The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-12-02
ONE THANKSGIVING DAY WAY
BACK YONDER.


There is Thanksgiving dinner in the
fiat. or at the hotel for you and there
will be good things to eat and a jolly
time for awhile, and then you will
hurry back to work and worry again:
Remember the good old days when
you didn't hurry so much, or worry
at all? You lived In a little country
town that was nine miles from rail-
road, and the mail came but three
times a week. The town folks have
died and the boys and girls yor knew
are the old folks now. living as quiet
ly and peacefully as did their fathers
and mothers-close to nature-close to
the soil.
Big families were fashionable in the
old days, and when your father count
ed noses they numbered six. You lived
in a big frame house on the road that
leads to the Baptist church and the
pdstof1lice. You knew everybody In
town and everybody knew you. That
was a nice way to live.
You worked some and played much.
The heart was light and there seemed
to be sunshine about you perpetually.
And that is fine, too.
Remember the big kitchen?
There were tiny lights of glass In the
III Tor ~
lamps on the mantel, motto on the
wall that read, Honor Thy Father
and Thy Mother" and meant every
word Of 1t; and over the stove hung
great punches of sweet corns and slabs
of beef that were slowly drying. Some
of the happiest periods of your life were
spent in that old room. Even now you
could find your way blindfolded into
every corner OF the old house, from
cellar to garnet. couldn't you?
Father and mother believed in max
ing much of holidays, and Thanksgiv-
Ing was in the air as soon az Fourth
Of July burns had healed.
1t took a lot Of getting ready. There
turnips and pumpkins to select. You
know that on that day everything must
be Of the best
How the seasons have changed since
you lived in a city. In the old days
there was snow on Thanksgiving in
that little town. The air was crisp
and clean. 1t was like a square meal
to breath it. 1t painted bright colors
on the cheeks of boy OF about your
size who had to run in every little
While to get the numb out of his fingers
over the kitchen stove.
About o'clock father hitched up the
big hobs and let you drive to the
house. Now mother, get your family
together: these nags won't stand long
in the cold" he shouted, and in a few
minutes bells were jingling and you
were on your way to church. Remem-
Der, IN those days you always went to
church on Thanksgiving. At the
church you found folks from miles
around, and uncles and aunts and good
will aplenty.
Perhaps you do not remember the
sermon. You were just boy. 1t was
solid religion clear through. The old
pastor reminded the worshipers of their
many blessings; of the sun and the
rain that had given them bountiful
harvests.
Did you notice how those who had
no good dinners waiting somehow
found themselves invited to the homes
Of those who had?
How warm and comfortable the old
home seemed after your return. There
were smells floating from the kitchen
that made you ravenous. Mother had
on a big apron and was bastng the
turkey. Every time the oven door
swung back a cloud of fragrance was
emitted that made you weak.
Finally there was the family at the
table. Father with his kindly smile
and white hair at the head: mother.
with her spectacles on her forehead.
behind the teapot.
Nov, father" she said. and the good
man bowed his head and uttered a
prayer Of thanksgiving that should live
with you to your dying day. It was
a prayer stripped Of cant and hypocrisy
and surely it went straight to the
great white throne that You believed
was somewhere. He thanked God fol-
you, for his beloved wife, for his abil-
ity to labor and for his strength to
bear such arlictions as had been laid
upon hirqq: Tor az - that &C.. had been, 70