The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-26

Fol many years past the president
of the United States has proclaimed
day the nation should give thanks.
Thanksgiving day this year falls on
the 2Sth OF this month. and the feast
Of thankfulness which the Puritans
observed in the early days of our his
tory will be celebrated in the homes
OF hundreds Of thousands of Ameri-
cans.
Thanksgiving day is appropriately
termed a home holiday. 1t is the time
folks usually preside. 1t is then thai
the plum pudding. cranberry sauce
and the symbolic turkey are the main
part Of the dinner the country over.
The peculiar feature Of Thanksgiv-
ing day-the remuneration Of the
home-was not always It's most prom
inent characteristic. AS its name i'm
tons state. its purpose is to give
thanks to God for the peace that
reigns over the country and for the
abundance that has crowned our har-
vests. This Is its ostensible object.
vet almost unconsciously this purpose
has become secondary to the idea OF
home and Of home gatherings. The
religious meaning may have no less
Significance. but as the nation has In
SS0OS ~ SA0 an oAbtAetCS navy oSSAl
widely separated the home element
has gained in importance.
Pilgrims Thanksgiving.
II is almost 900 years since the first
Thanksgiving In America. The little
colony al Plymouth. to all appear
ance. had scant occasion for rejoicing.
Nearly half their number had died.
looked forward with inexpressible
dread at the thought Of another win
ter Of bitter New England weather.
But religious ardor kept their hearts
warm. and with thankfulness they
gathered in the little harvest. Twenty
acres of Indian corn had been planted
and Six acres of barley n peas. The
peas were a failure. the barley was
i~ndiferently good. and the corn. God
to allow each individual a peck OF
meal per week. This was their cause
for thanksgiving. To celebrate this
harvest worthily and that they might
after a o special manner rejoice
together" Governor Bradford sent four
men out fowling. They killed in one
day as much as served the company
for some days. but in the midst APP
peared. as unexpected guests. Chief
Massasoit and his hungry Indians.
whom they entertained for three days.
Round their necks were suspended
their knives in ~scabbards Of
wampum.
Two edged. trenchant knives. with
points as sharp as a needle.
Whatever poverty might suggest
against entertaining this hungry horde.
policy dictated the most generous hos
pitality. The guests. however. made
themselves at'home. no only by shar.
ing the provisions. but by taking part
in the labor. bringing in wild turkeys
and venison, for the place %abounded
in these.
The first Thanksgiving. then. was
of the nature of a harvest home fes-
tival.
Dates Used to Vary.
There is no evidence that Thanks
giving day was a stated annual oc.
currence among the colonies. Thanks
givings were appointed as occasion
suggested, sometimes at one season
sometimes at another. Record is made
Of the appointment in July. 1923. for
a day Of fasting and PRAYER for rain.
and while the people were praying
rain came In abundance. whereupon
the governor Of Massachusetts, ap-
pointed a Thanksgiving. which was
observed with religious services. On
~ ol1lCI IkdaAs oIl0 dPPolA1lCu III 4OVA
was TOR stopping the bottles OF
heaven and restraining the excessive
raign." Gradually the tendency in the
New England colonies was for an an
nual Thanksgiving day soon after
harvest-a custom that was OCCASION
ally observed in New York and other
states.
Thanksgiving day was first a ma
tional institution during the revolu-
ton. but after the general t%hanksgiv-
tional appointment until 1888. when
recommended a day of Thanksgiving
At the close Of the revolution there
the day a regular institution. and
John jay in 1925 issued a proclama.
ton for November II. The act me,
Governor Jay was seeking to fatte,
religious prejudices for party pur.
poses.
Up to the time Of the civil wal thu
oncial recommendation Of T%hanksgiv'
Ing day was confined chiefly to New
England. On the Sunday preceding
document: with the big red guberna.
toriaI seal. was unfolded. covering al
most the entire pulpit. To the young,
er members Of the congregation i
was q matter Of peculiar interest. 1
meant a red letter day and thought,
or turkeys and mince pies mingled