The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-11-27

AUNT HARR'ET'S SAMP PUDDING.
A Good Yankee Thanksgiving Story.
II leclar, fort" sighed Aunt Harriet
sinking wearily into the splint. bottom
ed rocking-chair, setting her felt-slipper.
ed feet upon the stove-hearth and clasp
ing her hands in front Of her knees-',I
declar' fort, if don't think this maxim
Thanksgivin Day matter of cookin'
and eatin' is the most foolish of all our
New England notions. Every year since
can remember the program has been
the same. The whole month of Novem-
her spent in preparin' for this grand gas
Economical exhibition as Parson Pendl'-
ton used to call it have never in my
life been away from this house on q
Thanksgivin' Day; and ev'ry year we've
been overrun with company. Father
wouldn't think twas Thanksgivin',
s'pose, if the house wasn't full. For my
part I should like change; either to 20
som'ers, Thanksgivin' Day, and be wait
ed on. or stay at home by myself"
20, Harriet, wouldn't talk SO" re-.
monstrated grandmother, who was tax.
ing off her false front and putting on her
white muslin night-cap. "You know the
work of preparin' for dear ones is pleas
ant work. Our social family gatherin's
make us all better and happier. Your
father would feel dreadfully cut up to
hear you run on IN this complainin' way
about maxim Thanksgivin'. Of course
you are tired tonight, but don't think
about that; count over your marcies, and
think how much you have to be thankful
for" e-..v.. ..5E aaaa. -ase.a Vi .
"Hum," went on the wearied spinster
in her peculiar nasal tone, II could make
Thanksgivin' in my heart SO that it would
sing for Joy without maxim such an ado
about my stomach" .--
Reaching down and opening the oven
door, suggestive and delicious odor as
of baking fowls and browning pastry
bust forth, filing the roomy kitchen.
She peered inside theoYen for moment,
turned around one of the pans, using a
corner of her long, straight. blue print
apron for holder, and then, shutting in
the culinary wonders which were to
grace to-morrow's dinner, she continued.
II have spent three weeks in house.
cleaning, only to get everything in ap-
ple-pie order just in time to be turned
topsy-turvy. Every room is full tonight
and I must stretch my tired frame on a
lounge. It never makes any difference
where Harriet sleeps; she can be tucked
anywhere. Last night I was up until
eleven o'clock to get the pound-cake all
baked. Night before last it was the
mince and pumpkin pies. Tonight it
will be eleven before these chicken pies
are Drowned fit to be seen, and fiat mid
night before I Can get to bed. I am tired
and sick Of the great National stu19tnq
day, and for my own part shan't want
mouthful of the nice food that the pantry
shelves are grooming under. would far
rather have bowl of samp and milk.
and a day of leisure along with it.''
The bedroom door just behind the
speaker was Unattached, and John and his
wife, who had, late in evening, driven
in from the west part of the the town, SO
as to be at home to breakfast on Thanks
giving morning, and who had been put
into Harriet's room, heard every word of
this TRADE.
"Well have them all next year if we
get the house fixed over ? whispered Jane
under the blue and white coverlid, John
nodded assent, whispering in his turn:
lit is hard on Harriet, to be sure"
The subject was broachetl next dav.
was agreed to by all hands, and through
out the year it was talked of as settled
thing that their next Thanksgiving re-
union should be held at Johns. '@
Father and mother are to come over on
Monday" said Johns wife, as the festal
season drew near, ':and on Wednesday,
when the preparations are nearly or quite
complete, we will send the team for
Harriet" r
"Ill not make that amount of trouble
for anybody" replied the maiden sister,
who was in fact the mainstay at the
homestead. eff conclude to Join IN
your dinner, I will, Thursday mornin',
walk over through the woods in time to
go to meetin' with you"
Grandpa Buxton's farm consisted of
long strip laying between two rivers, with
q wooded hill about midway of ITS length.
Grandpa lived in the old farmhouse in
the eastern meadow; and John had fitted
up an elegant new residence on the bank
OF the west river. So the old couple were
not to leave the ancestral acres, although
it was four miles from one house to the
other around the point of the hill, and
two miles by the foot and Bride
path across the woods. ~. w.
On the sunny, smoky Monday morning
preceding Thanksgiving, grandpa and
grandma started with old Dobbin and the
chaise to jog around the mountain road
to Johns. And on that same Monday
morning in the far West pretty plump
little woman, with her husband and five
children, started in an ox-cart to 20 the
fifteen or twenty miles to the nearest rail-
way station, where six of them were to
take the cars for the East to spend
Thanksgiving, while the father retraced
his weariso'ne way to the lonely log cabin
on the forest prairie. ... "a .+.o 80, =.
It was rather dowdy and old-fash-
Toned company, as might have been ex-
pected, so far as clothes were concerned,
but attractive in their rosy healthy, buoy
ant good nature. They were all as hap
Ply as happy could be-from twelve year
old Johnny to Baby Hat-for were they
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