The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-11-22

There are holidays and HOLIDAYS.
Christmas aud New Years are CoSmopol.
ltan and are the property OF no particular
people, but yet are joyousIy observed by
many. But Thanksgiving is putey an
American holiday, original in conception
and growing from small beginning
until II has reached the dignity of a ma
tiunal event. Its first celebration was by
the Plymouth colony in I62I-those
sturdy pioneers whose piety was as pro-
nounced as their pluck vino honored
themselves by honorng their Deity The
custom soon became more general.
spreading over all of the New England
States. After the American Revolution
it gradually extended to the Middle
States and later to the West and growing
more slowly IN the South In 1868 the
patriotic Lincoln forever established it in
the list of holidays by proclaimiug a day
Of Thanksgiving, his action being fol-
lowed promptly by the individual proc
lamatons of the Governors OF the States,
and who named the same day. Since
then, by common consent. the first an
nouncement of the day Is found in the
Presidents proclamation, and the day
so named is also named by the States.
A commendable feature of this holiday
| is practical benevolence and kindness,
and which has become very no.
ticeable. Poor people, to whom a good
dinner IS a rarity. are hunted out. and in
an unostentatlouS way are helped to
! properly observe the day so far as its
| festive features are concerned The sick
and the suffering are remembered in
! the various WAYS. The homeless are
| for the day, made to feel that they are
the members of some hospitable house
| hold where they can Join in its pleasures.
| Altogether, perhaps, this is lis best feat
ure. There is no pleasure SO lasting,
and none which affords SO much real
| JOY as that which comes to us from the
! knowledge that we have done real
! Kindness to some of the suffering chill
dren of earth-in some way alleviated
their sorrows or eased their pains
Last, but not least.J the devotional
! spirit which is the lmpelling motive of
the day, is encouraged and developed,
we learn to be more contented with our
lot, thankful for what we have and hope
! fu for the future.
A thankful spirit enables us to
meet our trials maniully, it lifts US above
the miasma of despair into the blessed
I sunlight of cheerlulnesS.
| X
To always look at lifes somber side
is disheartening; the hopeful view is
what buoys us up and causes grateful
ness to spring up il the heart and fills
the soul with Thanksgiving.
We some times treat strangers more
politely and courteously than we do our
! dear ones who give their lives for us.
Company manners, tableware, and
/ linen, are perhaps not necessary for all
the time but what l., good for strangers
is good for our loved ones at home"
To Abolish Lock Step.
A plan that will doubtless culmnate in
the penal Institutions OF the State being
conducted along the lines of the model
prison" was adopted by the board oil
managers of the House of Correction.
The much talked of lock step" system
OF allowing prisoners to move about the
corridor was done away with, the mana
gers having sanctioned this plan OF prison
conduct, voluntarily put into operation
by the superintendent.
Mr. Louis Bayer, Of the N c. r. r.,
on brief vacation in Baltimore and Phil
adelphia