The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-11-27
OF TURKEY AND FIXIN'S.
WITHOUT THEM WHAT WOULD
THANKSGIVING BE-

Olden Time.
Thanksgiving would not be Thanks
giving without its turkey and fixin's
Who does not remember who can look
back to an old-fashioned Thanksgiving
at 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 en-
beers 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 per-
formed 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-catr 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 o scene burst upon their eyes
and what odors delighted their sensesl
The long table, formed Of all the tables
In the house set in row, was covered
with spotless linen. At either end and
In the center huge turkey thrust his
crtsped legs appealingly in the air. while
midway upon each side reposed great
chicken pie, with /. diamond shaped hole
cut carefully in the faky 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 filled 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 II not more who pr1des him
self upon his skill at carving.
always insert your fork with the
tines upon either side Of the breast bone,
and, once inserted, do not remove 1t I'M
til the carving is completed. Remove a
ruiv frat
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 in
structions that the experienced carver
will always give between the strokes of
his keen blade.
After the turkey and "fixin'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 ftly describe the glories Of
the mince pie Of our grandmothers7 We
never have such snowstorms nowadays
as we used to have when we were boys;
the woods are never so brilliant as they
were then; the fish never bite 80 quick
ly, 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 today is thin.
fiat and insipid and bears no resemblance
to those which used to come out, smok-
ing and fragrant, from the old brick
oven. They needed no brandy ITO make
them keep" They were for the present
use only. But it cannot be denied that
the cider in the barrel In the shed was
slightly lowered when batch Of pies
was made ready for the baking.
AS for the pumpkin pies, what rich
golden color they had so different from
the sickly yellow Of the modern marrow
fat squash. How those pumpkins used
to glow as they lay in the field ripening
slowly in the late sunshine and growing
sweeter with the early frosts
And the apples, too; how we watched
them as they grew redder and redder as
the autumn advanced, until they reached
just the exact tint Of perfection. How
we used to climb the trees and drop them
into the blue checked gingham aprons
that the girls held stretched below.
After the pies came the nuts gathered
in the woods and raisins from the gro
GERS cart. And then came the season Of
meditation. Somehow it always hap
pened that the boys did not feel just like
finishing that game Of "two-old-cat" d.
rectly after dinner. They climbed to
the NOW and stretched themselves in
the fragrant hay or took a walk in the
woods, soaring out rabbit or a part
ridge, and coming home with handfuls
Of checkerberry leaves, or sassafras, or
birch bark
IN THE FIRELIGHT
As night drew on formal supper was
dispensed with. Doughnuts and cheese
and pies would be spread upon the table
for those who wished. But they were
not in great demand A little later the
family were all assembled in the parlor,
and there were charades and character
sketches and songs by the young folks,