Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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( EA LDES1utan ouf was aas u r t . 4 kidswuz crz. 1. *l " "IllidsE ?' EAIt LADIES, I thank you fc the Thanksgiving basket. was a surprise to me. Tt 4 kids wuz crazy. Yours thankful, LENA HALL That was the letter she dictated i me, the woman from 'way over thei where rents are relatively chea where coal is bought by the single ba ket and where a can of tinned mil can be made to last a family of foi i whole week. I put the words don ajust as she said them, for I thougl the "ladies" would find it heart-warn ing to learn that their gift had 5u< an effect on the dull gray househol that "the kids wuz crazy." She told me it was a $5 baske There was a chicken, vegetabl< enough for a week, even potatoes the first in their house this winter fruit, everything to make a real feas Who sent it? Well, she didn't kno their names, but she knew it we through the Bureau of Charities he family had got all that. So she ha called up the bureau and thanked the1 and they said a club of ladies wei the ones that sent the things. Ti club had telephoned in and asked f< the address of some family that woul *) not be likely to have a big dinner, nr then they had filled the basket nr sent it to the address given. Now si * would like to thank the club. SI could read English but she couldn - spell the words. Would I write the le ter for her? And that was the we the ladies found out that the "kit wuz crazy." * .' I went over to Mrs. Hall's home, an the setting and situation seemedi my inexperience exaggerated beyor actuality. The place looked like stage representationi of poverty. TI husband had deserted; there wel three children, a toddler, a sickly gi of nine, a sickly boy of ten ; and ti1 mother had "pains in the chest," coul work only intermittently. There we * plenty of work to be had this y'en * she said, but first one child fell siec then another, and she herself, aft4 being so hot in the steamy basemen1 *where she did washings and then g< ing out into the cold, would get thmn -pains in the chest and would have I give up for awhile. At present aboi all she was doing was working home, putting strings on express tag Going home in the street car I fe into such an abstraction I went nearl to the limits before I woke up enoug * to consider the matter of alighting. got to thinking of contrasts-of wvorld of folk fussing about the evel amount of protein th~ey had In thel systems, and that other world with t11 family milk ration one tin a week ;< people suffering from superheate apartments, and of those that watche anxiously the dwindling nuggets in thi basket ; of people blinking under thi glare of too-many-and-too-high-pow bulbs, of the Hall family that went t *bed right after supper to save light of dancing-dresses trimmed with ful of the thin cottony coat Jimmie Ha *was wearing; of limousine wvith orci Ida shoQwing at the glss. and foo 's 'zu t~.". r' wamrsf r fret, thn"r of Mrs. Halwlin' ie to. he mokt Atein a Kislvn cocr 6 e Lii cent morning in the crystal ballroom of the Blackstone hotel; after the con cert loitering awhile in the lobby, -later sauntering along Michigan ave nue and stopping to look at this win dow of exotic blooms, at that one where platinum, diamonds and pearls showved up with full effect against their velvet backgrounds, the while seeing the stream of luxurious vehicles flow ing on in such volume, the companion that was with me had said, "WVell, un doubtedly America is prosperous this year; I have never been so impressed with our luxury, with the general well being," Coming from the Halls that later day I thought of this remark, of the whole pleasurable scene ca. :ng it forth; and I wvondered at the why and the wherefores of the inequalities. or Why the too-much on the one table [t the bare subsistence on the other? le The slothful warmth, and the dreary cold? The over-brilliant rooms, and the long darkness? Of chiffon bor " dered with fur, and of shivering Jim : mie? Of "the colonel's lady, and of e Julia O'Grady"? P. Who are going to solve it, when is it going to be solved? Nobody, it seems. Never, it seems. But at least ir once in ahile, at this special season 'a and that, a momentary lifting of the it cloud may occur-at least for the chil - dren, Say at Thanksgiving and Christ h ma, if each able one would look after Id w t d - t-~ d o The Place Looked Like a Stage Rep. resentation of Poverty. a one unable family, what a lot of "kids e could lbe made crazy " Comeon, pile up the basket I Tele Pphone to the center that knows the needs, or take a case whose needs you yourself knowv, and do your best to spoil one group of small ones for one rday. Put in the chicken I Put in vege. 