Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-07-14


made go back to the old home
to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel
how much nearer to the porch the old
pump looks than it used to. Bless the
day! President Roosevelt gives 1t to
us. We hear some talk Of the Puri-
tans, but don't Just remember who
they were. But he can lick 'em, any
how, If they try to land again. Plym-
outh Rocks? Well, that sounds more
familiar. Lots Of us have had to come
down to hens since the turkey trust
got its work In. Bet somebody In
Washington is leaking out advance in
formation 10 'em about these Thanks
giving proclamatlons.
The big city east Of the cranberry
bogs has made Thanksgiving day an
institution. The last Thursday in No
vember is the only day in the year on
which it recognizes the part Of Ameri-
ca lying across the ferries. 1t is the
one day that is purely American-yes
a day of celebration, exclusively Amer
lean.
And now for the story which is to
prove to you that we have traditions
on this side Of the ocean that are be-
coming older at much rapider rate
than those of England are-thanks to
our "git-up" and enterprise.
Stuffy Pete took his seat on the
third bench to the right as you enter
Union square from the east at the
walk opposite the fountain. Every
Thanksgiving day for nine years he
had taken his seat there promptly ut !
o'clock, for every time he had done 30
things had happened to him-Charles
Dickensy things that swelled his waist.
coat above his heart and equally on
the other side.
But today Stuffy Pete's appearance
at the annuai trysting place seemed to
have been rather the result of habit
than of the yearly hunger which. as
the phIlanthropists seem to think. ar
flicts the poor at such extended Inter-
walls.
Certainly Pete was not hungry. He
had Just come from feast that had
left him Of his powers barely those OF
respiration and locomotion. His eyes
were like two pale gooseberries firmly
imbedded in a swollen and gravy
smeared mask of putty. His breath
came In short wheezes. A senatorial
roll of adipose tissue denied fashion
able set to his upturned coat collar
Buttons that had been sewed upon his
clothes by kind Salvation fingers
week before few like popcorn. strew'
ing the earth around him. Ragged he
was. with split shirt front open to
the wishbone. But the November
breeze. carrying fine snowfakes,
brought him only grateful GOODNESS.
for Stuffy Pete was overciarged with
the caloric produced by superbounti-
full dinner, beginning with oysters and
ending with plum pudding and In
Guiding. 1t seemed to him, al! the
roast turkey and baked potatoes and
chicken salad and squash pie and Ice
cream of the world. wherefore he sat,
gorged, and gazed upon the world with
after dinner contempt.
| The meal had been an unexpected
one He was passing red brick man.
sion near the beginning Of Fifth ave-
nue., in which lived two old ladies or
ancient family and reverence for
traditions. They even denied the ex-
istence Of New York and believed that
Thanksgiving day was declared solely
for Washington square. One Of their
traditional habits was to station
servant at the postern gate with orders
to admit the first hungry wayfarer
that came along after the hour Of noon
had struck and banquet him to I'm.
ish. Stuffy Pete happened to pass by
on his way to the park, and the
seneschals gathered him In and up
held the custom of the castle.
After Stufry Pete had gazed straight
before him for ten minutes he was
conscious Of desire for more varied
| field of vision. With tremendous
| effort he moved his head slowly to the
left. And then his eyes bulged out
fearfully, and his breath ceased, and
the roughshod ends Of his short legs
wrlggled and rustled on the gravel.
For the old gentleman was coming
across Fourth avenue toward his
Jench.
Every Thanksgiving day for nine
years the old gentleman had come
there and found Stuffy Pete on his
bench. That was thing that the old
gentleman was trying to make tradi-
ton Of. Every Thanksgiving day for
nine years he had found Stuffy there
and had led him to restaurant and
watched him eat big dinner. They do
those things in England unconsciously.
But this is a young country. and nine
years Is not so bad. The old gentle
man was a stanch American patriot
and considered himself a pioneer In
American tradition. In order to be-
come picturesque we must keep on
doing one thing for long time with
out ever letting 1t get away from us,
something like collecting the weekly
dimes In industrial insurance or clean
ing the streets.
The old gentleman moved straight
and stately toward the institution that
he was rearing. Truly the annual feed
ing Of Stuffy Pete was nothing ma
tional in its character. such as the
Magma Charta or jam for breakfast
was In England. but 1t was a step. 1t
was almost feudal. 1t showed at least
that a custom was not impossible to
New Y-ahem!-America.
The old gentleman was thin and tall
and sixty. He was dressed all in black
and wore the old fashioned kind OF
glasses that won't stay on your nose.
His hair was whittier and thinner than
II had been last year. and he seemed
to make more use Of his big knobby
cane with the crooked handle.
AS his established benefactor came
up Stuffy wheezed and shuddered like
some woman's overfat pug when a
street dog bristles up at him. He
would have flown. but all the skill OF
Santos Dumont. could not have sepa'
rated him from his bench. Well had
the myrmidons Of the two old ladies
done their work.
"Good morning" said the old gentle
man. 81 am glad to perceive that the
vicissitudes Of another year have
spared you to move in health about the
beautiful world. for that blessing alone
this day Of Thanksgiving is well pro
claimed to each Of us. II you will
come with me, my man, will provide
you with a dinner that should make