Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-03-29
Mr.. BELCHER'S PIES.

All men, or nearly all, have an idea
that housekeeping is one of the easiest
things in the world. / thought SO my
self once, but think so no longer, hav.
ing had sad experience in one of its de-
partments. | now look upon a house.
keeper as a long-suffering, patient crea.
tIIre. Her work is never done simply be.
cause it is forever undoing itself again.
My wife was slowly recovering from a
long aud severe illness; our girl had left
without any warning a week before
Thanksgiving, and as we lived about
twenty miles out of Boston. it was next
20 an impossibility to get another. | had
managed to keep things going, although
the bill of fare was rather monotonous,
steak, toast and tea appearing more fire.
quently than we desired. Not that we
had such fondness for steak. but is so
easy to cook.
We were congratulating ourselves on
The fact that we had invited no one to
share our Thanksgiving dinner, when
the Tuesday before Thanksgiving day
my wife received note from a young
cousin in Boston, announcing that she
would spend Thursday with us, as we
had asked her so many times to visit US
whenever she got an opportunity.
She further said that she was longing
Tor piece OF good mince pie; never ex-
cept in dreams had she tasted such de-
licious mince pies as "dear Martha"
made.
After reading this gushing epistle to
me, "dear Martha" said,-
"Now, Joe Belcher. what on earth am
I to dof like Jenny very much, but
wish she wasn't coming this week, Of
all times. She will arrive here at ten
o'clock Thursday morning, and we can't
give her steak to eat every time she
ZONES to the table. However, for Thurs
lays dinner you might manage to cook
a turkey and some vegetables, if you
will do just as l tell you; but oh, deari
what shall do about the mince pies !?
would not offer Jenny Thanksgiving
dinner without them
why don't you buy some at the bake
shop?" / suggested.
A glance of whitening scorn rewarded
me-.
"Just what man would say, and yet
they are the first to rail at bakers trash.
Mince pies, of all pies in the world, must
be well made, and, you know, have al
ways prided myself upon mine.
Although had been so severely
snubbed, with all the bravery or concei:
Of my sex came TO the front once more.
"Now Martha, said cheerfulIy, "you
write explicit directions for making
mnce pies, and will try my hand
Peals of laughter were the only reply
she gave me for a second, then:
"Why, Joe, you make mince piesl Oh,
what funl You know you have burnt the
steak to cinder every day, and yester-
day when you tried to make cake to
surprise me, it looked more like square
Of yellow flannel than anything. / don't
believe you ever saw pie being made.
"You forget, my DEAR" answered
blandly, "that the first day made love
TO you, you were making mud pies.
No notice was taken Of this brilliant
remark. Martha was deeply thinking,
with very downcast countenance.
"Well, with sigh, -it is the only
thing to be done. We must have mince
pies. Just give me paper and pencil and
will write the directions. You get the
meat and put it on to boil, and then will
help you stone the raisins; but this will
be the first time made mincemeat one
day and used it the next"
Under her directions, which were some
times difficult to follow, managed to get
the mincemeat fairly good (" as Martha
said.
1t was nearly twelve o'clock before ]
laid my aching bones to rest, and dreamed
all night that somebody was flogging me,
and that was to be buried in mince-
meat did not exactly rise with the
lark, = in fact, it was after nine next
morning when awoke How envied
the men who had nothing to do but get
up, and saunter down to breakfast and
read the papers. To have to get ones
own breakfast is anything but bliss; but
when pie paste to be made stares one in
The face, it is enough to make saint
swear.
Martha was rather low in her mind
about it.
@The paste is the worst part, she said.
Il am so afraid it won't be short, and
.ougll pie paste is awful
Don't worry" said. Il think the
hardest part is done.
Armed with my recipe l descend ed tc
The kitchen. The order and cleanliness
Of that apartment needs no description,
when you hear that / had reigned su-
preme there for week. / think l can
safely say every dish and pan in the
house was full or dirty. put on an
apron, got the paste board and roller out,
then proceeded to mix -four water, but
ter, and salt together What could be
easier than that 2 Ny hopes went up.
and began to whistle Annie Rooney
When it was, as thought, all right, ]
put it on the board aud began to roll it
out.
It stuck to the board, to the rolling pin
md to my hands. What could be the
IL -..t~.o