Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-11-19
TWO THANKsGIvINGs.


Jennie, take off that apple sass, and
put the ham on bilin'. Then finish
brownin' the coffee, and come and beat
up the eggs for this cus:ard. How on
airth we're goin' to get things ready for
Thanksgiyin' is more'n 1 can tell. No.
rah, have you washed them pie plates g
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well, then, 90 and scrub down the
front door steps and the back chamber
stairs. Then take some luke warm wa
ter, with a little skim-milk in it, and
wash the hall lie -clo:h. When that's
done, come TO me for further orders.
maggie, the punkin's stewed, ready
for the pies. You may sweeten 'em with
maple molasses, and season en- to suit
your pas taste. He's mighty perlikelar
about his punkin pies. They're bis ia
vorite beverage"
beverage, mother!'
Lor' sakes, what IS it thenl faint
your place to be trirpin' me up about
nv words. If you have been TO board
in school, you needn't put on quite SO
many airs. l know a sight more about
useful things than you do.
"Dick, don't see nothin' o that tur.
key yet. l guess for all you, he'll 1--we
to the age Of Me;huselsh. Them chick
ems, too. if I'm goin' to make a pie Of
'em, ought to have their necks wruDg
this very minute. Dear mel you're all
slower than stock still. If 'twan't for
me. nothin' would be brought to pass in
this house."
| wish yow wouldn't bring quite SO
much to pass, mother. You keep the
house in hurrah all the time"
"None Of your sass, Dick. You GO
out and bring me that turkey and them
chickens as quick as ever you can
Where's yodr pa? If you see him, tell
him to harness the kerrdge, and start
right off after the old folks. Grandma,
she always likes TO be around when any
thing oncoinmon's goin' on. You
might have thought of it yourselves; but
then men and boys is materially stupii-
have to be told everything.
Tommy aud Willy, you're of no
airlhly account in the house-right un-
der foot all the time, and meddIin' with
everything. Run out to the barn and
hunt up all the eggs you can, for !
shall want lots Of 'em afore l get
through.
Horace, if you are studyin' law, you
needn't feel too fine to split me some
ovenwood. I'm goin' to heat the brick
oven, and bake real old fashioned Injur
pudding, and some rye and Injun bread
such as your grandma used to make
when your pa was a boy. After you
do that, all l ask of you is to keep out
of the way, and not bother the rest Of
us"
al am at your service, mother; let me
help you all l can"
"Well, then, guess you may picI
the turkey"
The scene of the colloquy above re
corded was a substantial farmhouse, no
a thousand miles from Boston; the chic
speaker, Mrs. Margaret Wentworth. mis-
tress of the aforesaid farmhouse. Thus
Mrs. Margaret went from morning unit
night, her hands and feet all the while
keeping up a brisk accompaniment t.
her most voluble tongue. She possessed
unbounded energy and great executive
ability; but. like all successful command
ers in-chief, she made strategy her forte
To so manage her subordipates as tC
keep dozen different movements or
hand, and have neither of them lar OF
conflict, was her chief ambition; to &C
complish more than mortal woman hat
ever done before, was her pride anC
boast.
Cleanliness is next to goodness" ant
cleanliness stood highest in the scale o
my aunts many virtues. Dirt was t
her the great arch enemy, against whom
she must wage perpetual warfare. Arm
ed with the broom and scrubbing- brush
she hunted the foe into his stronghold
and hidden luTking-places, and routed
him utterly. Her house was a miracl,
of order and neatness, and, oh ! what /,
manager she was!
Mrs. Wentworth's chef Geuvre wa
her table. Cookery she had made th,
one great study of her life, and, not con
tent with the old, beaten paths, she haC
launched out into new and brilliant field
of discovery. At Thanksgiving Der sta
eliminated; then she was in her glory
Then. before the bewildered and admir-
ing visitor, she placed such an array o
Viands as
might tempt the ssintship of an anchorite,''
Then she brought forth rich household
stores of linen and silver and china
which for whole twelve-month had no
seen the light.
The great preparations were complet
ed, and, upon Wednesday evening before