Page:What to do for Uncle Sam; a first book of citizenship (IA whattodoforuncle00bail).pdf/80

76 over for the street cleaners to gather on the holiday. And help all that you can at home, so that your mother and father may have a restful Labor Day. The greatest work of the world is done in the homes where American boys and girls are being brought up to be good American citizens. You can help to lighten this work.

Uncle Sam doesn’t want to admit that he likes one of his holidays more than another, but Thanksgiving Day is really his favorite one. We know this because he is always so mysterious about announcing it every year. We never know when it is coming.

"Suppose there shouldn’t be any Thanksgiving this year; I haven’t told you when it will fall?" Uncle Sam says.

But every November, without fail, Uncle Sam has the President of the United States issue a proclamation to be read in your church, telling you that you may keep Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. This proclamation doesn’t say a word about eating turkey and pumpkin pie. General Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation, in 1789, began:

"Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits—now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday,