THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING.
"The first settlers of New England were the Pilgrims who came across the sea from England in the ship Mayfower."
"Oh, yes," said Harold, "I remember when we went to Plymouth and saw the Plymouth Rock and the old houses and the monument on the hill."
"Yes," said mamma, "that is where they landed and built their log houses. I will recite a poem which I learned when I was a girl and went to school like Margaret."
| "The breaking waves dashed high On a stern and rockbound coast, And the woods against a stormy sky Their giant branches tossed; "And the heavy night hung dark The hills and waters o'er, When a band of exiles moored their bark On the wild New England shore. "Not as the conqueror comes, They, the true-hearted, came, Not with the roll of the stirring drums, And the trumpet that sings of fame; "Not as the flying come, In silence and in fear,-- They shook the depths of the desert gloom With their hymns of lofty cheer. "Amidst the storm they sang, And the stars heard and the sea! And the sounding aisles of the dim wood rang To the anthem of the free! [{272}] "The ocean eagle soared From his nest by the white wave's foam, And the rocking pines of the forest roared-- This was their welcome home! "There were men with hoary hair Amidst that pilgrim band-- Why had they come to wither there Away from their childhood's land? "There was woman's fearless eye, Lit by her deep love's truth; There was manhood's brow, serenely high, And the fiery heart of youth. "What sought they thus afar? Bright jewels of the mine? The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?-- They sought a faith's pure shrine. "Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod! They have left unstain'd what there they found-- Freedom to worship God!" |
"Did they have a very hard time at Plymouth?" said Margaret.
"Yes, my dear," replied mamma, "a very hard time. There were little children, and they often had to go cold and hungry. After the Mayflower brought them to Plymouth, it had to sail away again to England and leave them in the wilderness alone."
"There were Indians, too," said Harold.
THRESHING
From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by her kind permission.
In the East the grain is threshed by the trampling of beasts, or sometimes, as in this picture, by a rude kind of threshing wheel. The wheels are carried in the framework on which the man is sitting. Sometimes a sledge with iron or stone teeth driven into the bottom is used.
"Yes," said mamma, "but they had the brave Miles Standish to protect them. At one time, so the story goes, they were almost starving. The winter was coming on, and they did not know what to do. So they set apart a certain day to fast and ask God's help in their distress. I am not sure that it is true, but we will suppose that a little girl and boy like you had climbed the hill to gather a few sticks of wood for the fire. We will suppose that the little girl was looking out to sea, and suddenly she cried, 'Oh, John, what can that be, is it a sail?'
"And we will suppose that John said, 'Oh, no, Priscilla, that is nothing but a seagull; there is no ship coming.'
"But Priscilla insisted.
"'It is, John, it is a sail.' And John looked again and cried, 'Yes! yes! it is, it is a sail!'
"Then how they ran to the village shouting, 'A sail! a sail!' and how the people came crowding out of the little church where they had gathered to pray, and how happy they all were!
"I do not know whether the children caught sight of the sail first, but it is true that on the day appointed for fast and prayer, a ship came from England, and the fast day was turned into a day of feasting and thanksgiving to God for his mercies. And ever after in New England, and now all over this country, the people keep this day; a day for feasting and joy, but a day also of humble thankfulness to God for all his goodness to his children.
"Now, we will draw the curtains and sing a Thanksgiving hymn."
| "O God, beneath Thy guiding hand Our exiled fathers crossed the sea, And when they trod the wintry strand With prayer and psalm they worshiped Thee. "Thou heard'st well pleased the song, the prayer: Thy blessing came; and still its power Shall onward through all ages bear The memory of that holy hour. "Laws, freedom, truth, and faith in God, Came with those exiles o'er the waves. And where their pilgrim feet have trod, The God they trusted guards their graves. "And here Thy name, O God of love, Their children's children shall adore Till these eternal hills remove, And spring adorns the earth no more." |
SHEEP
By Jacque
| "Little lambs, so white and fair, Are the shepherd's constant care; Now he leads their tender feet Into pastures green and sweet. "Now they listen and obey, Following where he leads the way; Heavenly Father, may we be Thus obedient unto Thee." |
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