Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-12-08
A THANKSGIVING DINNER IN OLDEN
TIMES


And now for our Thanksgiving dinner. A
long table formed by placing two of the ordi-
nary size together, was set forth in the parlor;
which being the best room, and ornamcnted
with the best furniture, was seldom used except
on important occasions The finishing of the
parlor was in much better manner than that
OF any other apartment in the house: the wood
work was painted cream color, and the plaster
walls ornamented with paper hangings of gay
tints and curious devices.
Over the mantle-piece hung two paintings,
executed by Sophia and Lucy representing
scenes from the Shepherdess of the Alps. 4
connoisseur in the art would have seen faults
in both pieces, on which he might have display
ed his critical acumen to advantage. lie might
have objected that the shepherd was nearly
black and the shcpherdess very blue-her nose
and not her stockings-that the sheep resem-
bed wolves, and the rocks coffins but such
proiane things never had been said of them, for
they had been examined by those who, having
the landscape of nature always before their
eyes, requiring something both strange and new
in an exhibition of art. They had therefore
not only eScapeu all oe..s'..e, but oven excited
rapturous praise.
The furniture consisted of mahogany side
board and table, dozen handsome chairs,
large mirror, the gilt frame covered with green
gauze to prevent injury from dust or flies; and
on the floor was q substantial, home manufac-
tured carpet, excepting at the annual festival;
and their joy at the approaching feast was con-
siderably heightened by the knowledge that it
would be holden in the best ROOM
The table covered with damask cloth vieing
in whiteness, and nearly equaling in texture,
the finest imported though spun, woven and
bleached by Mrs. Romilly's own hand, was now
intended for the whole household every child
having seat on this occasion and the more
the better, it being considered an honor for n
man to sit down to his Thanksgiving dinner
surrounded by large family. The provision
is always sufficient for multitude, every farmer
in the country being at this season of the year
plentiiully, and every one proud of displaying
his abundance and prosperity.
The roasted turkey took precedence on the
occasion, being placed at the head of the table,
and we'll did 1t become its lordy station send
ing forth the rich odor of its savory stufiiing,
and finely covered with the froth Of the basting.
At the foot of the board a sirlon of beef, flank
ed.on either side by leg of pork and loiu of
mutton, seemed placed as 4 bastion, to defend
innumerable bowls of gravy and plates of vege-
tables disposed in that quarter. A goose and
pair of ducklings occupied side stations on the
table, the middle being graced, as it alway is on
such occasions, by that rich burgomaster of the
provisions called chicken pie This pie, which
Is WHOLLY lOlinCu Ol tUc choicest part OF 1OWls,
enriched and seasoned with protusion of but
ter and pepper, and covered with an excellent
! puff paste, is, like the celebrated pumpkin pic
an Indispensable part of good and true Yam
kce Thanksgiving the size of the pie usually
| dcnoting the gratitude of the party who pre-
| pares the feast. The one now displayed could
never have had many peers. Frankford had
seen nothing like it, and recollected nothing
in description bearing comparison excepting
the famous pie served up to the witty King
Charles H., and containing, instead of savory
chicken, the simple knight.
| Plates OF pickles, preserves and butter, and
| all the necessarics for ncreasingnthc seasoning
of the viands to the demand of each palate,
filled the intersices on the table, leaving hard
ly room for the plates of the company wine
glass and two tumblerS for each, with slice of
white bread lying on one of the inverted tumb-
lers A side table was literally loaded with the
preparations for the second course, placed there
to obviatc the necessity of leaving the room
during the rcpast.
The Romillys had no domestic, properly speak
ing; their only help was pauper maiden
known as sold Hester" She was blind of one
eye, utterly shiitless, and with such crooked
temper that her relations could do nothing with
her. They were poor and shittless, too so
"old Hester" had to be supported by the town.
She was the only paupef in NorthN ood, and as
much trouble for the public, and more talk than
would have been a work-houso of paupers in
England, because there paupers are of no con-
sequence. Old Hester made herself felt in
every department, and Squire Romilly had been
so annoyed by her complaints, and complaints
about her, that he told her she might come and
live with Mrs Romilly a month or two, and he
should then know who was in fault. So Hester
came; and partly because she wished to prove
her accusers had been wrong, but chiefly because
the Romilly family always called her "Miss Hes
ter" and treated her with much respect, she had
done her very best, and so far improved her
ways that Squire Romilly informed the town
officers she would keep her for the present
without any charge on the publicj' and SO
Northwood had no pauper.
This had happened about five years before
our Thanksgiving dinner, and Miss Hester was
still in the family, but had gone to eat her din
ner with her sister, as every one must go to
their own on Thanksgiving day; and so the
Romillys had to wait on themselves
There was huge plum pudding, custards