The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-05-05
THE MINISTER'S PIE.


table, with its generous array Of unbaked
pies and cakes, the plump turkey stuffed
and trussed, ready for to-morrow's baking, |
and the big chicken pie to which her skill
full fingers had just put the finishing |
touches, as she repeated, rather more do.
cidcdly:
Look here. Sally There's enough |
chicken left, with tho gibots-that never
put in my own pie, because tho deacon
don't relish 'em-ter make Thauksgivin'
pic for tho miniater's folks. 'rwon't need
ter be very large" she added in reply to
Sallys doubtful look. "0nly the minis
ter and his wife-and you can bake 1t in
that smallest yaller dish. Now, I'm goin'
up stairs to look over them rug rags, an
you make IL an bake 1t right off, so't
/ can send II over by the deacon. He's
got ter go out to the Corner this afternoon
an can take 1t along as well as not"
She hustled out of the door, but the
next moment, seized, perhaps with sud
den paDg Of conjunction, she put her
head In again, TO say warningly:
"Be sure that you put in good parcel
Of gravy; thatll keep it from bein' dry, If
tits half giblets."
"Yes'm," answered Sally, briskly, and
catching up the rolling-pin she brought it
down with an emphasis upon a lump Of
uOuRH uUOu lub inOiu DOdius
AS the stairway door closed behind her
mistress, Sally dropped the rolling.pfn, aud
a look Of perplexity crept over her dull
face, making it ten times more stolid than
usual, while she repeated, in ludicrous be-
wilderment:
"Gblets What, in all creation, if any
body can tell me, does she mean by them p
Involuntarily she took a step forward,
but checked herself as quickly, while
IL a =. -
ity, and she muttered triumphantly
II guess l Amt a goin' ter confess my
ignorance ter the deacon's wife, an hear
her say, as she always does, Two terms in
'cademy, Sally, an not know thatP' No,
nam not while there's a 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 for the mysterious
word.
"G-i-b-here 'tlsl" and she read aloud,
with an air of triumph, the following
definition:
Those parts of fowl that are removed
before cooking-the heart gizzard, liver,
ETC."
That's it!--'heart, gizzard, liver and 80
FORTH" she repeated joyfully, as she re-
traced her steps to the kitchen and began
with great alacrity to fill, according to di-
roctions tho minister's pie; keeping up,
meanwhile, a running fire of comment for
her own special benefit.
"Six gizzards Well, that's rather
steep, as Dan Watson would say. But
guess the deacon's wife knows; If she
don't, faint none o. my business Six
hearts Them's small, an tuck into tho
corners handy. Six livers Seems ter me
they don't fill up much!' and she glanced
with a perplexed air at pile of denuded
chicken-bones that formed her only re-
source.
"Now, / wonder" with a sudden in.
spiration, what that aud so forth meant?
Here's hearts, gizzards aud lvers, plenty
If EN-, but no and so forth, an the pie
amt more'n two-thirds full yet. 1t must
mean" and she cast bewldered look at
the balf-flled pie, "the chickens legs /
never knew nobody ter put EN- in a pie,
but that must be what it means, as they'll
Just fill 1t up
No sooner thought than done. In went
the three pairs of stout yellow legs, upon
which their unfortunate owners had strut
ted SO proudly only day before on went
the well-rolled dough, covering them from
sight, and into the oven went the minis
ter's pie, just as the mistress of the house
re.entered her kitchen, and with an ap-
proving glance at the snowy pastry, re-
marked encouragingly: "That pie looks
real neat, Sally. l shouldn't wonder if in
time you came to be quito cook"
1t was Thanksgiving morning, and Miss
Patience Pringle stood at the minister's
back door, To be sure it was rather early
for callers, but Miss Patience was, as she
often boosted, zone of the kind that never
stood on ceremony" Indeed, she didn't
consider it necessary even to knock before
she opened the door, although she was
thoughtful enough in opening IL to do so
safely. The ministers wife was just taking
FROM the oven newly-warmed chicken
pie, which she nearly dropped from her
hands, so startled was she by the sharp,
shrill voice so close to her ear.
Good norma, Miss Graham. Haint
been to breakfast yet, soc; we had ours
half an hour ago. know my mother used
ter say that If anybody lost an hour in the
morning they might chase after it all day
and not ketch up with it then. That's u
good.looking pie; pretty rich pastry, though,
for a chicken pie. don't never put much
shortenin' in anything of that kind, it's
rich enough inside ter make up. But
you're young, and have good many things
TO learn yet. i run in ter see If you could
spare me cup of yeast; mine soured, an
the last batch Of bread l made l had ter
throw to the hogs"
Certainly" and roguish smile fitted
over the fair face of tho ministers wife at
this specimen of her meddlesome neighbor's
own economy. But she had learned the
rare lesson of a judicious silence, aud taking
the cup that Miss Patience produced from
beneath her shawl, she babe her visitor be
seated while she left the room to get the
desired article.
AS her steps died away Miss Patience
noselessly arose from her seat, and, ap-
preaching the dresser upon which the pie
stood, peored curiously into the apertures
in the crust, her sharp face expressing eager
curiosity.
"Ill bet ninepence she didn't know
enough ter put crackers in. ] wish / could
get one look, just ter satisfy my own
mind,' she added. And, determined to
accomplish her object, at all hazards, she
ran knife deftly around small portion
Of the edge, and, inserting four inquisitive
| fingers, lifted the brown crust aud took a
glimpse of the contents.
A look Of unmitigated disgust passed
over her face. Dropping into convenient
chair, she actually groaned aloud; well,
never an we payin' that man $500 year,
besides donation party at Christmas.
| OughW
Inscriptions Mrs. Graham, rs she re-
turned with the yeast, was somewhat puz-
zled by the sudden frostiness of her guest,
who hurried out of the house as il some
dreadful contagiOn had haunted it; but
when the minister in carving the pie that
the deacon's wife bad sent, made two Curl
Gus discoveries almost simultaneously, tho
reason for Miss Patience's altered demeanor
was made plain, and the young pair in
dulged in hearty laugh that made the old
parsonage ring like peal of Thanksgiving
| bells.
The Tuesday following was the regular
day for the weekly sewing circle, aud sell
dom had that interesting gathering proved
so lively and animated as on this occasion.
Miss Patience was In the field bright and
early, aud 1t was evident at glance, TO
those who knew her best, that she was we'll
| niph hnrstinp with enmn i'm nnrtanh snnrnt