The Pilgrims' Thanksgiving

The Pilgrim Fathers landed at Plymouth, os we all know, on Monday, Deo. 21, 1620. Under favorable auspices the flret harvest was gathered. With hearts of joy they secured the bountiful erop of Indian corn which had ripened in the flerce heats of August and the warm haze of September. As they looked on the heaped up stores - the first fruits of their toil in the new land- tbeir hearta swelled with thankfulness that the Lord had so mercifully careil for them. and that, though Borely smitten with pestilence, they were now blessed with health, peace and free dom from the dread of famine. Mindful of the Providence to whom those blessings were due (those stern, bold men were very devotional), Governor Bradford proclaimed a solemn Thanksgiving feast, and ordered that preparations should be made for celebrating it with euch festivities as were in their power. Four men were dispatched into the woods to shoot wild fowl, and though the game had been scanty throughout the summer, the quartet of sportsmen returnel at night staggering under their burden of turkeys, geese and pigeons suffleient to provisión the entire settlement for a whole week. There was rare labor done by the good Puritan dames, plucking and dressing the game, pounding corn and baking it, getting out and polishing the tin and pewter table services brought from England and Holland, and scrubbing the wooden trenchers that served the poorer pilgrims jn lieu oí tin or pewter. The roar of one of the great guns on the Wil top announced the commencement of Thanksgiving. It was Thursday, Oct. 24, a little less than one year after tlieir arrival in Cape Cod bay. In the different dwelling and over flres lit In the open air began the work of roasting and boiling. When all had assembled tlie sergeant stepped forward, and the men, three abreast, with flrearms shouldered, marched orderly and silently toward the meeting house. Behind came Governor Bradford in his long robe of office, walking gravely, as befltted a governor. On his right hand walked the venerable Eider Brewster in his preacher's cloak, bearing the Bible reverently in his hands. On the governor's left was the military chiei of the colony, Miles Standish, his heavy armor kud aside for a short cloak, his trnsty sword at his side, and a small cane in his hand ae a mark of office. Proudly be watched tho flrm tread, sturdy frames and serviceable weapons of the little troop before him, and was half regretful that among the snbjects for the day's t.hanksgiving was the Messing of peace with all the tribes about them. It was also a pity so many good mnskets should be used only in shooting wild fowl, so. doubtless he thonght; for the sturdy little captain was, as he had said, a man of war, half of whose thirty-seven years had leen spent in kAOcking about the world as a soldier of fortune. The sermón of Eider Brewster was appropriate to the occasion. Never was he known to nreach a hetter discourse or a shörter one, thongh it wonld be thought long enough now, pnrtieularly if the Bteam of roasting Meleapris gallopavo tickted the nostrlls of preacher Hnil comgregation, as it did them. It was a Thanksgiving dinner, and no miutake about it. To be snre the tables were of the rudest, aud there was not much display, nor were there th many little flelicacies that can often be fuunrl now on ThankRgiving tables. But the tnrkey was there in all his glory of brownertskin, rl:h gravies and palatuble stnffiing, nd ro were a numler of other birds, great and smal!, roasted and boued and baked over the embers. There was corn bread and hominy and pinldincs, and several little nickuacks such as skillf ui honsewives coüld make up of the matertals at hand. Nor were the tables gether wanting in display. Sotsm familie had brought a few household relies from their English homes, and these were set out to do honor to the day of rejoicing. The dinner over, the pilgrims turned to the homes they had left. As the day closed and darkness came creeping in from the pine woods around Plymouth, the settlers trod once more, in fanoy, the green lanes of England or the busy streets of Leyden. Tliey sang the psalms and songs that had been sung around their English firesides, and mingled memories of the past with thankfulness for the present and hope for the future. Hark! An Indian shout, followed by a challenge from one of the guard. A Bharp rattle of a drum, and every man grasped bis flrelock and rushed out in alarm. Nearly a hundred savages were pouring into the village with shouts and cries. But there was no occasion tor alarm. It was Massasoit and bis braves coming in to thauk the white men for their assistance and to share their festivities. They brought with them live deer and a good supply of other game, as their contribution to the feast. So the thanksgiving feasting was continued another day. By daybreak the lires were again set going and the work of roasting, broiling and boiling was resumed. This time venisou was added to the turkey. While the feast was preparing the Indians performed their dances, startling tlie white men and frightening the young folks and women with their wild yells and flerce gestures. When they rested Capt. Standish ordered out his soldiers in full armor and put them through their military exercises, winding up with the discharge of a volley from their muskets, and a salute from the great cannon on the hill top and the little caunon before the governor'B door. The crash of the mnsketry and the roar of the ordnance terrifled the savages, and they begged the "great captain" that he would not thunder again, lest he should kill them all. On the ihird day the feasting was resumed, the Indian hunters going out before daybreak and returning early with garaa for the day's feast. A council fire was built, and around it speeches were made and new pledges of friendship exchanged. Then, with great ceremony, Massasoit took leave of the governor, his friend, the great captain, and the other chief men of the town. Standish, with the troop of musketeers, t2"rted the Indians a short distance from the settlement and gave them a parting salute. Thus, with prayer and feasting, with godly psalms and Indian dances, with joyeus songs, roaring artillery and English shouts minglmfl: cheerily with Indian whoops, was celebrated the first New England Thanksgiving.- H. Maria George in Demorest's Magazine.