
"you have much to be thankful for
when you can spread such feast as
this, which is only enjoyed by the
richest of the people in the land of
our BIRTH"
And he and all his family feasted
and made merry and rejoiced that