| Show THE SPIRIT AND FEAST OF thanksgiving sida by side with tb i long un broker custom banded d wn to ua by our forefathers of apart an dually a special day for thanksgiving has also dwelt with us the idea that we must have as nearly is practicable the same kind of a feast as that en joyed by the first settlers upon these shores from a sentimental view point this theory Is undoubtedly cor act and would really work out beau were it not for ertain changed conditions affecting oui supply of sea provisions A regulation plan of directions for getting up a proper thanksgiving dinner even this year would suggest the providing of oy turkeys chicken tor chicken pie with vegetables fruits rich pastries and delicacy es in abundance the idea 1 to arrange a composite meal which shall comprise as nearly as may be the various fruits and products of th earth and a good and praiseworthy idea it is too it only everybody had the wherewithal to purchase these but unfortunately this must be an oyster less and a keyless tur thanks giving for many persons the causes contributing to this state of thing cannot be discussed here nor does it much matter to the man who en a meat market and sees a turkey which he longs to purchase for his family but which he knows he cannot afford just why the commodity with many others is so far beyond his means the thing is he knows it is beyond his means and therefore he will have to do without it he must to some extent give up the idea of try ing to imitate that first thanksgiving dinner in the forest in some respects the preparation of that feast or the obtaining the art cles comprised in it must hae been a comparatively simple matter the settlers had but to take down the fowling piece go into the woods aej bring home the wild game well filled ouster beds lay quite near the shore the harvest was fruitt il grain wild fruits such vegetables as they knew how to raise were abundant nuts of various kinds were plentiful what then was to hinder the making ready a feast that should fitly supplement the public thanksgiving rendered unto he lorda there is the point the feast is but the outward sign or token of that which underlies the whole thanksgiving idea it is the feeling in the heart the sentiment of agrati tude for good received that after all constitutes the real thanksgiving we are too apt to forget just how things were with the settlers we take the idea of that great historical feast into our minds and we overlook the dark shadows that must have been in that first thanksgiving picture it would be a good thing it we would ti to remember the little graveyard by the water s edge and make effort recall what the record says hat not one household in the isea massa chu colony but had recently been visited by death or severe and pro illness but still the alons for the feast went on and at a convenient time they solemnized i day of thanksgiving unto the lord surely we can leam a lesson from the simple faith of these pious souli |
