Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1906-11-29

In the busy rush of living very few
people find time to be thankful for or
realize the everyday and vital bless
ings that are curing in upon them.
The Puritans must have recognized
this even in their day, when they in
augurated a custom that has become
as firmly fixed as the constitution of
the United States. While the ad-
herents of the Pilgrim church, which
was exiled from England in 1908 and
sent colony over to New England
in the Mayflower in 1920, are unques-
tionably to be credited with our ma
tional Thanksgiving day, which APP
peals so deeply to the heart of the
patriotic American, the custom OF
thanksgiving was undoubtedly sug-
gested by the Hebrew Feast of the
Tabernacles" or Feast OF Ingather-
ing" at the end of the year. occa-
sional thanksgiving was not unusual
in Europe.
After the first harvest Of the colon
lists at Plymouth in 1921 Gov. Bradford
sent four men out fowling that they
might rejoice and celebrate in feast
ing together. In July, 1923, day OF
fasting and prayer was appointed on
account of the drought. Rain came
while the people we're praying and the
governor appointed a day for thanks
giving which was observed with re-
ligious service. There was a similar
change OF fast-day into Thanksgiving
in 1881, when supplies came from Ire
land. All of these earlier appoint
ments, however, were made at various
seasons of the year and for special
purposes-usually for the timely ar
rival of ships with supplies-but in
later years on account of the harvests.
This substantiated a fixed Thanksgiv-
ing day late in the fall after the har-
vest time was over, and also the cele-
bration of the day by first religious
service and then feast. When the
revolutionary war began Thanksgiv-
ing had become a national holiday and
was annually recommended by con
gress. However, after the general
thanksgiving for peace in 1884 there
was no national appointment until
1888, when President Washington by
a request of congress, recommended
setting aside a day of thanks for the
adoption of the constitution. In later
years, during the civil war, Lincoln
issued a proclamation recommending
a special thanksgiving for victory in
1862 and 1853 Since then proclama'
tions have been made by the president
and governors of the various states
and custom has fixed the date on the
last Thursday in November.
II is 2S4 years since that first
Thanksgiving dinner in New England
was eaten, but to many OF us the
aroma Of the turkey as we gather
around the table, surrounded by fam
fly and friends to offer up thanks fol
the abundance of worldly goods witt
which our households have been sup
piled, will recall the legends OF th'
old New England days and review tbs
customs OF that Thanksgiving In Ply
mouth in 1921. With a little stretci
of the imagination one can almost dis
cern that throng OF sober-lookinl
bearded men, clad in dark colored gar
ments and wearing steeple-croWne'
hats. with here and there among then
the women with quantity shaped hood
and devoid OF ribbons. iewelry and OF
paments. Il was such gathering a
this that Hester Prynne faced whel
condemned to wear the scarlet letter
stern and unrelenting themselves 81