The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-04-26
Pony's Pies.

The clock struck three, and like a
punctual fate, Polly, shovel in hand,
fiung wide the oven door. For hours that
mystic laboratory had been at work,
unseen of mortal eye, and the fragrance,
compounded of spice, of sugar, OF crusted
loaf and savOry fowl, which now fioated
forth and filled the kitchen, told the re-
suit. Far through the house spread the
delicious Whit, and a stir and hustle
overhead announced that some one rec
ognized the signal and knew that the
baking was done.
In and out travelled the busy shovel
till the inner depth, where yet a red
glow fingered, was reached, gave up its
last treasure, and Polly, making a fan of
her apron, stood before the table to
inspect the results. There they were
ranged in order due, the lOaves brown
and white, the rolls, the cracking pork
and beans, the lection cake, that diff
cult dainty, over whose precariOus for
tunes she had watched till midnight, the
twO-and-twenty pies, gold, brown and
cranberry red, tOothsome mince and
translucent apple, custard fiecked with
cinnamon, tarts Open-mOuthed and
gasping for the friendly Jam; and in the
midst, its dish-like yellow earthern
ware towering above the rest, the huge
chicken-pie, to whose composition had
gone such wealth of cream, of celery, of
fatted pullets, as is not often met with
outside the limits of the Pursall farm.
With something Of the feeling of Gen
eral at the head of his battalion, Polly
reviewed her forces, noting here and
there q specially crisp edging, and in her
own mind apportioning this and that to
Uncle Nathan or Aunt Sapphira, and
these to grace to-morrow's dinner, for
tomorrow" was New England's special
day-that great day of the feast''-in
behalf Of which Governors are wont to
make proclamation, and neighboTs to vie
in friendly zeal of hOusewifery and kind
remembrance Of those who have no DOR
tion of their own.
YES" said Polly, half aloud, "that
will be best for the Bulger children,
guess. The crust is a little too brown,
but they won't mind that, and it's so big.
Then old Aunt Piggett shall have this;
and that one I'll send-U
An approaching foOtstep cut short the
sollquy, and blushing rosy red, she
caught up one special pie and hurried it
into the table drawer. Next moment
her mother entered.
well, Polly, done ?"
"Yes, mother. Come and look at
them.n
They made a pleasant picture, that
mother and daughter, as they stood side
Dy side before the long ironing-table.
Mrs. Pursall was tall and erect, the very
model OF farmers wife. Strong, sweet,
win lace unfuTowed by the wheels Of
mat light team, care and worry, who
drlve so heavily over female good looks
IN our country, and smile undimmed
ana bright, 1t was easy to vision forth
the Donny bride who, thirty years be-
lore, had passed through that door on
her wedding morning, to be from
thenceforth the joy and comfort of all
Wllhln- And beside her stood the vision
renewed IN early youth, the same ewes
oi happy blue, the same dimpled checks
the same capable hands; for Mrs. p. was
a noted housewife, and Polly Inherited
tne gltt In full measure. 1t was with a
lttle heartbeat that she now watched
her mothers critical survey, and the nod
with which it concluded.
tlrst-rate, dear; never saw better.
ana what a lot of them. Some are r.
send away, / suppose?n -
Oh On yes, indeed; it would to- ne
tbonH tboil1l TO eat them all. S,aa mother
snIves slITse are e. the ones picIed ont ] for onr.
know. And dnorfo" tLo and Sunday, you
foiks-old TS Ke. .he Others are for Different
Bulgers am e and Uncle Nat, and the
was lurr 4 so on. Don't you think
10 -Ay in my loaf of cake ?''
Indeed you were, and it's a irwin.
cake, too. Suppose you frost a couple o
the lOaves for tomorrow evening, an,
put the Others away in the tin. Yol
must be sure and wrap them up well
Did you ask anybody to come in tn
evening beside the Watsons and Jim p
mo, ma'am-that is-yes," begal
Polly, flushing and hustered; 81 mean
didn't ask, but when Phil Ralston wa
here i'm the summer, he said he shoult
drop in if he could, and told him WEI
be happy TO see him."
"Oh, WE'LL" replied Mrs. p, too inten
upon the pies TO detect the weak point
of this lucid explanation, "that was 5,
long ago that very likely he's forgot al
about it. But Phil is always welcome
anyhow
Polly said nothing. In her secre
ten.
How distinctly she remembered about
tllat promise. All through the vacation
- Nagneiy alluded TO as Gin the sum.
aI.' aIi' they had been together-PhiI and
ottdl ttl I saI1Iehing at the rate of a mignon.
IT, ~ 70 twenty minutes converse.
IlohI Dotanizing;" Heaven Sa1,o H.
Lnt,,r. IN. Ioily hardly knew the di ifFarance
% between I'VE n pistil and pistol1; dawdIino
az ~ ene sa1e under the pink sunset nnt;1
Ine moon rose shy and silverv aho,.o oittil ti.l
pink, and Mrs. Pursalis voicSo a99Ve 39 the
them from an upper window on ,'ti,lesseu an sse
leet oil damp" trapesing.S - fo me me- sgo sll-
language OF the same authorize Se is Tn, .ilt
grass Of evenings to search on, ~ ll,V we
worms-all Of these and similar puEsO;,, ssoM,
had made it a time of enehaptrsooi.Il..
Phil was an old playmate and nei@hbnr
nobody thought much OF their being 10
gether, but Polly thought a great deal
And the last day Of all, when she sun
posed him gone, he had stolen ava,
half an hour before train time, and sur
prised her in the cool well-room, he
sleeves rolled up, her slender waist en-
veloped in white apron, making pies
all unconscious of his proximity. ThI
last visit stood in bold relief from others