The Huttig news., 1915-11-27
VOL. TX. NO. 30.
History of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day, was ots rved It is the day set for general recog- hilton of our blessings and for ex- pressions of joy in our happy con- ditions as people. There is much this year to be thankful for as a na- ton. The wheels of industry are humming at their hieght, we have garnered a record harvest and peace, the blessing that has for saken so many nations, is still with us.
 Thanksgiving Day is peculiarly an American in titution. It is not borrowed, as are so many of our holidays, from ancient traditions of the older world or from ecclesiasti- Cal calendars. While it has basis of religious belief ia the protective grace of an over-fiowing Provi- dence, it has gained it's place of supremacy because it stands for the ideal of the community ou. of which our great republic has grown. At every step in the evolution, this is apparent as the controlling i'm pulse.
 The beginning of the real Thanksgiving Day came from the heart and mind of William Brad ford, the first Governor of Ply mouth Grateful for the rich har- vest of 1921, after long period of privations and semi starvation. this good man proclaimed day of thanksgiving for Dec. l3, old style calendar, of that year. Thsn did the royal bird of our Thanksgiving dinner tables make his legitimate entrance into the theatre of action.
 The good governor, having fixed upon the day of thanksgiving for the Pilgrims, sent four stout war riors with guns in search of game. These early hunters returned at night staggering under the weight of wild turkeys sufficient to meet the wants of Plymouth for week.  To them were added the goodies concocted by the thrifty house. wives of the colony, and when the 18th of December dawned, all was in readiness for the first real Amer ioan Thanksgiving ever known.
 And that was not all. After FL der Brewster's ssrmon in the church-a matter of two or three hours-dinner followed; and the scent ( it's goodness seems to have been waited into the depths of the forest. for in the midst of the feast the Indian yell was heard and a party of hundred friendly red skins under King Massasoit ap- peared, bringing with them great launches of venison. With all this supply of food on hand, it is not strange to learn that the day of Thanksgiving heightened into three, the feast being varied with psalm singing and exhortations; with war dances by the Indians; with military drills by Myles Stand ishs soldery, and with various sports and pastimes of the more sober English kind.
 This was the first Thanksgiving and others followed more or less regularly down through the years, From Massachusetts the observ- ance spread throughout New Eng land and later obtained national recognition. Was hington pro- claim d a day of tha k gi : ing following the successful ending of the War for independence, and Lincoln did the same after the bat tie of Gettysburg. Thereafter the last Thursday in November has been designated from Washington, and national holiday has become established.
 It is recorded that on Thanks giving Day, 1zl2, the Governor of Connecticut and the Kings com missioners were just preparing to fall upon the viands, when it was announced in horror-stricten tones that the bear prepared for the oc-