The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-11-24


= = + and eighty-five years ago,
WOW when from the deck OF the
frall bark the Pilgrim Fathers gazed
upon the forbiddng line OF the New
England coast. Even to-day the shores
of Cape Cod present an anything but
cordial face to the ocean. and what
must the, 102 venturesome passengers
on the Mayflower have thought as they
saw the sand dunes rising up out OF
the sea that chilly morning of Novem-
Der 81, 1920? Stern and deterring as
their own religion. lay that New World
to which they had sailed to find liberty
of belief; inhospitable, wind-swept,
treeless, doomed the land. 1t must
have taken dire necessity or dauntiess
courage to make Il landing at such
spot.
But the Pilgrims were made of stern
stuff. and what lay behind them was
Infinitely worse--to them-than what
lay before. So they stoutly called their
women and children together and ven
tured ashore to plant the banner of a
gloomy religion upon still more
gloomy shore. From that landing
sprung the town of Plymouth. and
from those men and women sprang
the mighty race which now. from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. gives thanks
each year for the blessings of the last
twelve months.
Edward Winslow. historian of the
Plymouth Colony. has left us an ac-
count of the first Thanksgiving Day.
It was celebrated in 1921. after a year
of cruel cold, hardship, and difficulties
overcome. The work of settlement had
been hard, and the houses, of rough
hewn logs, had risen slowly. Exposed
to the fury of a New England winter,
Offering suffering from hunger con-
stantly threatened by rowing bands
of Indians, those heroic souls. with
sublime faith, could still thank God for
benefits received. A row of graves lay
near the sea, almost half the number
of those who had landed the previous
year, but, undaunted. they. inch by
inch. fought the wilderness. the ele
ments, and the savases And they
gave thanks that their condition was
not worse.
OF Just what the first Thanksgiving
dinner consisted Brother Winslow does
not relate, but contemporaries tell us
that even in those strenuous times
there was good cheer They had tur-
keys, you may be sure, and fat geese.
reminiscent of AIichaeimas feasts at
home. There was feathered game a.
plenty. and venison for the killing.
Oysters lay before their very doors, and
fish galore. Then there were the home
made barley loaves and cakes of In
dian meal-a dainty borrowed from
the aborigines. For vegetables they
had peas and, of course beans; pars-
nips, carrots, turnips. onions, cucum-
bers, beets, eabbagcs and '.coleworts."
Then they had grapes very sweety
and strong" history tells us-with
melons and other toothsome products
of the vine. And last. but by no means
least, cOpious supplies of what the
Indians called comfortable warm
water" but what the grim Puritans
knew as Hollands" SO some broad
leather belts were loosened. probably,
after the meal was over. and the long
stemmed pipes We're lighted
1t was on such a day that the Puri-
tan housewives were in their glory.
Cunning recipes. handed down from
granddames who fourshed "while
James I. was king" rare cordials. made
from berries and herbs: compelling
''pasties," most excellent tarts, wheat
en- biscuits, calculated to lead mems
thoughts away from holy things; force
meats, preserves and jellies, all fresh
and sweet from the spotless kitchens
of Dame Brewster and Priscilla
Alden.
Nevertheless. with ali the feasting
religious things were not forgotten
The first harvest festival was ushered
in with prayer and the giving OF
thanks. The Indians were mainly
friendly. and King Massasoit and his
retainers were hidden to the festivities
with that New England hospitality
which has continued ever since. Long
MINDED prayers there We're, without q
doubt, to which the impressive Indians
listened with stolid calm. A man who
could not pray for one solid hour with
out repeating himself was not consid
cred of much account those davs ant