The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-11-20

can vividly picture the powdered hair Of the
groWn-ups, the eager faces of the youngsters, ths
grinning darkies in the south or CHEEKY white
help" of the north.
At the museum imagination Is stimulated by a
sight of the very garments and jewels worn at
Thanksgiving dinners just about the time the
holiday received its christening as national
event. Dainty and suggestive of the beauty Of
youth is pale blue ribbed silk empire gown
with short puffed sleeves, a cobwebby white
hand embroidered kerchief and plain fall OF
wide skirt Near it are the ridiculously little
high-heeled white satin shoes, the gay colored
fan, immense tortoise shell combs and gold beads
and miniature locket by the revolutionary
maiden.
Looking at her footgear one smiles in reminis-
cence of the fairy tales Of grandmothers who
always insist upon the sensbleness of the way
THEIR grandmothers dressed A flaming red
cloak, with Red Riding Hood cape and beauti
full beaded hand bag completed the toilette in
which the girl probably rode many miles horse
back with her arms clasped tight around the
body of male relative or. perhaps rested warm
ly inside one of the numbering road coaches
which the museum contains. From a family
long famed in history comes down rarely beau
tiful gold engraved snuff box and lace wristlets
and handkerchief, which the owner was wont to
display on such occasions that of a stately
Thanksgiving In every detail of china and sill
gestion of dignity and caste.
And yet very gay and festive must have ap-
peared a gathering of wellknown folk Of the
late revolutionary PERIOD when Thanksgiving
was sufficiently as national holiday to be
observed with particular enthusiasm.
A complete full dress costume of man of
affairs of Maryland displayed behind glass at the
museum, reveals the dandyism prevailing The
knee breeches are Of corded tan silk with gem
encrusted buckles; the coat of the same mate
rial, Is on the frock varety-with many plaits
at the back, sef-covered buttons and a high
turnover collar Of the Robespierre STYLE The
gloves, silken hose, threecornered hat and
capped great coat all delicate of texture and
in marked contrast to the somber garb now
thought appropriate for wear at a THANKSGIVING
dinner.
But 1t was not all beer and skittes" them
Amid the display Of old mahogany table, candela-
bra, cushioned dining chairs and array Of costly
old china and glass used on Thanksgiving days
at Mount Vernon is the camp outfit Of George
Washington from which he partook of so many
frugal meals
One distressing winter of the struggle he ate
his Thanksgiving dinner I'm the field" and it IL
recorded that he had nothing except the regula.
tion soldierly provender
His little camp chest still contains the nu.
merous pewter forks and spoons and dishes that
served him in lieu of silver and porcelain. Over
a nre that could be built In the open one pic.
lures bread being toasted for him on the iron
toaster which Is still intact There were bottles
of seasonings, such as salt and pepper and few
shallow pewter plates
If ever one needed faith In order to be thank.
full 1t was then. and yet he who issued the first
national proclamation of Thanksgiving came
through 1t to leave visible evidence that not all
early Thanksgiving dinners were sumptuoYs
feasts.
lnoe
annual meals-regarded by the very rich Of to-
day as a maudlin tribute to the national spirit
and by the very poor as merciful pause in the
starvation Of winter