The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-05-02
Nanny DoWney's Pies.


The pies and cakes made by the old
woman were, | think, remarkable rather
for their inducing the same loyal and
generous spirit than for their intrinsic
excellence, and it may be said appealed
more strongly to the nobler aspirations
of humanity than it's vulgar appetite.
Howbeit, every body ate Nanny
Downey's pies, and thought of his child
hood. "Take 'em, dear boys" the old
lady would say; it does me good to see
you eat 'em; reminds me kinder of my
poor SanGnay, that, eff he'd lived, would
hev been ez strong and big ez you be,
but was taken down with lung fever, at
Sweetwater. / kin see him yet; that's
forty year ago, dearl comm out O. the
lot to the bake house, and smilin' such
a beautiful smile, like yours, dear boy,
as I handed him mince or lemming
turnover. Dear, dear, how do run on !!
and those days are past! but I seems to
live in you again!" The wife of the
hotel-keeper, actuated by low jealousy,
had suggested that she "seemed to live
off them," but as that person tried to DEM
onstrate the truth of her statement by
reference to the cost of the raw mate
rial used by the old lady, twas con-
sidered by the camp as too practical and
economical for consideration. Besides %
added Cy Perkins, "ef old Nanny
wants to 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, eh?" A suggestion that SC
affected his hearer (who had no mother)
that he bought three on the spot. The
qualities of these pies had never beer
discussed but once. 1t is related that q
young lawyer from San Francisco, din.
ing at the Palmetto restaurant, pushed
away one of Nanny Downey' pies with
every expression Of disgust and dissatis
faction. At this juncture,S Whisky
Dick considerably affected by his favor
ite stimulant, approached the stranger
table, and, drawing up chair, sat un
invited before him.
Mebbe, young man." he began
gravely, aye don't like Nanny
The stranger replied curtly, and il
some astonishment, that he did not, a
rule, "eat pie"
Young man." continued Dick, will
drunken gravity, "mebbe you're &C
customed to Charlotte rusks and blu,
mango; mebbe you can't eat unles
your grub is got up by one of then
French cooks. Yet we-us boys var il
this camp-calls that pie-a good,
competent pie!"
The stranger again disclaimed an,
thing but general dislike of that form
of pastry.
Young man," continued Dick, ut
terly unheeding the explanation
"young man, mebbe you ono had an oil
"a very ole mother, who, totterinI
down the vale O years, made pies
Mebbe, AND it's like your blank epicu
rean soul, ye turned up your nose OF
the ole woman, and went back on tn
pies, and on her! She that handled y
when ye woz a baby-a little baby
Mebbe ye went back on her, and shoe
her, and played off on her, and gave he
away-dead away! And now, mebbe
, young man. wouldn't hurt ye for tn
: ! world, but mebbe, afore we leave thi
y var table, yell eat that pie"
The stranger rose to his feet, but th
, m@lzle of dragoon revolver in th
! hands of Whisky Dick caused him t
: : sit down again. He ate the pie, and lol
. his case likewise before a Rough-ant
: Ready jury.