River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-18
Early New England Cheer.


Early New England Cheer.
Hartford Conn Times: The i'm
PROPONENTS in stoves have been as
marked in this century as those of al
most any other invention. In New
England homes, the stove was an UNI
heard of luxury prior to 1900 In fact,
it was very little known before 1880.
Benjamin Franklin was the first Amer
lean who experimental on the improve
ments in stoves. As early as 1745
Franklin made his experiments, and
succeeded in making marked improve
ments On what were then known as
"Holland" stoves.
We do not suppose there We're doz-
en- stoves of any kind in Hartford, and
we might safely say in Connecticut, pre-
vious to 1926 All our old citizens re-
member when stoves first came into gen
er;ll use, and remember how the heating
and cooking were done previous to that
time. Almost any of them can tell you
about those old-fashioned fire places,
where huge logs were piled up in the
cold winter months, and about which,
III ID StlltSltCIC ceth bAlt hAiA fAtoAp-
ors Many of the fire. places we're of
such huge proportions that they would
accommodate 10 foot log, coming from
the butt Of big tree. 1t wouldalmost
require yoke of oxen to draw it into
place. Still there was room for the
smaller cuts with which to make the
monster back log" burn. And in
those loosely built old houses, with their
many draughts of cold air, even fire
of these proportions was insufficient in
the coolest weather.
In extreme cold weather, however,
the unequal temperature was equalized,
and a comfortable arrangement Sc
cured by the old fashioned ''settle."
This roomy seat, with a high, protect
ing back to shield the occupant from
the cold draught, was drawn up in
front of the fire, and took the heat
without the chill. The ''old folks" and
the children had that choice place The
old clay pipe was there brought out by
grandfather.
But those e-mouthed fireplaces re-
1uired chimnevs of such great size at
the base that it necessitated houses of
correspondingly ample ground dimen-
sions. In the chimney places were
ovens of huge proportions, in which
nearly all the baking was done. Under
the oven was an ash hole, y into which
all the ashes made during the winter
were dumped aggregating several loads.
AS thanksgiving approaches the good
house wife of to-day looks ahead with
cheerful serenity, relying with conf
dence upon the improved appliances for
warmth and cooking purposes to make
the coming festal day one of pleasure
and enjoyment The housewife of 100
years ago and even of fifty years ago,
/ looked forward to the approach of
thanksgiving with pleasure, to be sure,
but not unmixed with dread at the mag
nitude of the work to be performed.
To be sure, her blooming and buxom
daughters could be relied upon to help
her, and, on the principle that "many
hands make light work." the day usual
" passed with no drawbacks to affect
the full enjoyment of the occasion.
The big oven heated to the proper
degree was of course necessary adj
iunct to q successful dinner. Here the
pies mince, apple, squash, and pump
kin-were baked Here the old fash
toned Indian meal pudding, sweet as
sugar or molasses could make it, and
often as dark as the ways of politi-
clan, was done to turn, the top crisp
and brown; here, too, was baked the
omnipresent chicken-pie, with the
orthodox opening in the center to let
out the foul gases, which, if confined,
would excite a revolution in otherwise
peaceably inclined stomachs. Then
those huge loaves of bread with the
crust sufficiently Drowned to make them
! appear tempting were slid out upon the
| table from the wide blade of a long iron
handled "slice" Sometimes meats,
chickens, and turkeys were roasted
within the walls of the oven, but for
lack of basting conveniences meats were
usually roasted in front OF the fire
suspended by wire fastened to the cell
ing. Pigs could be roasted in the oven
well enough, perhaps, but even these
little quadrupeds could be handled to
better advantage in front of the blazing
logs. On thanksgiving day it was not
| an uncommon thing to see the sultan of
| the turkey roost, properly dressed and
stuffed with appetizing viands, hanging
! in front of the fire with dripping pan
on the hearth directly under him,
| fanked by chickens on one side and
roasting pig on the other, all with their
| sides browning under the influence of
the heat. Ever and anon the bust
| ling housewife could be heard telling
Johnny to turn the turkey, or Ellen to
| give the chickens a whirl and Billy to
move the pig, while the good lady her
self would come along with the basting-
! spoon and give them each a gravy bath
| from the dripping pans.
An old gentleman, one of our oldest
and most respectable citizens, says that
| the fires in the old freplaces were per-
petual-never going out from one years
end to another BY covering the live
embers with ashes upon retiring, good
fire was sure to be found in the morn
ing. To be sure, the Undertook was at
| hand, but was seldom called into use.
| In the absence of the Undertook, how
ever, in case the fire went out, 1T was
customary to HE away to the nearest
neighbor to borrow little fire.
The schoolhouse also had to be warm
ed by fireplaces and back-logs, and the
''big boys" had to take turns in keeping
| the fires in trim. About the first stoves
seen in Connecticut were called "shoe-
makers stoves" They were oblong
square in shape, being two or three
times as long as they We're broad or
| high. When they came to be used for
heating church buildings, schoolhouses,
and public halls they were made long
enough to take in four-foot wood.
L -