Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-02
Calls aud Sketehes.
Sarah Winter Kellogg in Lippincott's Magazine i.
AUNT CINDY'S DINNER.

The Rev. Mr.. Burgess slammed the front
gate to, not because he was angry. the gate
refused to stay unless it was slammed
and, besides, the Rev. Mr.. Burgess was
one of those bustling, nervous people who
go through the world slamming everything
that can be slammed. Moreover, on this
particular day he felt unusually nervous.
lie hustled along the unkept walk, things
were apt to be unkept on Mr.. Burgiss's
place,-bustled up the steps into the
square passage, and hustled into the room
at his right. In this room sat Mrs. Bur-
giss, as complacent az her husband was
excitable, eating in an leisurely way an
Indian peach. Perhaps ought. to tell
you that Mrs. Burgess had a-pale' face
with brown trimmings. She wore her
hair in "dog-ears - that is, the front locks
were combed smooth and low over the
cheeks, then carried above the ears and
confined to the back hair. Mr.. Burgess
wore his hair reached. He had o receed-
ing chin-almost no chinsat all-and
short, very curved parrot nose. He looked
like cockatoo. .sas#4a4s
MY DEAR" he said impetuously, eve
invited four Presidin' Elduz to dinner to-
morrow. Now you'll have chance to
put the big kettle in the little one, an
hope to see you do it. Let our brethren
see what hospitality means in Brother
Burgiss' house."
1--WE haven't any long table-cloth." Mrs.
Burgess made this startling announce
ment in an unconcerned way. quite in
contrast with her husbands important
manner. Then she slowly buried her teeth
in the crimson flesh of the peach. s.e
"Borrer one," said Mr.. .Burgiss, with a
promptness and energy entirely equal to
the occasion-''sen' over to Brother PHIL
potts an borrer one. He's brother in
the Lord an one of the salts of the earth
an Sister Phllpotts is lovely sister--a
sweet little sister as ever Joined the church
She ii be delighted to lem table-cloth Z
or anything else to help on the good cause
Jus sen to Sister Phillpotts' for anything
you havn't got She can len from her
abundance an feel no lack at all. It's
her duty to help Gods min'st'rin' servants.
There is comman' in her name. Phil
potts-fill pots. She is stewardess OF
the Lords an mus one day give an ac-
count of her stewardship. Besides, L
haven't been preachin' to Sister Phillpots,
off an on, for goin' on four years--a-lead-
n her an her family to glory? Isn't the
laborer worthy of his hire P" en
Tell Cindy," said Mrs. Burgess indo.
lently, removing the peach-stone from her
mouth, she tossed it lazily into the open
chimney-place.
"Tell Cindy," said Mr.. Burgess; ''of
course we'll tell Cindy. She'll have to do
her tip top best on the dinner, but you
mus lem a helpin' ham. Do, my dear,
please try, for once. to wake out of your
easy-goin' way, an let's do somethin'
worthy of this gram occasion. Yere we
we are to have four of Gods distinguished
under our humble roof to
partake of our salt. 1t may be the occa-
sion of me gettin' appointed to number
one station at the nex' conferunce.@ So,
now, dear, JUS please do you bes' =. @ a.
"Of course IN do all can-I al'ays do. -
said Mrs. Burgess. She rose with . lam
guild air, went to glass the size of . hymn
book, that hung on the wall, took down q
brush from the top and began to arrange
her "dog ears". Mr.. Burgess hustled ont
of the room into the square passage. This
square passage is feature seldom want
ing to plantation houses in certain l0cali-
lies of the South. 1t is square floor con-
necling the two main rooms of the house
inclosed, but oltener open on
wo sides. In MIR. Burgiss's hoase Of
lewed logs and clay clinking. the passage
was open, with block steps at the two
sides. Log houses as planters
residences are not uncommon, have
known Southern satraps, owning hundreds
of slaves and legaues of land, dwelling in
log houses of four or five rooms, and en-
at dinners and evening-par
the country gentry for miles around.
However, Mr. Burgess was not one of
these au.ocrats. All told, he owned sew
enteen slaves. At this time he was ''lo-
cal preacher" of the Methodist Church,
but he was intending to 60 into the trav-
cling connection at the next conference.
Mr.. Burgis hurried down the back-steps
INTO the back yard, and crossed to the
l wish could take you into
his kitchen. You, perhaps, have been
lsed to city kitchen, whose woodwork Is
grained or painted whitehall dirt may
stand confessed beyond all preadventure.
Your kitchen floor is painted or kept
secured white as pine. The stove shines,
the tins are like silver. There are pam
tries, closets, cupboards, drawers-a place
for everything and everything in its place.
Now let me tell you about Mrs. Bur-
StSo Culiucly
Cindy's, for Mrs. b. fought shy Of the
kitchen. In the first place it was an out
house, sixty feet at least from the family
residence e,-"the house." as 1t is called
par ercellence, so that the meals had 10
pass under the skies, rain or shiae, 10
reach the table. In the second place this
kitchen was no house at all, but simple
rude shed--a roof supported by four posts
sunk in the ground. On the dirt-foor
stood the biscuit table, where the biscuit
table, where the biscuit were made de-
cously light without the aid Of chemicals,
beaten light, and where, in wooden dug
out tray, the various corn-breads were
mixed as only the Aunt Cindys and Aunt
Dinah OF the south can mix them. Why
is it that the most skillful cook in north
ern kitchen, using unsparingiy all those
good things" that are conceded to insure
a delicious result, is unable to produce
corn.bread at all approaching ia sweet
ness and delicacy that is found in almost
any southern negro cabing The southern
dinner bread found at the table OF rich
and poor is made by, stirring, with the
naked hand, water and a pinch Of salt in
to a coarsely ground corn meal. and yet