Connecticut western news., 1878-03-28
Nanny Dovney,s Pies.

In his; story, ssTwoi Saints, of the Foot Hills,," in ScpS5ner for April, Brett; Harte tells the following incident of western life :- ..'5f nat ...D .ora v 'sES, S,
 "The- p1es and cakes made by old Nanny Downey were, think, remark able rather for their inducing the same local and generous spirit than for their intrinsic excellence, and it may be said appealed more strongly to the nobler aspirations of humanity than its vulgar appetite. Howbeit, everybody ate Nam my Downey's pies, and thought of his childhood. "Take 'em, deer boys" the old lady would say; "it does me good to see you eat 'em; reminds me kinder of my poor Sammy that, eff he'd lived, would hev been ez strong and big ez you be, but was taken down with lung fever, at Sweetwater! lnnsee him yet; that's forty year ago, dear comin' out O tie lot to the bake-house, and sfniliA A''such a beautiful smile, like yours, dear boy, as handed him Q mince. or lemming turnover. Dear, dear, how I do run on {! and those days is past but I seems to live in you again l" The wife of the hotel-keeper, actuated by low jealousy, had suggested that she s'seemed to live of them, ' but as sthat person tried to demonstrate the truth of her statement by reference to the cost of the raw ma terial used Joy thesold lady, it was con- sidered by the camp as tod practical and economical for consid iteration. Besides '' added SCy, Perkins, "efj old Nanny wants Co turn an honest penny in her old age, let her do it. How would you like your old mother to make pies on grub wages? ehP"a A suggestion that so affected his nearer (who had no moth er) that he bought three on the spot. The quality of these pies had never been l discussed but once. It is related that a young lawyer from San Francisco, din ing at the Palmetto restaurant, pushed away one of Nanny Downey's pies with every expression of disgust and dissatisfaction. At this juncture, Whis, ky Dick, considerably affected by his favorite stimulant, approached the stran- gers table, and, drawing up chair, sat uninvited before him. <.... -t
 Mebbee,a young man," he, began gravely, Eye don't like Nanny Dow ney's pies.?" ... .~...F -.s:.....
 The stranger replied curtly, and in some astonishment, that he did not as g rule, "eat pie" a
 "Young man" continued Dick, with drunken gravity, "mobbee you're ac' customed to Charlotte rusks and blue manage mebbee ye canteat unless yor1 grub is got up by one O them French cooks? Yet a0e-us boys var in thif camp-calls that pie good-a compe tent pie!'' os r. .--ea va,.tr. ...
 The stranger again disclaimed any thing but a general dislike of that form of pastry. Fg
 "Young man." continued Dick, ut terly unheeding the explanations ,- "young man, mebbee you onct had al ole-a very ole mother, who, totterins down the vale O years, made pies Mebbee; and, its like your blank epicur can soul, ye turned up your nose on thu ole woman, and went back on the pies and on her l She that dandled ye whel ye woz baby-a little baby Mebbe ye went back on her, and shook her, an, played off on her, and gave her away dead away! And now, mebbee, youn, man-I wouldn't hurt ye for the world but mebbee, afore ye leave thls ya table, YELL. EAT THAT PIE P'v - -...... s The stranger rose to his feet, but tn muzzle of dragoon revolver in tue un steady hands of Whisky Dick, cause' him to sit down again. He ate the pie and lost his case likewise, before Rough-and-Ready jury.