The Delta independent., 1888-11-27

but l was more than paid II could only
watch Grandmother roll the thin crust out,
lay 1t so neatly over the Dishes shave off
the edge so close, and then, after filling 1t
with the red, or yellow, or creamy mixture
before her In big bowls, cut strips Of paste
with the dough-spur and ornament their
surfaces. What work Of skill 1t was to
set those pies in the oven and never spill
drop or slop the broad edges of crust and
when they came out glazed and crisp, and
fit to melt in your mouth like the cream
tarts of Bedreddin Hassan!
And all this time somebody else has been
cutting up chickens, and packing their
nicely jointed bodies away in an iron pot
for the chicken pie. There they simmer,
being now and then tormented with q fork,
to see how they are doing; while Grand
mother makes more crust and pounds 1t
'like Trojan. )" as the old sewing g-woman
used to say. Now the last pies are out
and set on the buttery shelves-almost
forty of them, as we'll as small girl can
count rising on tiptoe and stretching her
neck to see. There are cranberry tarts-
lakes of clear crimson jelly in shore Of
f1aky crust with ornamental bridges
across; apple tarts, dark with spice, their
shining brown surfaces setting off the
delicate cream -colored rims; squash pies
(Which we always called punkin pies),
their pale yellow substance savory with
ginger, cinnamon and cream and eggs, be-
sides the squash! Marlboro puddings,
rich enough to give an elephant dyspepsia,
and which in my secret heart / always
thought were made of pOmatum, they
looked so clear and yellow and tasted so
of lemon-peel-just as pomatum smelt
Mince pies were never made in our house
Till ChriatmQa. hnt w had rnVQrQA annla
pies, where the apples were piled in with
out sugar or spice, till the covering crust
looked like bag of walnuts. And, when
these were baked, that upper crust was
lifted off and the inside carefully mixed
with butter, sugar and nutmeg and then
the top replaced. This was delightful
performance to behold. Now was
the chicken pies turn. The oven
was re-heated, and the great
pastry, in a deep yellow dish, set in to
bake, adorned with twists and curlicues
or every sort. and hole left in the top,
much to my childish wonder. Now the
guests might come, and come they did
some from the river-boat where they had
spent long, weary day; some from the
stage, that ratified and rumbled up to the
door, and unloaded there more bundles
and babies than 1t ought to have held.
And oh! what fun 1t was to hear the house
ring with fresh voices; to see our dear,
handsome old grandfather welcoming
them all SO heartily; to hear fires crackle
in the spare room and in the drawing
room; to see the tea table with an extra
leaf for extra guests; and see them all en-
10Y the bread and butter, the loaf cake,
the cookies, the dried beef, the pears and
cream, that nobody ever got 80 nice any
where but at grandmother's house. And
then there was the last delight Of the day,
to see mother, just as was dropping off
into sleep, standing close to the lamp to
baste In bit of old lace into the throat of
my green merlno dress and pin on the
front her own little pin Of rough Carolina
gold. Oh! my mother!
Are you tired, Polly? "Teep on" 1t
is we'll for mamma that her little girl likes
.talkee-talkee, " as the Indians say; for
those days are very fresh in ny mind, and
sometimes l can't help crying when i
think about them, and then forget how
much l have said. But the next day Is
Thanksgiving. Grandfather is down
stairs early, and has q big bright fire all
ready; and there is sweet, gentle Aunt
Clara, with the last baby beside her knee,
and smile and kiss for all of US; there
are half dozen cousins and five or six
other aunts and uncles; and get into
SoAhCts bhcAt anu buys lOtc tucm ALI
but couldn't say SO, possibly. So get
out Of sight all can, swallow my break
fast, and am happily at play under the
table with paper boats and handkerchief
babies. and my dearest cousin TAT, the
dearest boy in the world, / think; when
mother comes for me to be washed and
dressed and 60 to church. Taf Is big
man now and general. He has taken
ports, and conquered rebels and been
trailed about the world from pillar to post.
and been praised by the newspapers and
honored by the country; but asked him
not long ago If he remembered how we
played boats under the table, and he
laughed and said he did.
I'm sorry to say l didn't like to be
washed and dressed and 20 to church. Pol
ly. My nose was always rubbed up, and
soap got into my eyes, and my hair braid
ed in dreadfully tight pig-tails. wanted
to stay at home, and see the big turkey
roasted in the roaster. should have
liked to baste him through the lid behind
and turned him on the spit. l wanted to
help stick cloves into the cold ham, and
score the mashed potato before 1t was
put to brown In the reflector; but had to
go to church, for all that, In my plum
colored pelisse and the pea-green silk
hood, lined with pink and edged with
squirrel fur, that was made for me out Of
piece OF old Aunt Eunice's petticoat.
She left two Of them-one sky-bIue and
one pea-green, quilted In flowers and
scrolls and in the most elegant manner;
and they made beautiful hoods, Polly.
But then there was church. We sat in
a square pew close by the pulpit, and
when the long prayer came l always got
up on the seat and knelt down ami looked
out Of the window into the graveyard.
There were two tombstones under the
window, very small and brown. with a
disagreeable cherub's head on each of
them and letters to tell about Mr.. Joseph
Hancox and two little sons, from New
Hampshire, lying there. used to won
der II they liked to be buried there and
have burdocks grow over them. l never
did like burdocks! Then looked around
a little at the people. and gaped good
deal, and slid down into my seat, and
heard DR.. Hawes come to very near the
end, and say "finally." Then brighten
ed up, and pretty soon they sung hymn
out Of Dwight's hymn book; and old Mrs,
Ellery, In the widows slip, sung. She
had very queer, cracked voice, and 1
used to wonder what made her sing. But
there was only one hymn. The rest were
anthems and set pieces, very loud and
long. So was the sermon. The Doctor
thumped the cushions and made
deal Of noise; and / did not
know about politics and got SO