The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-11-18

served and smiled as women always smile when
a dinner is a success. The few children of the
colony chung to 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 at 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
hadn't inherited digestions, decided 1t was time
TO dance. So they yelped and jumped and danced
around to the delight of the settlers and to the
fright of the children.
Capt. Miles Standsh, the same who lost
bride by proxy, led out his company of twenty
soldiers and drilled them before the Indians.
The little band went through its maneuvers and
as climax fired 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
bIunderbus.
Then. now, sports a part of the OBJ
servance of the day. In clear space, leapfng.
running and other athletic games staged.
The Indians laid aside their fur cloaks and the
colOnsts peeled OF their jackets and contested
for the honors Evidently records were low
cred, for the official score books have nothing in
them concerning this meet.
In the course of three hundred years the ceIe-
bration of Thanksgiving has become national
custom. It's observance grew gradually and not
until the Civil were our national Thanks
giving proclamations issued with annual recur-
renee. The presidents general Thanksgiving
governors OF the states. -
In 1871 the Thanksgiving recommendation took,
for the first time, the form and name OF procla-
nation On September ID Roger Sherman, sec
onded by John Witherspoon moved that Thursday
December 13, be selected as day Of thanksgiving.
This Roger Sherman is unique in our history in
aSsnUch he is the only man who signed all four
of the Great Documents: Articles of Asseeia-
ton, 1774; Articles of Confederation, 1875; Dec
laration of Independence, 1776, and. Constitution,
1872.
The official growth of the Thanksgiving Day
observance was quite gradual The Massachu-
sets Bay Colony officially designated such a cee-
bration in 1886, Connecticut followed example in
1889, and the Dutch of the New Netherlands In
February, 1874
The day of observance varied, some of the
colonies holding their Thanksgiving early as
July and others as late as February; but, by
degrees it came to 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 the twenty
sixth of November, 1889, which George Washing
ton proclaimed day for rendering the thanks
of the people to Heaven for the good fortune that
theirs at that time. Washington had been in
office just six months the first President OF the
United States.
This document is couched in exalted strain
that should bear its message to every Ameri-
today. After brief preamble. the proclama-
ton says:
Now, therefore do recommend and assign
Thursday. the twenty-sixth of November next to
be devoted by the people of these states to the
service of that great and glorious Being who is the
benefcient author Of all the good that was that is
that will be. That may then unite in rem
6ering Him sincere and humble thanks
for His kind and protection of the people of
this country previous to their becoming a nation
for the signal and manifold mercies and favorable
ipterpositiOns of His providence in the course and
conclusion of the late war; for the great degree
Of tranquility union and plenty which we have
since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational
in which we have been enabled to establish
constitutions of government for our safety and
happiness and particularly the national one now
lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty
with which blessed and the means we
have Of acquiring and dIffusing knowledge and
general. for all the great fayors which He hath
been pleased TO confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most
humbTF Offering our prayers and supplications to
the great Lord and Ruler Of nations and beseech
Him to pardon our national and other transgres-
sions; to enable all. whether in public or
private stations. to perform our several duties
properly and punctualIy; to render our national