The Empire County argus., 1854-03-18
B r AN DIED PEACHES
RY JJIIN JONFS. JR

by JOiiN JONES, JR.
My good wife Mrs. John Jones' Jr, being in
some respects a woman of the old school, is rather
slow in adopting new things and rarely abandons
her favOrite customs and opinions unless convinced
by living and painful experience that they are
wrong
When the great Temperance reformation began
to extend itself in society, Mrs. Jones was rather
indignant at neighbor for suggesting she was
wrong in taking little toddy now and then, and
in setting out the decanter to visitors. But some
things she and felt, satisfied her the subject
entirely that she not only adopted the good prac
tice of drinking water itself but gave the same
pure beverage to her visitors when they were dry.
But there were two or three matters in which
Mrs. Jones was indisposed to go with what she
called the ultra Temperance people. She would
put brandy in her mince pies, and wine in her pud
ding sauce: and spite of the frowns of some neigh
bors and the remonstrances of others, would put
up Il few jars Of branded peaches every season.
As for me, | thought with my wife on these sub
iecs or if the truth were more correctly stated,
didn't think at all about them.
Touching her mnce pies always considered
them better made and better favored than any
happened to meet with from home and if it re-
quired the brandy to obtain just the flavor they
possessed, why, was for the brand dy-that was all.
Not having been initiated into the art and mystery
appertainng to the province of a pastry cook
was not 50 prcsumptuous as to say:
Don't you think, MRS. Jones, that little more
brandy little less, or none at all, would improve
your pies !"
Oh no, I was not so presumptuous as that
What did know about mince pies beyond the
pleasure OF eating them! And as for the pudding
sauce | couldn't imagine the existence Of the arti-
Gle, unless dashed with the flavor of wine.
A lady, in arguing the matter with Mrs. Jones,
in my presence, said little vinegar improved pud-
ding sauce very much, and gave it a more agreca-
bic flavor than wine. The lady while saying this,
turned and looked towards me. She stopped sud
denly, don't know why, unless the vinegar aspect
of my face curdled her feelings. The fact is the
idea OF vinegar in my pudding was SO shocking
that felt sour all over, and no doubt looked as
felt.
But the substitution of vinegar for wine has ney-
er been made in our domestic economy. We must
give up the wine, but hardly think we would
stand the vinegar,
Last year, as every one knows, peaches We're as
plenty as blackberries-O speak metaphorically)
They were to be had at from three to ten cents the
halt-peck and any quantity for dollar. From
morning till night you heard little else but Peach
es Oh Horo dey go" until the very sight of the
fruit took away your appetite. People declined
them when offered with the refreshments at par
ties, because they were "too cheap" and they be-
came drug-speaking unmedicnally-as an arti-
Gle for the dessert
"Send me home a couple of gallons of white
brandy" said Mrs. Jones, one day, during the time
of this abundance
every well, marm," replied, as in duty bound.
"Be sure that it is the very best" added Mrs.
Jones "I'm going to brandy some peaches"
$50 you haven't the fear of temperance societies
before your eyes" said with smile.
81 respect Temperance societies as much as any
one" replied Mrs. Jones; "and consider myself
quite as temperate as any body. But never be-
lieved in carrying things to extremites"
"'Touch not, taste not, handle not That's the
law you know"
Not for me- am law to myself" said Mrs.
Jones, good humoredy
"People will call you dreadful bad woman"
'People say almost anything that suits their fan
cios If we minded them, we would have enough
to do and little over. But don't forget the handy
I'm going to get the peaches to-day and must do
them tomorrow"
"Very well You shall have the brandy"
Accordingly | ordered the two gallons OF brandy,
and the next day the whole quantity was used In
the process of preserving peaches. My wife put
up a double quantity, because peaches were cheap
The price of the brandy was not to be taken into
the account.
"How much do you suppose all those peaches
cost asked Mrs. Jones, as she pointed me to three
or four jars of preserves.
''Tm sure don't know. A dollar and a haf!"
'Just siXty-fye cents
CHEAP enough in all conscience
$50 say I'm almost sorry didn't put up some
more while was about it,"
The brandy costs something suggested.
"Of course, replied Mrs. Jones.
Give dollars in this case to sixty-fve cents for
the peaches
thp