The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-06
THE APPLE BEE.
BY MRS. MARY r. P. HATCH.


ing Judge Randolph's daughter?" asked
grandmother, as l munched an apple and
she sat knitting in her high-back rocker.
why, no." said l, fancying saw story
in her retrospective gaze; you have told
me about Thankful, and your mother, and
your own cOurtship. but never OF Rastus."
'Well, I'll tell you about it. Seeing you
eating that apple reminded me of it, and,
besides, to-day is the 10Th of November;
Rastus' birthday came the 17th, and l re-
member it was the day before, and almost
exactly such day as this, seventy years
ago, that l was visiting them while Alex
tended general court Rastus was showing
me his freedom suit, he'd be q next day,
when mother came down from the garnet
with trayful of APPLES, looking yeXed
enough.
"'Apples keeping well?' asked.
No; they must have got little touched
by the frost before they were gathered.
There's one whole bin beginning to rot
already, and | haven't any time to pare 'em,
Mehitable is SO sick
"Mehitable was an old maid who helped
mother abou: the house.
- Why don't you have a bee? 1 asked,
Tor to tell the truth | wanted to see the
young folks, my old mates, you know, and
show them my BABY, because l thought he
was the smartest and prettiest child that
ever was. That was your Uncle William,
dear. Beside, Squire Dooiittle's niece Mis-
tress Randolph, was a-vlSiting them from
Nirglnny while her father was away in En-
gland, and / thought that maybe she would
come. I'd heard great deal about her, but
L hadn't seen her. though she had been
visiting at the squire's now for six months
or SO. So waited to have bee.
A beer spoke up mother, well, now, l
never thought Of that Pm glad You spoke
OF it. Russia What do you say to that
R1stus? They are nothing dreadful
80 Let 'em rot said be, throwing down
an armful of wood with crash. He left
the room after it when / first spoke of the
bee and now he slaughtered up and looked
50 fierce at mother that spoke up quick as
as could be
40 / should think you would be ashamed
to speak so TO mother
80 Mother don't mind what Rastus says
said he, going up to her and patting her
shoulder, and he smiled at her in such
tender way that | wondered. as l always
did, why he was 50 cEaaSeable; quick, but
loving, nobody minded what RaStus said
that was true. but everybody liked him;
mother set more by him than all the rest of
US children, so We thought, but she said she
never knew any difference, only he was her
baby
80 Let's have the bee. Pm twenty-one to-
morrow, so if We have it then we can call il
birth-nigbt party. I'll kill a goose and
the white turkey that's been shut up so long
and well have real frolic. Shall l invite
Mistress Randolph, mother?'
"' Why, Of course; it wouldn't do to
slight the squire'S folks
49, That's so. She'd feel hurt, no doubt,
not to have chance to soil her pretty hands
pairing apples, ana he went off whistling,
but he didn't look so happy as he tried to
seem. l could see that he didn't moren
half want the party.
" hat does lie mean, mother? Is she so
very EWTP SH ..,, n,o.s ,,..,,
way, they say so, bat | took tea at the
squire's spell ago, and she was very help
ful and CHEEKY. She didn't seem proud 10
me, but she isn't like Mandy Smith
:" | should hope not, mother
Nor yet like you, Jerusha, nor Thank
full, nor Keturah. l think it's q way she
has
"Almira Bean rode up Just then on her
old white horse. She hitched and came in
to see me and my baby, and While | was
showing him OF mother spoke of the apple
bee, and mentioned that she calculated to
invite as far as Squire Doolittle's.
The land sake, you don't mean. Well,
now, | neverr said she.
What's there so dreadful about having
an apple pairing? They are common enough
said !.
"Oh. it isn't that; twas inviting that
Randolph girl, with her silk gowns and her
white hands, and her neck Just So and she
twisted her head back in way that made
me laugh.
go Mother says she as pretty behaved as
need be- said |; and as to her hands and
neck she can't well leave them at home, but
she can her silk gown, and I'm sure l hope
she WILL
So Rastus wants her to come, don't hep
she asked In her sly way, that knew meant
something, according to accounts, she don't
show none of her pride to him, or he
wouldn't go to see her SO much.'
Does he 90 10 see herr? | asked.
Lor, you don't mean to say you haven't
heard! Why, they say he's waitn on herP
"'Almira, spoke up mother, wont YOU
just step this way and see this piece of
cloth? l took it out of the loom to-day. /
calculate there's enough for two full SUITS
Going to make Rastus' freedom suit
OF 1T? He's almost q, isn't he p
Yes, he'll be q Tomorrow But she
didn't tell her about his new broadcloth
suit bought in Falmouth.
" took right hold with mother after
Almira left, and We got along amazing spry;
mother was always master hand at cook
Ing. l cut up the pumpkins that afternoon
and stewed them, and mother heated the
brick oven. Stoves? Why, there were no
stoves then; roasting and baking was done
In the BRICK oven that was first heated hy
making, in it rousing fire; then the fire
was taken out, and the baking put in
furthesf in, you know, go the things that
must take the longest. We had long
shovel TO pull 'em out with. Yes, and the
stewing and boiling was done in pots that
HulS VII tIit Cidut UNtE Tue HTeDi1c6. bis
cults and johnny cakes we baked in a tin
baker before the blaze on the hearth. How
was 1t made? / don't know as | can tell
you so you'll understand. 1t was h'isted up
on legs with slanting roof. but open on
the side next to the fire. The nan was set
into it. and the tin kinder drawed the heat,
When the side nearest the fire got baked.
the pan was changed about.
well. well, where was ~ If you ask
me to explain so much l shall never get to
rGfn rpfe lAaN iF.fr 10 n
Oh, yes. Mother baked beans and brown
bread and white bread, and mince and apple |
pies in the evening. Then the next day we
were up bright and early and got on the
corned beef and heated up the oven again
Tor the goose and turkey, the pumpkin pies
ginger bread, seed cakes and lection cake.
Mother had on hand pickles. cheese, pre-
serves and picked tripe and onions, so we
calculated on passing round apples and but
ternuts early in the evening.
"4 on always laugh, dear, when l tell
about the cooking. Folks didn't eat any
more than they do now, but, you see, people |
got in the way OF cooking a great deal, and
Of course mother wouldn't be outdope.
Father was a good pIovider and never
stinted her in victuals.
THE long kitchen was cleared out for the
pairing and by and by the dancing. The
long settle and the cane bottomed chairs
were ranged on one side fronting the fire.
place, and the round chair table was turned
back and placed by it for Parson Saltwater
when he came. 1t made q curious looking
chair. as you can guess, but it was the seat
OF honor. The top of the table made the
outer part of the chair back.
- Ii do say it, no dresser in town held
brighter silver than mothers, nor hand
somer china. Her mother brought it from
England. As for the pewter cups, what
with the securing you couldn't tell them
from silver.
The kitchen was low and ceiled with big
rafters. Hooks that were driven into them
held long poles on which pumpkins were
strung to dry. ard tomorrow the apples
would be there. Wooden candlesticss two
or three in bunch, were nailed to the wall.
but the best light of all was made by the big
roaring fire on the hearth. Fathers and
Rasins' guns were slung overhead, and un-
der them hung the crooked-necked squashes.
The great stone hearth. eight feet long.
stretched before it. where lay our yellow
cat and Rastus' dog whenever they got
chance. 1t was pretty often. too, for when
fl.aE h..