Iron County register., 1888-11-22
Old Times.

past, {, forone, feel as though we ough'
to be thankful whether those that we
hoped would be elected, were or not,
that the world will move right on. and
that the sun will rise aud set all the
same; that we will haye seed time and
harvest; and now that the seed-time
and harvest have come and gone foi
another year, that the ground has
brought forth its increase, our barns
and cribs are full to overf1owipg; that
the earth has brought forth abundant
ly of the different kinds of grains and
yegeta bles aud fruits, each after its
kind. How our hearts ought to go up
to the Giver of all good for his goodness
to each one of US, and with grateful
hearts acknowledge all of His goodness
to us in Thanksgiving.
Now, let me, In Imagination, go back
to Thanksgiving at my boyhood home.
Thanksgiving in the New England
States is to that country what Christ
mas is to the south and west. About
the first or second Sabbath in Novem-
Der, every body, old and young, went to
meeting expecting to hear the minister
read the governor of the States procla-
nation for Thanksgiving. When the
governor sent out his proclamation
every minister of each denomination
was furnished with a copy, and it was
read from the pulpit to the congrega-
ton. / can we'll remember how anx-
iously, we all, old and young, listened
to the reading of it. How well / re-
member our minister as he stood up in
the pulpit, way above those sitting in
the pews below; and those seated in
the galleries looked down t1 him as he
stood with that great sheet held out at
arms length, in full view of us all. And
as he slowly and solemnly read each
sentence, kind of awe crept through
ones feelings; and when the minister
had finished reading, I can see him
slowly fold that great paper, and as he
did SO, talked to the people of how
much they had to be thankful for; and
in the enj 'yment of their bundance to
not forget the poor, but remember them
with portion of the good things God
had given them; to see that no one be
feft out. And. after the benediction,
what shaking of hands and kindly
greeting! What pressing invitations
were being exchanged among the heads
of the families land We boys-do you
suppose we did not think of the jolly
times were to have on the after Thanks
giving? Ah, what busy times we will
have from now until then. What great
for that day of all days.
What quantities of pits; Mince pies,
pumpkin pies (tl.e pie of all pies), and
apple pies. what loaves of bread, what
quantities Of gingerbread, were cooked
up beforehand; and as each day
brought US one day nearer. what time
among the turkeys and chickens!
Well do I remember the last Thanks
ing day at the old home. was fifteen
years old, and my mothers boy-girl.
Right in the thickest of pie-making my
mother was taken sick with one of
those awful sick headaches. 20 what
shall we do now with all those pies to
finish and that oven most hot?" said,
You go to bed and 1 will boss the con-
Dern." 'No, you will spoil it all!"
''You just go to bed," and I took hold
Of her and put her to bed. (She was a
little woman then.) I closed the bed
room door and went to work. I tell
you, Mr.. Editor, just went to work
and spread myself! But I found it no
small job had on hand, with about
half hundred pies of all sorts on the
way, and that big brick oven almost
hot enough to clean out. When I had
all the pie-crust used up that mother
had prepared, found enough material
left for about a dozen more pies; so
made some more crust, and made my
private mark on them. so if they were
not as good as the others | would know
who was to blame. About night my
mother had got over the spell, and
had all the baking done and the things
cleared away-everything up in good
order. / took mother into the pantry
and showed her my rows of pies on
the pantry shelves, and she said,
''Those do look nice. don't they? They
are just as good az could have made"
And now do you want to know how
my pies came out? At that Thanks
giving dinner my grandmothers were
both there and when those pies were
passed they said II guess you put in a
ing"
AT last, Thursday morning draws
upon us with the ground covered with
snow, but the sun shines out warm and
nice. As is the custom, all go to church
but the mother. who is left to put the
finishing touches to the dinnrr table
and bake the chicken pie, for it could
be no THANKSGIVING without that, the
glory of the feast. Oh how
long those sermons seemed to us boys
and girls: I used to think they were
written on purpose to give US good
appetite for Our dinner and make as
thankful when the minister said amen!
And now we collect all of our company
together that are to take dinner with
US, and start for home. When all have
reached home and are shown into the