The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-12-18
Christmas at Solomon Briggs.

Next Thursday Is Christmas" said Mrs Briggs,
as she came busting out of the kitchen into the long
dlningroDn and took her seat at the breakfast Ia
Bile, where her husband, Mr.. Solomon Briggs, and
all the children, being ten IN number, were seated
before her II Mrs Briggs the last at The table,
the circumstance not be set down as an index
to her character Tor she restless stirring bo-
dy, and was never the last any where without good
cause. From childhood she had been Taught TO be-
heve that The old auage, he eye of the master does
more work than both his hands," applied equally
well to the mistress Accordingly she was in ali
parts OF the house ~ oHce, not only working with
her own hands, but overseeing every thing that
was done by Others. Indeed, now that we have said
thus much in favor of Mrs Briggs due regard TO
impartial justice requires MS to add that Mr. Briggs
himself, though very quiet sort of a man, and not
of so restless and mercura temperament as his
wife, could hardly be said TO be less Industrious
His guiding motto through lite had been
Gle that by the plough would thrie,
Himself must either hold or drive"
And most literally had he been governed by the pre-
cept. lie was, IL short, an Industrious, thriving
New England farmer. His exact location it is moi
our purpose here to disclose. We give our fair
readers, and unfair if we have any, the whole range
OF New England, from the shore of Connecticut to
the Green Mountains, and from Mount Hope to
Moosehead Lake, to trace him out. But we shall
not point TO the spot, lest Mr.. Solomon Briggs see
ing his own likeness brought home to his own door,
might think us impairment for meddlng with faini
y affairs.
To go thck to our starting pont-Mrs. Briggs,
VINO nau stopped In lne kltcnen I'LL tne last moment
in order p the last dish properly prepared for
breakfast, came herself at last to the table.
"Next Thursday is Christmas" said she, sand
here it is Monday now, and nothing done yet to
prepare tor 1t. do wish we could ever have things
in any sort of season."
AT the mention of Christmas the childrens' eyes
all frightened, from James the eldest, who was
twenty-one, down to little Mary, who was but two
years old, pnd who, OF course, knew nothing about
Christmas but looked smiling and bright because
all the RESI- did.
Mr.. Briggs however, who considered the last re-
mark as having little bearing upon himself, replied
THAT he should think three days was time enough
to get Christmas dinner or Christmas supper good
enough tor any common sort of folks"
1T would be time enough to get it," said Mrs.
Briggs, III we had any thing to get it with; but we
haven't mite of flour in the house, nor no meat for
the mlnce pies, and there amt no poultry killed yet
neither!''
"Wel well, mother" said Mr.. Briggs, very mo-
derately, and with half smile, ''just be patient a
little, andgou shall have as much Christmas as you
want There's bushel of as good wheat as evel
was groeGa, put into bag on Saturday Jane.
can take horse and carry il to mill this morning
and in two hours you may have bushel of good
flour fou'veg got butter enough, and lard enough
In the house, and if you want any piums or raisns
or any such sort OF things, James may call Has
calls store, as he comes home from mill, and get
what YOU want. Then Mr.. Butterfield is going to
kill beef crtter this morning, and Pm going to
have quarter of 1t, so that before noon you can
have hundred weight OF beef to make your mince
pies of, and If that amt enough I'll send to Mr.. But
terfied's for another quarter. And then there is
five heaplng cart loads of large yellow punkins in
the barn, and there Is fine cows that give good
mess OF milk; and you've got spices and ginger, and
moasses, and sugar enough In the house. so | don't
see as there need be any difficulty but what we
might have punkln pies enough for all hands And
as for the poultry, it'll be time enough to kill that
tomorrow morning; and if two turkies amt enough,
III kill four, besides bushe basket full of chick ems
So now go on with your birds egging, and make
your Christmas as fast you please, and as much of
it,"
When this speech was ended, the children clapped
their hands and laughed, and said, "never fear ia
ther, he always brings things out right at last'
From that hour forth, for three days, there was
unusual hurry and hustle throughout the house of
Solomon Briggs, and in the kitchen particularly
there was constant and great commoton. The
oven was hot from morning till night, and almost
pound cake and plum cake, and spunge cake, and
sweet cake, and ginger cake, and Christmas cake,
and New Years cake, and all sorts of cake that
could be found IN the cook book. Then there were
ovens full OF mlnce pies, and apple PIES and custard
pies, aud all sorts OF pies. The greatest display of
pies, however, was of the pumpkin tribe There
were ''punkln pies" baked on large platters for
Christmas dinner, and others on large plates for
breakfast and supper month afterwards; and 9TH
ers STILL in saucers, for each of the small children
In the next place, there was pair of plum puddngs
baked IL the largest sized earthen pots, and Indian
buildings and custard buildings to match. And then
Christmas in excellent keeping with the rest of
the preparations Besides fine surloin of beef two
fat turkes were roasted, two geese, and half do
zen chickens. And then another half dozen of chick
were made into an enormous chicken pie, and
baked In milk pan.
query may arise, perhaps, IN the mind of the
reader, why such profuson Ut food aid be cook
ed up at once for single family, and that family
too not unreasonaby large, though respectable IN
numbers, for 1t did not count sixteen. including
domestics, hired help and all. This is a very natu.
raj for the reader to fall into but it is an error
nevertheless: This array of foos was not prepared
Tor single family; but tor numerous company, TO
be made up from many families in the neighbor-
hood The truth was, Mr.. Briggs well TO do in
the world, circumstance owing TO his long course
OF patient industry and economical habits Several
OF his children were now nearly men and women
grown, full of life and fond of fun as most Young
folks are. Mrs. Briggs also very fond of socie-
ty, and little vain OF her smart family of children
as well as OF her good cooking. From these prem-
ses, gathering of several of the neighbors at Mr.
Briggs house, to eat Christmas dinner, and still
larger company OF young folks towards night, to
spend Crismas evening" would not be a very I'M
natural consequence. Such was the consequence
as shall presently see.
We shall not stop TO give particular account of
the dinner, as that was transaction performed in
the day time, openly and above board, and could be
seen and understood by every body; but the evening
company, and the supper, and the frolc, as they
were hid from the world by the darkness of night,
need more elucidation. We must not dismiss
the dinner however, without remarking that
It fulfilled every expectation, and gave entire
satisfaction 10 all parties table OF extra
length spread in the long dining aall, which
was graced by goodly circle of elderly people, be-
sides many of the mddle-aged and the young And
when state that the loin of beef was reduced to
a skeleton that two turkies, one goose, and five
chickens vanished IN the twinklng Of case-knife
hat the large milk pan containing the chick n-pie,
was explored and cleared TO the very bo' tom and
that three or four large buildings and couple of
,.i fnntalr NAL
in the desert we think it has been sufficiently shown
hat due respect was paid to Mrs. Briggs dinner
and that her culinary skill should not be called in
question.