Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-11-21

AS III Nicdt bIlldlu upon
Inc occasion of the jubilee of the late
queen, have day OF thanksgiving
out mere, by an unwritten law, almost
ny the general will Of the people, and
certainly by the power of custom,
Thanksgiving day comes each year as
regularly as Christmas
Although Thanksgiving day must be
proclaimed by the pr ,sident or gov.
ernor, and usually by both, and the
lime OF year and the date itself are
ae1t to their judgment, so strong is
the custom that the calendars for
1ext year have denoted the day far
ahead OF any proclamation. On the
tast Thursday in November the fig
nres are printed in red The banks
know it will be that day, although
there is nothing but precedent to es-
SaDllsh 1t; business men know it
VIII be a day of thanksgiving and
never stop to reason why. The school
hoy, the football enthusiast. the farm
er, the poulterer, all know Thanks
giving day is the last Thursday in
November.
AS a generally observed national
holiday Thanksgiving day is only a
uttle over 40 vars old, yet its history
is In measure of much greater an
Equity Like many another custom,
we owe this to those stern Puritans
who separated" and came to Massa-
cnusetts bay to make a lasting i'm
preston upon the social life of the
New World. The history of the first
thanksgiving day in the Massachu-
sets plantation has been variously
given. In 1921, it is said. a day of
thanksgiving was observed in &C
acknowledgement of the Pilgrims first
harvest in America.
1hose were trying days for the colo
nlsts. The winter was one of great
severity and scarcity. The people, we
are quantity told, were necessitated
to live upon clans and mussels and
ground nuts and acorns, and these got
with much difficulty in the winter
zine. People were very much tired
and discouraged, especially with the
aast batch of bread in the oven"
winthrop had early in the preceding
July sent the ship Lion to England for
q cargo of provisions, but after an in
Gerval of many months the ship was
not forthcoming. On the 5th of
February, 1881, while the governor
was giving 1.-The last handful of meal
in the barrel unto a poor man dis.
Sressed by wolf at the door, at that
instant they espied a ship arrived at
the harbors mouth, laden with provi-
sions for them ALL"
A general fast day had been previ-
ously appointed, but the arrival of the
Lion, bearing their sorely needed re-
lief, changed their mourning into Joy,
and, as Winthrop records in his Jour-
nal, day of thanksgiving was held
in all the plantations"
FRANKLIN has left an interesting ac-
count OF the origin of THANKSGIVING
IN America, which is not without his |
humorous touch, and which, like most |
or his similar writings is perhaps not |
as veracious as it might have been.
There Is tradition" he wrote, that
IN the plantations of New England
the first settlers met with many diff
culties and hardships, as is generally
SAAO Se~SS "hCh q CINlllZtu people at
tempt establishing themselves in a
wilderness country.
Being piously disposed, they sought
relief from heaven by laying their
wants and distresses before the Lord
In frequent set days of fasting and
prayer Constant meditation and dis
course on these subjects kept their
minds gloomy and disconnected; and,
ike the children of Israel, there were
many disposed to return to that Egypt
which persecution had induced them
to abandon.
At length when it was proposed in
The assembly to proclaim another fast.
! farmer of plain sense rose and re-
marked that the Inconvenience they
suffered, and concerning which they
had so often wearied heaven with
heir complaints, were not so great as
hey might have expected. and were
diminishing every day as the colony
that the earth began
o reward their labor and to furnish
literally for their substance; that the
eas and rivers were found full of
lsh. the air sweet. the climate healthy
md, above all. that they were there
n the full enjoyment of liberty civil |
md religious: he therefore thought s
hat rejecting and conversing on [
hese subjects would be more COM
ortable, as tending more to make t
hem contented with their situation t
nd that 1t would be more becoming
he gratitude they owed the Divine
icing If, instead of fast, they should s
reclaim thanksgiving. g
His advice was taken, and from t
hat day to this they have in eyery \