The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-11-28
AN oLD.rAsH1oNED THANKSGIVING


AN oLD-FAsHIONED THANKSGIVING.
Our cousin Horace will come for US
to- o-morrow, perhaps good fortune will
bring him to night. To be sure the late
storm-very apt to come just before
Thanksgiving, has carried away the little
bridge across the-river, but that
simply means a still longer ride over the
sparkling snow, made gay by the bright
moon, the keen frosty air, the merry
sIeig ghbells, Six miles heightened to eight
by the kindness of the Storm King
How glad we are over the very thought
of being on hand the night before TO
witness the plucking of the chickens,
the fat four Founders for broiling and
stewing and the poor little unfortunates
of the late summer Matching, which, like
the -four and twenty blackblrds," are
doomed TO pie, to fold their poor little
wings at rest under puff paste blanket.
Cannibals that we are, this thought lie
something more than restful to our
childish fancy. We dodge for a sly
peep into the "buttery,' where rows of
shelves are ladened with the product of
many hours preparation and labor. We
aste beforehand, in imagination, the
golden custards, the rosy jellies, the
numberless kinds of pie. We sniff the
ordor of Thanksgiving cake redolent
with spices and flvors innumerable, oh
delicious
We are not disappointed, for once,
Here we are safe and sound, so muffled
we can scarcely walk or breathe. The
little square foot stove, which does duty
at church as well as upon 5leigh-rides, is
brought in and deposited safely to be
ready for future use; somebody may be
| i'll tomorrow evening or next day, who
knows? and will need its friendly
warmth and comfort. Here ls the very
small piece of soapstoDe, no larger than
my lady's prayer book; heated hot it has
served to keep ones fingers warm.
To have this pleasure as child, keen
ly alive to the romance attached to the
environment produced by great, open
fire in a large, old fashioned fire place,
wax candles elsewhere, cousins of all
ages and yes to chat and frolic with,
while the elders and betters are having
their good time in the "front ROOM" to
be allowed that much coveted privilege
OF sitting up "little longer" this is a
III vel q
strong reality to many a man and woman
| of to-day,
There is nothing like an open fire to
lend enchantment to every nook and
corner of room, The mystic influence
of the flicker and the sheen of freight
dancing upon the wall, the glow of the
ruddy ember, each have a warmth and
brightness Incompatible. Faces and
scenes touched with this glow have a
radiance which the lapse OF years can
not dim.
The youngsters" are finely tucked
up in bed, elders follow suit, the fire
dies down and the calm of Thanksgiv-
ing Eve has settled upon the house, The
hours speed away and the day is upon
US, 80 full of pleasure and delight. All
but the mother go to chuch, and the
heated brick oven silently but surely
does its work, The dinner hour arrives,
Cousin Horace takes his place, gay, de-
lightful, hospitable man that he is; he
bids us welcome. All draw near, Oys
ters the first an only "course" and a
rarity in those days, tasting as no
other oysters can ever taste again, are
disposed of quickly amid great chatter
ing and laughing
Everything is arranged upon the table,
The turkey and beef each roasted
10 turn. The chicken-pie big enough
to last all winter. Yellow chickens
boiled too tender for anything. Fresh
pork, the "chime," brown and juicy.
Often tiny pig roasted entire with his
little legs tucked under him, tail curled
up, and an ear of yellow corn in his
mouth, convulses the children. Vege-
tables of all kinds mashed potato and
turnip; onions with cream dressing /;
squash, carrots boiled whole beets cut
10 thin slices with a dressing of butter,
salt, pepper and little vinegar Gran
berry sauce, ounce preserves. currant
jslly. Bread, wheat and rye, with fresh
sweet butter. Coffee and tea: rich
cream conical shaped loaf sugar with
shrars to cut 1t.
A generous help from all these Wand,
heaps the large plate to Overlooking.
The short winters day begins to wane
ere the rice pudding filled with plums is
brought from the side-table where, with
four kinds of pie and the frosted loaf of
Thanksgiving cake, they seem TO have
cast answering glances to those of the
children so lovingly gwen from time to
time. There Is the cranberry tart, with
its particular fascination, produced
by the gay color crossed by narrow
strips of paste and the yellow pump.
kin, delicate apple, rich and toothsome
mince.
Everything lends to the perfection of
this day. We may well say, I'VE would
rather 20 without the best that has ever
come TO US to know OF than never TO
have know anything about it"-the real
Thanksgiving Day of our grandmother
time. It is "said some men do indeed
suggest their cooks and their tailors in a
certain way they have of regarding and
speaking of life." II is certain those
people who were fortunate enough to
experience all this lavishness of the an
cient Thanksgiving must have attained
freedom and large-heartedness very
sug Ostive of the fact.
II everything moves in circle in the
progress of the world it is not com
patible with our present environment to
make one hundred pies at time, ten
loAves OF cake, or load the table with
such an abundance OF richness. En-
iovment rest upon memory for those
who have lived 1t, upon description for
those who have not, As a diseolving
view Il fedes gently away from sight
Good Housekeeping.