Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-12-06

| store houses, where all the requirements Of
the family could be met. In those old
Knickerbocker days stores we're not bought
in daily or weekly--no, nor even monthly /;
shops were few, and the thrifty housewife
had no convenient grocery store or market
few blocks Off she had she would prob
ably have ceased to be so thrifty. Negcta-
bles were not hawked in the streets, and as
to canned fruits or ready made pickles. salt
herrings and the like. they were either to
be put up at home or done without. Hence
the cellar Of well built house was as i'm
portant as the kitchen above. II was built,
usually, of rough, unhewn stone, with a
brick or earthen floor, with view to its be-
| ing cold in summer and warm in winter.
Frequent whitewashing took place. and the
doors were constantly left open in the sum
mer time to keep the air pure and sweet /;
no easy matter where great stores of turnips,
onions, potatoes and apples, and all garden
and field produce were gathered, with bar
rels of salt pork, smoked and dried hams,
etc. In the fall the windows and gratings
were closed up with hay, tightly packed,
leaving only small spaces IN the southern
end for the admittance of the winter sun
shine. Sloping doors and red brick steps
led from the kitchens to the cellars, and the
one was the complement of the other.
What the great chimney smoked. and
much more, the cellar preserved. Hogs
heads of salted pork, hams in brine, home
made butter in great frkins and jars, pigs
feet in vinegar, supplemented the sausages
that hung from the ratters, and the cheeses
that were piled up high upon swinging
shelves made as a protection from the mice.
II Have nf a,,,,las Of k,,,I ,ar,,,nl h.
schoo.bovs as sorely in the winter as the
gathered in. and the barrels of cider were
tapped often enough for the taste to be a
familiar one.
Roasting in those old-fashoned kitchens
was not specially easy Of accomplishment,
and was undertaken comparatively rarely,
the oven answering all ordinary purposes
but there were occasions that called for spec
ial preparations, then it was that recourse
was had to the crane or windlass. and the
primitive method 1f roasting with spit
was in vogue. Some of the contrivances
remind US of medieval times, and recall the
baronial castle with its arched fireplace in
which the wood sputtered and blazed, and
the pot hung above from an iron bar, while
the roasting apparatus, Of the most unwieid-
4 ly character, was set in motion by wind
lass, and kept rotating BY the action Of a
dog imprisoned in the framework of the
wheel. Even with this expedcnt the ser
vices Of the cook or under maid were re-
quired to keep the spit constantly moving,
and to baste the meat with long handled
spoon. The basting spoons were consider
ably larger and more unwieldly than those
used by our cooks to-day. Beneath the
roast was huge dripping pam and upon
rare occasions cakes and puddings. made of
-four and eggs, not unlike the English York
shire or batter pudding, were placed to
brown in the fat as it dripped from the
joint.
In the unprotected condition of the fire
place catastrophes were frequent, especial,
when, as was usual m those hospitable days,
the house Or kitchen door stood open. Stray
dogs, attracted by the delicious odors of
roast pig, or the seductive vapors arising
from a round of beef or quarter of lamb,
would reconnoItre the position, and seizing
their opportunity, when the housewife was
busy with her vegetables or what not, made
raid upon the dripping pan. which usually
ended les successfully than va, anticipated.
Probably burnt dogs, like burnt children,
dripping and the wrath Of the cook, alb
stained, in all likelihood. from future de
predations, fact that may have had con-
>olations even for the outraged feelings of
the presiding genius OF the kitchen. as, in
moments Of evaporation. il is not untre-
quently ,ouchsatet to Us to foresee the pro
spectiyc suiierings Of our enemies. But
there were not wanting mamy occasions upon
which no disaster accompanied the pre-
paration Of the ieasts-hright and sunny
DAYS in which the expected neighbors az
rived while the piece de resistance was still
hating before the flames, in the very
moment when the utmost energies of the
cook were required TO keep the bastln. UP
satisfactorily, when the joint was within an
ace Of "helng done 10 a turn II Then It
was that the good woman, anxiety and care.
wrestling with hospitality would depute
some maiden to refresh the guests with
/ cider, or even something stronger, in an
ticipation Of the coming feast, while she,
with anxious gaze and dripping spoon at
hand. watched the last browning of the
meat and encouraged the persistent boiling
Of the pot.
\ The knickerbocker kitchens. as all re-
cords tell Us. were often the scene of
abundant joility and gayety. The cellars
! were not stocked with winter provendcr
I without much previous labor and industry.
/ TO accomplish the needed work the neighbors
were often called IN TO help, and hours Of
\ industry were followed by those of relaxation
and merrment. The fiddler was on hand to
do his part accompanied more often than
not bv his sable assistants and when the
Y apple pairing and sausage making were duly
accomplished, the COMPANY sat down to
I rest and enjoy the strains until they changed
I to more invigorating tunes, suggestive of
, dancing and frolc. Then in trice the
tables were cleared away. egs-nogs and
cider we're handed round, ana the blazing
/ fire, as il reared up the great chimney, shed
I its titful light upon the merry couples who
\ '.trode the measure and .tipped and toe'd''
| it over the floor. from which the sand for
J the moment had been banished. How the
rafters rang again to the sound of joyful
| voices what courtship and what woolnss ;
took place in the ftful tirelight. and when
| the evening hours were over what hearty
wishes sped the reyelers on their way.
TIE ORIGIN or THE DAY
! The day was originally intended by the
| Puritan colonists, under Gov. Bradford, to
express publicly their gratitude for their
seasons harvest 1t was eleven months
since the little band arrived in Plymouth
| bay. The Mavfower had returned that
spring they were alone in the great con-
tInent, where Indian tribes were powerful
and untriehdly The next two years are re-
corded in history unusually disastrous
disease, death and priyations working serious
disaster in the little band. Instead of annual
thanksgivings, day Of fasting and prayer
was vastly more appropriate. In 1923 the
abundant harvest was spoken of by con-
temporary coonists as a heaven-sent de-
liverance from the dread of famine We
are told Of the day Of fasting and prayer
appointed for the drought, and the joyful
welcome of the rain during the service,
changing the fast to thanksgiving. The
custom thus founded was continued through
the colonial days, and after the revolution the
governors of the several New England
States continued to appoint an annual
Thanksgiving day. During the revolution the
national thanksgiving was annually appoint
ed by Congress. After the adoption of