The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-11-25
THE MINISTER'S PIE.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

"Look here, Sallyw
Mrs. Deacon Farrell brushed the flour
from her HANDS, casting meanwhile a
complacent eye over the well-flled
kitchen table, with its generous array OF
unhakei pies and cakes. the plump tur-
KEY stuffed and trussed ready for the
morrow's baking, and the big chicken
pie to which her skillful fingers had just
put the finishing touches, as she re-
pCated rather more decidedly:
Look here, Sally! There's enough
cl ic'zen lef, with the giblets-that !
never put in my own pie, because the
deacon don't relish 'em-ter make
Thanksgiving pie for the minister's
folks. 'Twon't need ter be very large"
she added, in reply to Sally's doubtful
look. "Only the minister and his wife,
an you can bake it in that smallest
yaller dish.
Now, I'm goin' upstairs ter look
over them rug-rags, an you make it an
bake it right off, so't can send it over
by the deacon. He's got ter go out to
the Corner this afternoon, an can take
it along as well as not"
She bustled out If the door, but the
next moment, seized perhaps with a
sudden pang of compunction, she put
her head in again, to say, warningly:
Be sure you put in good parcel OF
gravy; that'll keep it from bein' dry, if
Yes'm." answered Sally, briskly;
and catching up the rolling-pin she
brought it down with an emphasis upon
lump OF dough on the mold.board.
AS the stairway door closed behind
her mistress, Sally dropped thu rolling
pin, and look OF perplexity crept over
he's dull face, making it ten times more
stoiid than usual, while she repeated, in
ludicrous bewilderment:
"Gibets! What, in all creation, if
anybody can tell, me, does she mean by
themp"
Involuntarily she took step forward,
but checked herself as quickly, while a
cunning smile replaced the look of per-
plexity, and she muttered triumph
antly:
II guess 7 amt a-agoin' ter confess my
ignorance ter the deacon's wife, an hear
her say, as she always does, Two terms
to the 'cademy, Silly, an not know
thNtp No, ma'am not while there's q
dictionary in the house!"
So, softly creeping into the adjoining
sitting-room, Sally hastily opened the
big dictionary on the deacon's writing
desk, and began her search Tor the mys-
terious WORD.
"G-i-b-here 'tis!" and she read aloud
to herself, with an air of triumph, the
following definition:
"Those parts of fowl that are re-
moved before cooking-the heart, giz-
zard, liver, ETC."
That's it'll heart, gizzard, liver,
and so FORTH" she repeated, joyfully,
and she retraced her steps to the kitchen,
and began, with great alacrity, to fill,
according to directions, the ministers
pie; keeping up, meanwhile, q running
fire of comment for her own special
benefit.
"Sx gizzards! Well, that is rather
'steep,' as Dan Watson would say. But
guess the deacon's wife knows; if she
don't. 'taint none o my business. Six
hearts! Them's small, and tuck into
the corners handy. Six liversi Seems
ter me they don't fill up much, and sh'
glanced, with perplexed air, at pill
OF denuded chicken-bones that formed
her only resource.
"NoW, | WONDER" with sudden in
spiration' "what that 'and so forth
meantP Here's hearts, gizzards anC
iivers,' plenty of 'em, but no and 81
forth and the pie amt more'n two
thirds full yet. 1t must mean," anC
she cast bewildered look at the half
Hleu PIE, llle culCkeuS' legs. neVe
knew nobody ter put 'em in pie, bu
that must be what it means, an they'll
just fill up"
No sooner thought than done. Ii
went the three pairs of stout yellow leg
upon which their unfortunate owner
had strutted so proudly only day be-
fore; on went the well-rolled dough
covering them from sight, and into tn
oven went the minister's pie, Just as tn
mistress of the house re-entered he
kitchen, and with an ap rowing glanc
at the snowy pastry, emarked en-
couragingly;.