Show observance of thanksgiving 0 amill fill fill fill fill III till jill 1 I HE celebration of thanksgiving day has a long and curious history in aich which it Is the province of a woman to play no inconspicuous part the earliest aspect ot of the vy day taken us back to the chronicles of the israelites among whom there Is mention throughout the bible of days se set apart for special thanksgiving unto the lord later the custom was not uncommon in england before the reformation and was taken up and continued by the protestants afterward thus it was that at its inception there was no regularly appointed time fur for this celebration sometimes it would be observed once a year sometimes twice and then perhaps a year or two would be skipped according as reasons for thanksgiving presented themselves or not among the colonists it was wai customary for the president to isue issue a proclamation la lai recommending that the people cease from their ordinary occupations eions and observe a day of thanksgiving with proper ceremony at some soma specified time but it was usually left to the governors of the various states to determine whether there should be such a day and when 0 0 0 0 0 0 this irregular course and unofficial like treatment of the observance might have continued in vogue indefinitely but for the well directed and strenuous efforts of mrs sarah J hale of godels lady book she sha realized perhaps more forcibly than others at the time that the celebration of thanksgiving as then observed lacked character and impressiveness which could be remedied only by the adoption of measures bringing the people to concerted participation on this occasion therefore she assumed and devoted herself to the task of writing to all the governors of the different states and territories urging upon them the propriety of a national thanksgiving and suggesting the last thursday in november as the day for such celebration she continued to write these letters year after year and was finally rewarded for her efforts effort by all the governors go excepting two granting her request however the peoples response was not enthusiastic and during the civil war ar especially in the south the custom lagged immediately after the battle of gettysburg mrs rate nale wrote president lincoln inclosing a copy of thanksgiving proclamation and suggesting that he be also proclaim a day of national thanksgiving the president I 1 id L 0 o acted upon her suggestion and issued a proclamation tor for the observance of thursday august 18 16 as a day of national thanksgiving praise ano and prayer from that time on the celebration cele bration of the day lost its local and variable character and took on the fitting dignity of a national and stable ceremony Lincol ns successor appointed the last thursday in november as thanksgiving day and the date has ha continued unchanged anaed ever since thanksgiving day Is a legal holiday in every state territory and possession except utah where it Is observed though not on the statute books |