Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-11-20
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can wildly picture the powdered hair Of the
grown-ups, the eager faces of the youngsters, the
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 it's christening as a national
event. Dainty and suggestive of the beauty OF
youth is a pale blue ribbed silk empire gown
with short pulled sleeves, a c%obwebby white
hand embroidered kerchief and a plain fall OF
wide skirt. Near it are the Tidiculously little
high-heeled white satin shoes, the gay colored
fan, immense tortoise shell combs and gold beads
and miniature locket worn by the revolutionary
maiden. .... ...
Looking at her footgear one smiles in reminls'
cence of the fairy tales of ~grandmothers who
always insist upon the sensibleness of the way
THEIR grandmothers dressed. A flaming red
cloak, with Red Riding Hood cape, and a beautl-
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 a 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 a rarely beau
tiful gold engraved snuff box and lace wristlets
and handkerchief, which the owner was wont to
display on such occasions as that Of a stately
Thanksgiving. In every detail of china and sill
yer the costumes there is evidenced this sug-
gestion of dignity and caste.
And yet, very gay and festive must have ap.
peared a gathering Of wel[known folk Of the
late revolutionary period, when Thanksgiving
was sufficiently new as a national holiday to be
observed with particular enthusiasm.
A complete full dress costume of a man of
affairs Of Maryland, displayed behind glass at the
museum, reveals the dandyism prevailing. The
knee breaches are of corded tan silk, with gem
encrusted buckles; the coat, of the same mate
rial, is on the frock variety-with many plaits
at the back, self-covered buttons and a high
turnover collar of the Robespierre style. The
gloves, silken hose, three-cornered hat and
capped great coat are all delicate of texture and
in marked contrast to the somber garb now
thought appropriate for wear at a Thanksgiving
dinner. m
But 1t was not all beer and skittles' then!
Amid the display of old mahogany table, Candida.
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 "in the field and it is
recorded that he had nothing except the regula
ton 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 fire that could be built in the open one pic
lures bread being toasted for him on the iror
toaster which is still intact. There we're bottles
of seasonings, such as salt and pepper and a few
shallow pewter plates.
II ever one needed faith in order to be thank
full 1t was then, and yet he who issued the frs
national proclamation of Thanksgiving cam
through 1t to leave a visible evidence that not al
early Thanksgiving dinners were sumptuoul
feasts.
At least, though, they were events-not mereI.
annual meals-regarded by the very rich of to
day as a maudlin tribute to the national spiri
and by the very poor as a merciful pause ia Ia,
starvation Of winter. Il