'tbeenough for a week. Don't for s get the potatoes, remember the fruit, . Add candy. Get some Jimmie a woolen ecoat, and long thick stockings, and ex. change his misshapen, run-down-at 0t the-heelsa shoes for brand-new ones, it tcksedadequal to keeping out the cold. Give the sure-to-be-there ~* baby a warm outfit, second-hand or 11first-han~d, matters not. Cover that lit Ytle girl's thin red fingers wvith thich hred mittens. Be sure to give plenty of candy-it won't hurt 'enm. And tie all a the stuff up fancy like andl foolish like, Your friends are bored to ox Ir tinction, of course, by the repeated ecomplexities of today's Christmas d packing; but folk like the Hails won't be. They'll like it; luxuries wvill help dtoward that wildness of joy you are eworking for. Come on, ye unhappy r overfed, ye over-warmed, ye blinded rby too much light and color, ye of the . frivolous fur trimming, and ye lady of 'the limousine; come all and have a had nthis riot, this midwinter mad .ness, this effort to make a certain clauat of kids "crazy." S(C'opyrlghla 19 Wern.. Ne.....-- - .. o TOcJo (AOM$tC a WN.CE U~t, / s Hon. Turkey Flew Afterwards Striking Me 8o Earnestly on Hair He Left Me Quite Brainless. To Editor, Who Keep Cheerful in Spite of Holidays: Dear Sir: While annual yearly date of Thanksgive approach up, I enjoy pain in connection with my memory. I tell you What (ollapsed to me last Thanksgive Thursday: I was employed for Gen. Cookery at domestic kitchen of Mr. & Mrs. Romeo Goober, East O'Rora, Ill. "Togo," say lion. Mrs., approaching up to me, "tomorrow shall be Thanks give Day. We expects to celebrate as usual," she report for sweetly smiling. "There will be 8 to dinner, to include my fattish Uncle Seth who equal 8 more. All my relatives is most sneerful particular about foods. So now will you please elope immediately to market for buy one turkey-chiicken of 20 lbs. complete tenderness, 4 qrts. cranberries of delicious - urness, 0 bunches celery-weed, and sufficient punkens to construct 2% pies' I go. At Gouge Bros. Market where was I observe sign, "FTAT TURKEY 85c." To see this, I feel very humorous about that IIigh Cost of Life. "Such delicious cheapness of bird!" I negotiate to lion. Butcher who was there. "At such rates, how much would 2 turkies cost?" "$22.80," he report for immediate arithmatic. "Do you not promise fat turkey for 85c?" I rake off. "85c per lb," he snagger financially. "I should like (1) lb., please i" This from me. "We do not sell broken sections. You must purchase complete bird, price $ .80." This from him. "At such rates, folks can get rich by starving," I snagger. No response from him. He go to ice-box and fetch forth one enlarged fowel without any clothing on. "This are nice fresh turkey," he satisfy. "How you know he fresh?" I snuggest. "Have he not been constantly on ice for 2 yrs.? Nothing could ho more fresher than that," depose Hon. Butch. I buy. He sell me expensive celery-bouquet, price 75c per cluster. It seem dis respecful to eat such valuation. Also precious cranberries, price $1 for sel dom quantities, added to $2.60 worth punkens for pie. I promenade home wards, carrying this valuable butchery. While I was thusly straggling along with burdened back, one assorted dog, name of Hon. Fido, snux up behind of turkey and made sliming sniff.. nose. "Shoo I" I report, liron. ido stood waggishly saying nothing, but looking at H~on. Turkey with flirting eye. Date of Thanksful Thursday arrive up. fly early a. m. of dnwnttmo I arose up and commenced. All a. m. that assorted dog, lon. Fido, set outside screen door. I permit him. About time of afternoon p. m., I could hear several thanksgivers scraping their footprints on rug. Hon. Turkey now send forth smiling smell of bakery, and I was glad to assist his importance. Pretty soonly all take set-down to table. "We got much to be thanksgiving for," report Hon. Goober with sharp knife. "Dinner is late as usual." "It were not thusly when I was a boy," report Uncle Seth with grone. "Please pass the celery."