The sermon ended, the parson proceeded to read the annual Thanksgiving
Day proclamation of the governor. To this magic formula, which
annually evoked from the great brick oven stuffed turkey, chicken pie,
mince pie and plum pudding galore, the children listened with faces of
mingled awe and delight, forgetful of their aching toes. The mothers
smiled at the children, while the sheepish grins and glances exchanged
between the youth and maidens in their opposite galleries, showed them
not unmindful of the usual Thanksgiving ball, and, generally speaking,
it is to be feared the thoughts of the congregation were quite
diverted, for the time being, from the spiritual exercise suggested by
the parson. But now the people lift faces of surprise to the pulpit,
for instead of the benediction the parson begins to read yet another
proclamation. It is no less than an offer by His Excellency, the
Governor and the honorable Council, of pardon to those concerned in
the late risings against the courts provided they take the oath of
allegiance to the state before the first of January, with the warning
that all not availing themselves in time of this offer will be subject
to arrest without bail at the governor's discretion, under the recent
act suspending the Habeas corpus.
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