The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-12-02
BACK FROM THE Ora TE'
BY EBEN E. REXFORD.

1t was the day before Thanksgiving.
The first snow of the season had fallen,
and the apple trees before Deacon
Browns ola red farmhouse bent YEARLY
under the damp weight upon their leaf
less branches.
In the low kitchen mysterious 'doings'
were going on. Mrs. Brown was up to
her elbows in great wooden bowl of
-four, from which her inimitable dough.
nuts we're to be manufactured. Nobody
else in Baskerville could make such
doughnuts as Mrs. Brown; so crisp, so
rich, SO sweet, that they fairly melted IN
ones mouth. The children which
Thanksgiving Day always brought to-
gether around Deacon Browns ia
Bile, appreciated them in way which re-
fected the most sincere and substantial
praise Oh the skill which could make
such delectable goodies. l warrant more
than one Juvenile S mouth watered at the
prospect of to-morrow's feast, as Mrs.
Brown mixed her doughnuts that day.
'Be spry, now" to Roxy, her assist
ant, in CHEEKY, pleasant tones, which were
just suited to the plump, good.natured
face of the dcacSn's wife. "De spry. now,
for them pies won't bake SOS to be Of
lest precisely the right color by the time
we want the oven for the cake. Punkln
pies alters ought to be the color OF the
Shell, you know, Roxy. an we II hev to
hurry 'em up leetle. we've such lots 0
work to do. I'm awful thankful Thanks
givin' don't come moren once year,
there s alters so much to be DONE Aud
then Mrs. Brown laughed in such plea
SAINT, hearty way, as she proceeded to pre-
pare some of her doughnut mixture Tor
ssIolling out" that | am sure, if you
could have heard her, you would not have
thought her very much cast down be-
cause there was SO much to do, or in the
least disturbed with the labor Thanks
giving Day entailed. On the whole, |
think Mrs. Brown thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Them pies are done, announced
Roxy, after a peep into the oven.
care, hey p said Mrs. Brown, with a
/, patronizing nod and a smile at Roxy. as
lshe piled her rolling-pin energetically.
aeYou may set 'em by the north winder
Ito cool an then put in the cake. It's all
ready. If it STAINS much longer, I'm
afraid it'll be heavy, an if there's any
thing in this world | DO hate, more n an
other, is to hev cake heavy as Lead
Roxy proceeded to take out the deli
cious looking pies, and set them by the
pantry window. Then the cake as put
to bake
"There. now, Roxy said Mrs. Brown,
percmptorily, "you jest set down an rest
yourself mint. There's nothing else
10 do till | get these doughnuts ready to
fry. an know your just ready to
drop
II amt much tired, Miss BrowM," de-
INJURED Roxy, IAN if there S anything to
But there amt jest now" answered
Mrs. Brown. "Ain't boss here, Roxy
Stone = with CHEEKY little laugh.
aWall, thought So as Roxy made re.
ply that "she s'posed she was. Then
do tell We, an rest yerself a little.
So Roxy sat down. and Mrs. Brown
kept on rolling out her doughnuts and
talking.
81 can't make it seem 5 ef Jamie was
really going to be married tomorrow,
she said, patting out her dough. You
see, he's so much younger any Of the
rest of the chi drcn that somehow can
make it seem as eff he'd erer 81. big an
be married. I've alters considered him
IS the baby, you know, and Mrs. Brown
\ laughed again, a pleasant, mellow laugh
| that was good to hear.
.And I'm the baby YETI said voice
in the doorway, voice like Mrs. Brown s,
and James came into the kitchen-a tall,
good looking young fellow, with his
mother face and eyes.
Lawful sakcsi How you scarf me!
exclaimed Mrs. Brown with a proud
motherly smile. 81 didn't know you was
anywhere about
II came in to see how the pies and cakes
were getting along. You know I'm al
ways interested in them he said, laugh.
ingly,
"rhere's the pies" said Mrs Brown,
with a motion of her hand toward the
: pantry. san the cakes amt done yet"
aThey re too tempting to be looked at,
said James. smacking his lips. swat till
to morrow. mother mine, and see what
becomes of our pies.
"They was made to eat. answered Mrs.
Brown, giving her energies to the twisting
of her doughnuts into the proper shape
i. OF that article of food.
Il Nightfall came down over the gray New
England landscape. In the pantry
where the pies bad been set to cool were
pans of crisp, brown doughnu:s. and
loavcs Of amber cake and fiaky tarts with
ruby jelly quivering in each cup Of crust
And in the woodshed two great turkeys
we're being robbed of their bronze coats
: after having lost their heads. Tomorrow
was tn be Thanksgiving and James
Brown wedding day. and it was to bs
Kept in the best style known to Rasher,
vile Mrs. Brown declared.
"Dear me, see!" said Mrs. Brown fold
ing her plump arms across her chest. ane
Dropping into the great rocking chair by
: the window, "I'm eanamost tired t.
ieath."
The morrow dawned pleasantly. The
sky was clear as bell. and the air keen
frosty. sweet. like \ draught Of wine
They were carly astir at Deacon Browns
Breakfast vas dispatched, and then be
ran the hustle anil confusion Of prepare