Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-01

might have liked up little, and had something
good for your dinner You'll have to take
farmers fare now-it's pot-luck to-day"
If it's only some of mothers cooking, it
will do l know" said,the young wife, "for Har-
ry has talked of our victuals almost every meal
siuce Ive known him. And I've come on now
not only to see you but to have you teach me
your ways, that may make him love me oil
the more. You will show me won't you now,
mother Z"
That will, child" said the old lady kind
! y her heart completely won by the gentle
ways of her new daughter. But if Harry
thinks my cooking will taste as it used to he
will be mistaken, [ guess. Now that he has
lived so long in the city, and fed on its dain-
! ty fare, mothers homely meas won't relish
SO WELL"
Yes, they will mother" said her son, en-
phatically And | want while | am here now
you should cook it just as you used to | want
the old fashioned taste"
well Pll try and suit you, my boy but,
go now and find father, and be spry, too, for
dinner will soon be ready" and she hustled
about to complete her preparations.
Mrs. Lawrence watched her intently. The
cloth was soon laid, and neatly too, but in the
same style which had been prevalent when the
now aged woman came blooming bride 10
her home. The linen was faultleSSly white,
! bnt it was home made, and not as fine as even
, that which her son used for his servant. The
dishes were from lint, and fairly shone," but
they were common blueed ged white ware, such
| as her son used merely for baking upon, while
the cutlery, though polished with labor, Was
| of such all uncomey shape, that it seemed to
the observer she could never handle it and she
looked in vain for silver.
But when the old lady prepared 10 dish up
her dinner, she watched her closer than ever
and a mSchevouS smile lurked i'll the dlnpleS
that nestled SO costly on her soft cheeks
Would Harry, could Harry relish now such
victualS as those? A huge platter was brought
from the buttery to the broad, old hearth, and
the iron pot removed from pot of ample d-
mensions. First, the old lady took from it o
piece of salt pork, all dripping with fat ; then
followed a mass of boiled Cabbage beets, rud-
dy and so plump !; carrots, golden as sunshine;
and potatoes bursting from their brown skins
as though in haste to be eaten and all like
the meat dripping with grease.
Mrs Lawrence expected, of course, each
would be placed on a separate dish, the water
pressed from the cabbage, aud it moulded into
cOmely form, the beets and carrots sliced and
seasoned, aud the skins removed from the pO-
tatoes But not so. Proudly as though it
were dish of four and twenty black birds,
and " fit to set before a king" the good mo-
ther carried it to the table, and depositing it
in the CENTRE said pleasantly
There is real old fashioned dinner, and
l hope it will taste to Harry as it used to, -
and she turned aud went to the buttcry to fill
tho iaH ,Dl., ,ta ~
and which her daughter thought must be some
of the rye bread of which she heard her hus-
band speak in high terms, for it was certainly
different from any bread she had ever seen,
then there was pickles, apple-Sauce, and some
late cucumbers sliced in vinegar with onions,
aud stewed pears, and sage cheese and dough
nuts, and lastly fresh from the cellar roll of
sweet. golden butter.
hav'nt bit of pie or pudding in the
house." said the good mother, but | only yes
terday fried up great pan of doughnuts. And
I'm dreadful glad ont now, for Harry, when
he was a boy, used to say he could eat half a
peck at time"
Harry's wife compared the mass Of fried
dough, each one as large as farmers fist and
as brown, with the delicate, fairly like crullers
she had been wont to set before him at tea.-
And wondered mentally if Harry, now that
he was a man, would not prefer half peck of
hers. But she said nothing, about the dinner
we mean and waited patiently till be should
return to see how he would manage to dispose
of the hearty aud bountiful meal.
He came in shortly, and with him the dear
old father his wrinkled merry face with smiles.
Very tendery did he draw the gentle young
wife to his heart, and fervent and solemn was
the blessing he invoked on her head. You've
come to an humble home but you're welcome,
child, and we are glad to see you. But come,
you must be hungry, know sit by aud take
farmers fare. Are the men called, wife p
"They are here" and as she spoke there
was heard the tramping of heavy boots and
soon the splaShing of water in the shed, and
| in few moments the three hired men entered,
dividing their glances between the beautiful
young wife and the smoking platter. Without
any ceremony they all drew their chairs to the
table.
| When all was still, the aged father rcver-
emily bowed his head and asked blessing up
on the food of which they were now to par
take, and then returned thanks to Heaven that
once again their first born had been permitted
to return to their lowly home. Tears were
streaming down his cheeks as he concluded,
and so solemnIy and impressvely had he Spok-
en-, that for few moments Mrs. Lawrence
looked upon the table with feeling of awe
its contents seemed all to have been sancti-
fed But the spell was broken when, after her
father-in-law had sliced up the huge piece of
pork, he said pleasantly
Come, now, all help yourselves, country
fashion," and she saw the hired men thrust
their ungainly forks into the dish, and take
thence portion of each and everything, and
then add to the miscellaneous mass a spoonful
of apple-sauce, another of cucumber and onion,
a stewed pear, pickle and piece of cheese.