The Republican journal., 1881-11-24


find, $50 as to have everything handy
Prue said.
"Now sister, well have dinner at five,
Pa will be here by that time, if he is COM
ing tonight, and be SO surprised to find
us all ready, for he won't have had any
very nice victuals ii Gran'ma is 50 Sick
said Tilly, Importantly. ~ shall give the
children piece at noon (Tilly meant
luncheon): "doughnuts and cheese, with
apple pie and cider, will please EN-,
There's beans for Eph he likes cold pork,
and 50 we won't stop to warm it up, for
there's lots to do, and don't mind say
ing to YOU I'm dreadful dubersome about
the turkey"
f'lt's all ready but the stutfing, and
roasting is as easy as can be. can baste
first rate Ma always likes to have me,
I'm 50 patient and stiudy, she says" an
swered Prue, for the responsibility of this
great undertaking did not rest upon her,
50 she took cheerful view Of things.
~ know, but it's the stutfing that trou
bles me" said lilly, rubbing her round
elbows as she eyed the immense fowl laid
out on platter before her. don't know
how much want, nor what sort of YARDS
to put in, and he's awful big, I'm kind OF
afraid of him
II amt. | fed HIM all summer, and he
never gobbled at NE. feel real mean to
be thinking Of gobbling him, poor old
chap" laughed prue, pattlng her depart
ed pet with an air Of mingled affection
and appetite.
"Well, I'll get the puddin' Of my mind
fust, for it ought to bile all day Put the
big kettle on and see that the spit is clean,
while get ready"
Prue obediently tugged away at the
crane. while its black hooks from which
hung the iron ea-kettle and three iegg-
ed pot then she settled the long spit in
the grooves made torit in the allandirons,
and put the dripping pan underneath, for
in those days meat was roasted as it
should be, not baked in ovens.
Meantime Tilly attacked the plum-pud
ding, She felt pretty sure of coming out
right, here, for she had seen her mother
do it so many times, it looked very easy.
So in went suet and fruit; all sorts of
spice, to be sure She got right ones, and
brandy instead Of wine. But she forgot
both sugar and salt, and tied it in the cloth
50 tightly that it had no room to swell,
so it would come out as heavy as lead
and as hard as 4 cannon-ball if the bag
did not burst and spoil it all. Happily
unconscious Of these mistakes, Tilly pop
ped it into the pot and proudly watched
it bobbing about before she put the cover
on and left it to its fate.
II can't remember what tayorin' ma
puts in she said when She had got her
bread we'll soaked for the stutting sage
and onions and apple sauce 90 with
goose, but | can't feel sure Of anything
but pepper and salt for turkey"
MA puts in some kind Of mint, | know,
but | forget whether it is spearmint, pep
permnt, or pennyroyal," answered Prue,
in a tone of doubt, but trying to show her
knowledge ot ''varhs." Or. ut least, Of
their names.
''Seems to me it's sweet malioram w
summer sayorv. | guess We'll pat both
in, and then we are sure to be right The
best Is up garret: you run and get some,
while mash the bread" commanded
Tilly, diving into the mess.
Away trotted Prue, but in her haste
she got catnip and wormWood, for the
garnet was darkish and Prue8 little nose
had been peeling, that everything smelt
Of them. Eager to be Of use she pounded
up the herbs and scattered the mixture
with liberal hand into the bowl
ut doesn't smell Just right, but suppose
it will when it is cooked" said lilly, Is
she filled the empty stomach, that seem
ed aching for food, and sewed it up with
the blue yarn. which happened to be
handy. She forgot to tie down his legs
and wings, hut she set him by till his
hour came, well satisfied with her work.
''Shall we roast the little pig too
think he'd look nice with a necklace Of
sausages, as ma fixed him at Christmas.
N couldn't do it. loved that little pig,
and cried when he was killed. | should
feel as if was roasting the baby an
swered 1'illy, glancing toward the but
terry where piggy hung, looking 50 pink
and pretty it certainly did seem cruel TO
eat him.
1t took long time to get all the veg
etables ready, for as the cellar was full,
the girls thought they would have every
sort Eph helped, and by noon all was
ready for cooking, and the cranberry
sauce, good deal scOrched, was cooking
in the lean-to.
Luncheon was a lively meal, and dough-
nuts and cheese vanished in such guam
titles that Tilly feared nc one would have
an appetite for sumptuous dinner. The
boys assured her they would be starving
by five o'clock, and Sci mourned bitterly
over the little pig that was not to be
served up.
"NoW you all go and coast While Prue
and set the table ard get the best chiny,"
said Tilly. bent on having her dinner look
well, no matter wlat its other failings
might be-
Out came the rough sleds, on Went the
round hoods, old hats, red cloaks. and
moccasins, and away trudged the four
younger Bassetts, to disport themselves
in the snow, and try the ice down by the
old mill, where the great wheel turned
and splashed SO merrily in the summer
time.
Eph took his fiddle and scraped away to
his hearts content in the parlor, while the
girls, after short rest, set the table and
made ready to dish up the dinner when
that exciting moment came. 1t was not
at all the sort of table we see now, but
would look very plain and countrihed to
us, with its green handled knives, and
two-pronged steel forks; its red-and-
white china, and pewter platters secured
till they shone, with mugs and spoons to
match, and brown jug for the cider
The cloth was coarse, but white as snow,
and the little maids had seen the blue
eyed flax grow, out of which their mother
wove the linen they had watched and
Watered while it bleached in the green
meadows. They had no napkins and lit
tie silver; but the best tankard and mas
few wedding spoons were set forth instate.
Nuts and apples at the corners gave an
air, and the place of honor was left in the
middle for the oranges yet to come
''Don't it look beautiful? ~ said Prue,
when they paused to admire the general
effect
''Pretty nice, think. wish ma could
see how well we can do it, began lilly,
when loud bowling startled both girls,
and sent them tlViDp to the window The