Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-11-27
OF TURKEY AND FIXIN'S.
WITHOUT THEM WHAT WOULD
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THANKSGIVING BE?
Boston Record.
Thanksgiving would not be Thanks
giving without its turkey and fxin's.
Who does not remember who can look
back to an old fashioned Thanksgiving
at a New England homestead, with what
anxiety he awaited the opening of the
great brick oven? Very early in the day
roaring fire of wood was built in the
oven. A couple of hours later the
embers and ashes would be removed
and the bottom of the oven carefully
swept with turkeys wing.
Then came the procession of good
things, the turkeys, the chicken pies,
the apple, mince and pumpkin pies and
all the rest, and disappeared in the
cavernous depths. Mysterious sounds
and fragrant odors came from those
same depths ever and anon, as some
matron approached and, opening the
iron door peered in for moment.
THE WELCOME DINNER HORN.
The boys and girls could scarcely wait
for the slow process of baking to be
performed properly. Driven at last from
the kitchen by their elders, they took
refuge in the attic, where they rum
mayed to their hearts delight; or in the
outer air, where they passed the time in
playing those time hOnored games of
two old-cat' or "barn tick" They were
never too diligently employed at either
of these occupations to hear the dinner
horn. They responded promptly when
its melodious tones burst. upon the air,
but paused decorously at the door of the
great kitchen.
What scene burst upon their eyes
and what odOrs delighted their senses!
The long table, formed of all the tables
in the house set in a row, was covered
with spotless linen. At either end and
in the center huge turkey thrust his
crisped legs appeallngly in the air, while
midway upon each side reposed great
chicken pie, with diamond shaped hole
cut carefully in the flaky top. Dishes of
white potatoes, golden squash, pale yell
low turnips, fragrant onions and crimson
cranberry sauce held their appropriate
places, while bowls of gravy and great
branches of celery filed the intervening
spaces.
THE SCIENTIFIC CARVER.
The curved outlines of those mammoth
gobblers were soon lost under the knife
Of the carver. In every family there is
always one if not more who prides him
self upon his skill at carving.
always insert your fork with the
tines upon either side of the breast hone,
and, once inserted, do not remove it IN
til the carving is completed. Remove a
leg and wing first, then carve the
breast upon the same side. Cut long,
thin, smooth slices, and do not mangle
the flesh. When one side is thoroughly
carved begin on the other, if the waiting
appetites will allow" These are the
instructions that the experienced carver
will always give between the strokes of
his keen blade.
After the turkey and "fxin's" had
been disposed of, and everybody helped
twice, the dishes were removed and the
pies brought on.
THE GLORY OF THE MINCE PIE.
WHO can fifty describe the glories of
the mince pie of onr grandmothers! We
never have such snowstorms nowadays
Is we used to have when we were boys;
the woods are never so brilliant as they
were then; the fish never bites so quickly,
and the chestnuts and shagbarks are
never so fat and luscious as when we
used to find them under the leaves. So,
too, the mince pie of to-day is thin, fat
and insipid and bears no resemblance
TO those which used to come out, smoking
and fragrant, from the old brick oven.
They needed no brandy ''to make them
keep" They were for the present use
)nly. But 1t can not be denied that the
.ider in the barrel in the shed was
slightly lowered when a batch of pies
was made ready for the baking.
As for the pumpkin pies, what a rich
golden color they had, so different from
he sickly yellow of the modern marrow
'at squash. How those pumpkins used
20 glow as they lay in the field ripening
slowly in the late sunshine and growing
'weeter with the early frosts.
And the apples, too; how We watched
hem as they grew redder and redder as
he autumn advanced, until they reached
ust the exact tint of perfection. How
We used to climb the trees and drop them
nto the blue checked gingham aprons
hat the girls held stretched below.
After the pies came the nuts gathered
n the woods and raisins from the groeer's
art. And then came the season of
Meditation. Somehow it always hap
,ened that the boys did not feel just like
inishing that game of "two-old cat
lirectly after dinner. They climed to
he NOW and stretched themselves in
he fragrant hay or took walk in the
woods, soaring out rabbit OF part
idge, and coming home with handfuls
If checkerberry leaves, or sassafras, or
birch bark.
IN THE FIRELIGHT.
As night drew on formal supper was
dispensed with. Doughnuts and cheese
nd pies would be spread upon the table
or those who wished. But they were
lot in great demand A little later the
amily were all assembled in the parlor,
nd there were eharades and character
ketches and songs by the young folks.
While their elders sat around the great
ire upon the hearth.
THE BUCKEYE SAVINGS AND LOANCO.,
# Bellaire, issues certificates of deposit
or any amount of money, large or small,
N which adividend is paid semi-annually;
he dividend is the full earnings of the