The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-11-18

ssThere is a tradition that in the planting OF
New England the first settlers met with many
difficulties and hardships; as is generally the
case when a civilized people attempt TO establish
themselves in wilderness country.
Being piously disposed. they sought relief
from heaven by laying their wants and distresses
before the Lord. in frequent set days of fasting
and prayer Constant meditation and discourse
on these subjects kept their minds gloomy and
there we're many disposed to return to that
Disconnected. and, like the Children Of Israel
Egypt which persecution had induced them to
abandon
AT length, when il was proposed in the as
sembly TO proclaim another fast, farmer OF
plain sense rose and remarked that the incon-
veniences they suffered, and concerning which
they had so often wearied heaven with their
complaints, were not so great as they might
have expected and were diminishing every day
as the colony strengthened; that the earth began
to reward their labor and to furnish literally
for their subsistence; and. above all that they
were there in the full enjoyment of liberty, civil
and religious
He therefore, thought that it would be more
becoming the gratitude they owed to the Divine
Being if, instead of fast, they should proclaim
a Thanksgiving. His advice was taken, and from
that day to this they have in every year, OBJ
served circumstances of public felicity sufficient
to furnish employment for Thanksgiving day,
which is therefore constantly ordered and re-
ngously observed"
But TO get back to why the turkey occupies
such a prominent place on our Thanksgiving
day dinner table-of that first celebration, held
in Plymouth in 1921 Edward Winslow wrote
back to England follows:
Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor
sent foure men on fowling, that so we might
after more special manner rejoyce together,
after we had gathered in the fruit of our la
bours: they foure in one day killed as much
fowle, as with little help beside, served the
company almost week, at which time amongst
other recreations we exercised our Armes many
of the Indians coming amongst US and amongst
the rest their greatest King Massasoyt. with
some ninety men, whom for three days we
tertained and Toasted. and they went out and
killed five Deere, which they brought to the
Plantation and bestowed on our Governor and
upon the Captaine (Standish) and others"
There is no doubt that chief among the
fowle' at this feast was the native wild tur-
key. However. according to Mary Austin, .Our
elevation Of the turkey to the place of honor
on the Thanksgiving dinner table is not entire
~ owing to its traditional importance to the
first American Thanksgiving day; it is a trib-
ute TO the homemaking instinct of the Puritan
women who made the turkey brood { part of
that association Of men and their wild breth-
rem which Is inseparable from the human idea
Of home. The Indians domesticated the turkey
chiefly for his feathers. which they priced But
/ have no doubt that the English housewife,
arriving chickenless. got her first feeling of
being at home from the brooding cluck of the
turkey hen about her door,
C By Western Newspaper Unionl