Joseph Twichell at Clemens' 70th birthday celebration, 1905. Photo courtesy of Dave Thomson. |
The observance of Thanksgiving Day--as
a function--has become general of late years. The Thankfulness is not so
general. This is natural. Two-thirds of the nation have always had hard
luck and a hard time during the year, and this has a calming effect upon
their enthusiasm. - Following the Equator |
Thanksgiving Day. Let all give humble, hearty, and sincere thanks now, but
the turkeys. In the island of Fiji they do not use turkeys; they use plumbers.
It does not become you and me to sneer at Fiji.
- "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar"
Thanksgiving Day, a function which originated in New England two or three centuries
ago when those people recognized that they really had something to be thankful
for--annually, not oftener--if they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors,
the Indians, during the previous twelve months instead of getting exterminated
by their neighbors, the Indians. Thanksgiving Day became a habit, for the reason
that in the course of time, as the years drifted on, it was perceived that the
exterminating had ceased to be mutual and was all on the white man's side, consequently
on the Lord's side; hence it was proper to thank the Lord for it and extend
the usual annual compliments.
- Mark Twain's Autobiography
For two additional Thanksgiving Day sentiments on war and killing, see:
"What I Am Thankful For", New York World (Nov. 26, 1905) statement about his campaign against King Leopold's rule of the Congo.
and
A
Thanksgiving statement from Nov. 1905) --
Mark Twain asks what God might be thankful for while Russia is oppressing the
Jews and King Leopold is committing atrocities in the Congo.
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