New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-11-19

served and SMILED. 1t, women always smile when
Il dinner is Il success. The few children of the
colony chung 10 the wOmen's skirts and looked in
awe at the Indians, who had come In full regalia
-plumed heads, painted faces and with bows and
quiverS Gt their sides.
Dinner finished, tables were cleared and the
men rested their backs against stumps to let
digestion have its way. But the Indians, who
hadnt inherited digestlons, decided it was time
TO dance. So they yelped and jumped and danced
around 10 the delight Of the settlers and to the
fright of the children.
Capt. Miles Standish, the same who lost n
bride by proxy, led out his company of twenty
soldiers and drilled them before the Indians.
The little band went through its maneuycrs and
as n climax fired a couple of salvos from their
matchbox muskets. The Indians cheered Justify,
and crowded around the captain while he at
tempted to explain to them the mechanism Of his
blunderbus.
Then, as now, sports were u part of the Obj
seryance of the day. In "A clear space, leaping,
running and other athletic games were staged.
The Indians laid aside their fur cloaks and the
colonists peeled off their jackets and contested
for the honors. Evidently no records were low
cred, for the official score books have nothing IN
them concerning this meet.
In the course of three hundred years the cele-
bratlOn Of Thanksgiving has become a national
custom, Its observance grew gradually and not
until the Civil war were our national Thanks
giving ~proclamations issued with annual recnr-
renee. The presidents general Thanksgiving
proclamation is now supplemented by that of the
governors of the states.
In 1871 the Thanksgiving recommendation took.
for the first time, the form and mann OF a procln-
nation. on September - Roger Sherman, sec
Onded by John Witherspoon, moved that Thursday,
December -, be selected as a day of thanksgiving.
This Roger Sherman is unique in our history IN.
annual ~ ha IL Tho only Inun uuhA lar all gn.
of the Great Documents: Articles of Assocla-
ton, 177i; Articles of confederation, 1915; Dec
laration Of Independence 1916, and Constitution,
1897.
The official growth of the Thanksgiving Day
observance was quite gradual. The Massachu.
sets Bay Colony officially designated such a cole.
hration in 1890, Connecticut followed exe,nple In
1922, and the Dutch Of the New Netherlands in
February. 1914.
The day of observance varied, some of the
colonies holding their Thanksgiving as early as
July and others as late az February; but. by
degrees, 1t came Ia the great harvest celebration.
thus preserving the true significance of the first
Thanksgiving Day.
The first officially appointed Thanksgiving
Day observed by the whole nation was the twenty.
sixth of November. 1888, which George washing
ton proclaimed as a day for rendering the thanks
of the people 10 Heaven for the good fortune that
wa theirs at that time. Washington had been la
office Just six months ~ the irst President of the
United States.
This document j. coucled ia an exalted strain
that should bear its message anew TO every .Ameri.
can today. After a brief preamble, the proclama.
ton says:
Now. therefore. I do RECOMMEND and assign.
the twenty-siNth Of November next. 10
be devoted by the people Of these states 10 the
service of that great and glorious Being who Is the
author of all the good that was. that is.
or that viii be-. That we may then unite I'm rem.
for His kind care and protection Of the people of
this country previous 10 their becoming a nation.
for the signal and manifold mcrcies and favorable
b. propositions Of His providence in the course and
OF the late war: for the great degree
II tranquility. union and plenty which We have
since enjoyed; for the pcaceable and rational
manner in which we have been enabled TO establish
constitutions of government for our safety and
and particularly the national one now
ately Instituted for thc civil and religious liberty
with which we are blessed and the means W.
ave Of acquiring and dlfusing knowledge. and.
n general, for all the great favors which He hath
,een pleased TO confer upon US.
And also that we may then unite In most
iumbly Offering our prayers and supplications to
he great Lord and Ruler 81 nations, and beseecb
Him to pardon our national and other transgres-
TO enable us all. whether In public or
private stations. to perform our several duties
properly and punctually; to render our national