The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-05-03
III isrellanD. y .
A Farmers Kitchen; or Old Times in
New England.

A picture of one of these scenes of
comfort has lately fallon under my OBJ.
servation. What can 10 more cheerful
and pleasant than the view of a farmer
kitchen, taken during the evening meal
of a cool Autumn day 1t is a picture
of the calm happiness of rural life
The kitchen of tho old farmhouse Of
New England is not tho scullery, or
mere cooking place of some modern
housos-a dirty hole or comfortless out
room. or sort of human bakeoven, where
the cook is almost a. much cooked as the
food. No, it is a room perhaps "a feet
long and l6 wide, well lighted, warm,
neat, and every way comfortable. Upon
one side there is fireplace large enough
to roast 4 whole OK in which great fire
of legs sends up cheerful blaze, light.
ing up the whole room SO its brightness
might be seen through the great uucur,
tanned windows like beacon light to
the traveller as he comes down tho slope
Of yondcr hill two miles away, and makes
him involuntarily thank God in anticip,
alton, for the good things spread out
upon the great table standing between
the window and the fire.
Let US take note of this old,fashioned
meal. At the head of the table sits a
matron of some sixty summers, though
in appearance there is nothing of the win
ter Of old age about her-her dress is a
gown of homespun worstcd, well fortified
with fannels from the same mandatory,
this bids defiance to the Autumn winds
of rigorous climate. She wears cap
on her head, and shoes and stockings
upon the feet, that were made in pursu-
anco Of the bcs! medical recipe ever
written" Keep the head cool and the
feet dry and warm"--for the stockings
are the product of busy fingers and idle
moments with many housewives and the
shoes of stout leather were made for
service, and the cap is mere ornament
"a snow wreath among raven locks
and her face is the indication Of health
and happiness.
Upon her right hand sits the farmer
dressed in butternut-colored coat, blue
pants, buff vest, white linen shirt-every
article home made-stout boots and
black silk cravat-for he has been to
town. and this is his holiday suit. Be
low him sits Jcdidiah, Ebenezer, Abram
and Solomon, all economical names. for
they can be shortened in common use to
jed, Eb Abe, and Sol. Two of these
wear check-woolen Winter frocks Of ~ ew
England farmers-the others are in
round jacket-they are school boys. Up
on tho left sit Mary, Adeline and Me.
hitablc, pictures of rural beauty and
health. The eldest is dressed up =
she has been to town with her father
she has a gown of "boughten stuff =
around her neck is boa of lambs wool
knit by her own hands, fastened in the
throat with grandinother's silver brooch
The other two are in check woolen, spun
wove, colored and made up under the
same roof
Further down the table are three
athletic young men, day laborcrs upon
the farm-sons of neighboring farmer:
ono Of whom is cycling the charms OF
sweet Mary with an expression easily
read by a good physiognomist. The
group is completed by the school master
young man with glowing eye which
speaks of an intellect that will tell upon
the world some day with as much force
as though he had bcon obliged to Obtain
his education by Summer labor and
Winter teaching lie is ono of New
England's rising sons. The meal is fol
men who toll. At one end of the table
stands pot of ample Dimensions, ,sm okiue
from the great oven, fanking the fire
place, of that most excellent Of New Eng
land cookeries,
A dish of bake BEANS"
crowned with great square piese O
salt fat pork, crisped and rich. Lower
down. q broad pewter nlatfar holds a.,