* lIe made smack-taste of this foods, then flop it back with snubbed ex "I have tasted no respectable celery since 1841 1" he holla haffably. All enjoy depression by this report. I go to kitchen for bring in delicious mulligan-tawny soup what I bought. ~ While I were pouring this hot beveridge in iplates, I notice slight smell of burn. It was Hon. Turkey In oven, becoming too feverish. So I took him out and put him by window where ho be more comfortable. I fetch soup in plates to all those thanksgivers. "Canned !" they yellup together with voice of sad chorus girls, while thrusting away plates. "Nothing is real any more I" narrate Uncle Seth with dlyspepsia. "Even turkies is deceptive. WVhen boyhood days elapsed, I can rememnber how we was accustomed, on Thanksgive morning, to salute Hlon. Turkey by choppnig hinm in knock with nx. We knew he was good to eat, because we seen howv fresh he acted. But no more. Today, turkies lives likec Eskimos--spending their old ag onice before meeting civilized persons. No resp~eelable bird dog I enjoy considerable alarm for this thanksgiving speech. Then, cour'ageous like a Samurai, I retreat to kitchen f(or fetch forth lion. Turkey. HIe thrilled my wrists and elbows as I entered kitchen for escort that sublime I turkey--but 0!!!! I staind gast. I look to windowv where I left that sacredl bird. Such things could not ! And it was. Empty pan stood there, seeming entirely vacuum, lion. Turkey had flowed away ii I rosh by wvindowv and look earnestly to b~ack yard. Yes! I With thankful expression of tail, there stood Hon. Fido abducting lion. Turkey across alley "Come backwards !" I yellup. Hon. Fido showv no impression from my talk. I lep through windowv 7%, feet to outside. Quickly reassuring my legs, I retreat after that slyly doggish annimnle, b~ut he scromible up fenice with hooked clawvs resembling cats. Too late for mue! TJurkey hiad escaped from my rear attack. Mr. Editor, heroes is most brave when reporting failures. So I drag together my soul and encroach toward dining roomn, where I could hear those 8 thanksgivers complaining about everything. I walk in there carrying empity ths"Banzai " I holla, poking foi'th vacant dish. "Your digestion shall avoid "What is?" all exclaim while leapting to their feetware. "You should all be very thanksgiving," I snuggest. "You have been reM cued from considlerable preserved poIson b~y one patriotic (log what sacrifice himself by eloping with lion. Turkey before lie could be ate."~ "You mean we shall have no turkey?" snugger all. "Hlow can we fill his vacant platter?" sobb lion. Mrs. "I should he thank ful for Hion. Turkey, however tough I" Just while she say this--crashiy !! Loud sound of approaching dog heard from kitchen window, and lHon. Fido wvithm waggisha tiail trott inito dIning room, carrying that enornmalous bird in his careful teeth, lie lay that absent fowel reverently at my feets. "Hon.rW Fido do not care for this enlarged chicken, so lie bring him back," "Dinner are now spoilt!" decry Hon. Mrs. "How could you speak it?"I research. "Whien turkey go, you sayv, 'Dinner ruined!' When he come back, you, 'Dinneir spoilt!I' I am Impossible to understand about American customs. "You have TVhanksgive dinner so you can set aroundl making bewvails. So foolish to do! Why you no choose this date to kilek out Misfortune?" "I shall do so!I" abrupt H-on. Goober, arising upwards. "F~irst Misfortune to kick will be in your direction." Next he rejected me through window by force of Swedish jiu-jitsu. Hon. Fido arrivc b~y next kick, and lion. Turkey flew afterwairdl, striking me on bair so earnestly he left me quite brainless. Hoping you the same, Yours Iruly, IJASIiIMURlA TOGO, (Copyright, 1916, by Internationai Pra 's Bureau.) No Thought of 4>.. r. SIMPLE RECORD OF FIRST THANKSGIVING When the Devout Pilgrims I Showed Their Gratitude for Their Blessings. 