362 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



the custom of the farmers, lend the necessary articles, 

 while a few bolts of cotton sheeting, that will be readily 

 donated by the merchants, will make very good table 

 linen, though I would much prefer to see the tables cov- 

 ered with a real home-made flaxen cloth. And now for 

 the substantials, wherewithal to crown the tables, and 

 furnish forth the joyous feast, that will be a real "thanks- 

 giving dinner" to the twice told three thousand happy 

 human beings who will partake of it. 



Let the word once go forth, that the farmers, and the 

 farmer's wives, and sons and daughters, are going to 

 provide the feast, and my word for it, you will see such 

 a display of good things as you never saw collected to- 

 gether at one dinner party before. Even many of the 

 dwellers in the city will be aroused by the excitement and 

 novelty of the scene, and pour forth their contributions 

 of delicacies, that will serve by way of desert to the more 

 substantial viands of the farmers. This is the only plan 

 of a public dinner that affords an opportunity for all 

 parties, classes, and sexes to meet together in the full, 

 free, unrestrained enjoyment of life. Every farmer 

 should bring his family, for those who furnish the good 

 things should also be present. 



This is the kind of dinner, and this is the way that so 

 great a number met together at our great dinner in Illi- 

 nois, which I have mentioned in the article to which your 

 note referred to, is appended. 



There was a little incident at that dinner, which I 

 should like to see imitated at every similar one. Two 

 daughters of a very repectable farmer, appeared in beau- 

 tiful woollen shawls, entirely the work of their own 

 hands, even from the rearing of the lambs that produced 

 the fine wool, to the last finishing stroke of the excellent 

 fabric. They were publicly complimented at the table, 

 and the association of ideas in my mind at the time, 

 tended much to heighten the natural beauty of their 

 faces, which showed much good sense in every feature. 

 And such incidents will often happen, and be commented 



