Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-11-22
ABOUT THE BIRD
OF THANKSGIVING

beauty or size. Black. beautifully
shaded With a rich bronze, the breast
plumage being dark bronze Illuminated
with "a lustrous finish of coppery gold,
gives full warrant for the name by
which this bird is known.
The full own healthy bird Is a
beautiful picture of bronze. black, cop
per and gold and sometimes weighs 40
or more pounds. Other varieties known
IN the barn ward and ven recognized
among dealers as having distinctive
markings are in reality only highly
aeVeicped fowls with preserved peculi-
alities. Under this classification comes
the white turkey.
In the United States there are six
standard varieties recognized and
grown. These are the bronze, Nara
gansett. buff. slate. white and black.
color of plumage.
The bronze and N~arragansett are the
largest. the buff and slate medium,
while the white and black are the
smallest. Within late years. however,
the White variety has reached such a
point of popularity that it has increased
in size until With some dealers it
occupies third place.
Whatever the turkey may nave
missed through failing to secure that
place of honor suggested for it by Ben
Jamin Franklin-as the national bird
1t has nevertheless found a place in the
regard of the American people which is
held by no other fowl.
Time was when a turkey. or as many
us could be carried, might be a al
most for the asking. Then came the
period when 90 cents would buy 81
plump young fowl. Ven so short a
time as 10 years ago turkeys could be
purchased for from s to 20 cents a
pound, dressed.
Some interesting figures We're at n
time compiled by the department OF
agriculture in connection with the tur-
key. In 1896 the census showed the
turkey population in the United States
to be $4,000, 900. -Four years later the
department found there were but $780,
900. Such a discrepancy needed inves-
tigation. 1t was made. n the answer
was soon forthcoming.
In the year 1896 the breeders had lit
orally counted their eggs before they
were Matched, and the consequent total
included all poults. eggs in the nest and
birds expected. as we'll as the grown
turkeys. With the latter figure only
birds OF 3 months or more were in
cluded. That figure, therefore. is the
true estimate of the average annual
turkey supply at that time, While today
the supply has increased with the ris-
ing demand each year.
But even with the increase that has
come with the passing Years. the sup
ply is not sufficient or the price low
enough for every person in this coun-
try to include it i'll the list Of Thanks
giving features. And so the picture
which Gray painted cannot hold true
He wrote. "From the low peasant to the
lord, the turkey smokes on every
board
Origin of Thanksgiving.
In colonial dave if was S,lcrnynoru I,
appoint days of fasting or feasting, O
prayer or Thanksgiving, when publ,
events seemed to warrant this recogni
ton. In 1883 Washington ordered
day of Thanksgiving for the adoption
of the Federal constitution. Subse
quently various Jays in November wer
recommended by presidents and COVER
nors until, in 1868, the regular obser
II OF a national Thanksgiving da
was instituted through a proclamatio
of President Lincoln. The president
proclamation does not make it a nation
al holiday. 1t applies legally only to tn
District of Columbia. and the terrltol
les. 1t is the governors proclamation
that affect the states. The day is OF
served in all states, but in some it i
not a statutory holiday. Thursday wa
originally selected by the Puritan
probably because, being near the mic
die of the week, it gave opportunit
LII llC GIl w III an AtAlI
ly to come together and to return witt
out desecrating the Sabbath by trave
November was selected as the mont
when the fall harvests were all gathere
Other countries nave Thanksgiving day
for special occasions, such as success !
battle or the deliverance of the peopl
from a national calamity. but the fixe
annual Thanksgiving day is a custor
belonging to America alone.
"Harvest Homo" and Thanksgiving
The harvest home of the SaXons an
Celts. the cerealia of the Romans, tn
Israelitish feast of t~abernacles al
for all that we know to the contrar,
the first harvest celebration Of pre-
adamite mai were the actual precur
! sors of our Thanksgiving. Even anon
the American ndian there was hel
an autumnal festival which might NJ
unjustly claim precedence as the tru
aboriginal Thanksgiving of the west
ern world. Modern observances {
THANKSGIVING. with their sportin
features, are denounced in certai
quarters as sadly at variance from tt
ideas of the Plymouth colonists dun
ing their first golden autumn on tt
coast of Cape Cod bay. Indications al
not altogether wanting, however, thu
the manner of celebrating has change
in nonessentials only. No longer is
whole week devoted to Thanksgivin
as in the DAYS of Governor Bradfor
A single day suffices.
Not Essentially American.
Our American Thanksgiving is usua
Nv considered our one native contrib
ton to the holidays of nations, as i
observance originated with the Ne
England fathers. Perhaps the father
themselves liked to think Of it in tn
o%riginative way and so wished it pc
petuated--as something that had FLOW
cred on the bleak rock of their pei
sonai struggle. 1t was to be peculiar
ly their day, peculiarly a heroic Ne
England day, an American day. So
q sense it is; so in a sense it is nc
Essentially our American Thanksgi,
ing is least American of our holiday
for the simple reason that 1t is too HI
man to be merely American. The
were no most human things left for II
New England fathers to original
They are immemorially older than tn
country. There are no original wa.
Of expressing gratitude. All the patti
wass Of thanksgiving are very O
p~aths.-James Lane Allen in Munsey
magazine.
Local Thanksgiving Days.
The practice. of having local Thank
giving days has prevailed to some e.
II topt III An1erica On October If 1871