1bUR harvest being gotten in, " our governor [William Brad n ford] sent four men on foul ing, so that we might after a more speelal manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much foule as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a weeke. At which time, amongst other recrea tion, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed fine deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our goverhor and upon the captain [Miles Standish] and others." Such is the historic record of the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth colony 201 years ago. Less than a year before the Mayflower, hearing its little band of 102 Pilgrims, anchored off the rock bound New England coast. Alone in the boundless wilderness of the New World the heroic Puritans struggled through the relentless winter, battling with snow and wind, savnge foes, hun ger, siekness, andl death itself, In three months their number was almost one-half of the entire company. But with the spring time life lookced more kindly upon the exiles; summer smiled on their corn fields, and autumn brought abundant harvest. A few little dwellings had been built, andi prepa rations had b~eenl made for others, maik ing a tiny oasis of homes on the desert of the New WVorld. Then it was that Governor Bradford issued his first proclamation, nnd the Pilgrims and their Indian guests partook of that iRrst and now historic Americnn feast.4 GRATITUDE is a virtue pressed. However, i1 wholly or even seri< tion because of failu: ach~nowledging indebtedness An individual too quicli ori of thanlia runs the rish. of b Suspicion. In its inner tabernacle th, sing praises for a continuancE dominance of such thoughts ness which will thrill and inop: that it should be heard. Tlk and not the multitude of a character. Thanlhsgiving is than of speaking., It is spiritu This does not mean that presence of an abundance of on us by Providence and by ance of a grateful heart the virtue well developed cannot spealia through every act, wi Thanliagiving should be a c mocHery or insincerity. Suc: dominant among our pious N< with us today. Comparatively ings and grievous as were thel professed to find much occas Evern with these devotions a < and praise was desemed me beautiful custom ofr oxm.. CLOSE TO HEARTS OF ALL AMERICANS 'artioular Reason Why Thanks giving Day Should Be Gen erally Celebrated Here. ONIl of the oldest and best beloved holidays in the whole years comes to us this week-oldest in our history because the Puritan) fathers celebrated it when they di4 wot celebrate Christmas, best beloved because it is a holiday all our owni typically American through and through. Nations all over the world; relebrate Christmas, New Years and iaster. Even our Independence day has its echo in the French July 14, but Thanksgiving day is the entire proper. ty of the American people, and per. haps this adds the extra luster which makes it a day apart in the heart of every citizen. Its origin was in the farms, where the harvest season was closed with a day set aside for the giving of thanks for the crops just harvested. In real-. ity it is a national harvest festival, but. its meaning has come to cover more than just the harvest season alone. Now this holiday is accorded us for the rcndition of thanks for the bless ings of the entire year. We find that during the Revolution tho observance of this day for giving thanks had become so general that congress recommnendled each year a Thanksgiving day. This was an an4 nual occurre'nce until the end of the war, whlen a dlay wvas set aside in 1784, for rendering thanks for the re turn of peace.- Again in 1780 Wash Ington appointed a (lay of thanksgiving for the adoption of the Constitution. Ft was in this year also that the 1Dlpis copal church formally recognized the right of the civil government to rec mmend such a feast day. Sympathy is the only charitable gift )f some people. too often inadequately ox. does not follow that we are . usly deficient in apprecia. re to be continually openly for a multitude of blessing. too profuse in excpressons eing regarded with a bit of a humble soul may daily b of blessings and by a pre develop a beauty and rich tre when occasion demanda se nobility of our thought. ur words determines our more a matter of attitude al. we should be dumb In the good things showered up friends. Out of' the abundi.. mouth should spealt. A be stifled-true character ten words are scant. [ally devotion, unmarredj by a devotion was more pre sw England forebears than~ scant as were their bless r privations, they sincerely ion for daily thanftsgiving, fay of special thanlisgivinag t. And thus was born the I Thanhectgivinct.