Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-29


look quite like November at all We, the
younger ones, had been beech nutting and
butter nutting every day for a week, but
my mother said, Now Mary, you cannot
be spared today nor tomorrow for these
wild flights that you enjoy so much, for we
shall all be needed to get ready the Thanks
giving dinner"
My father was a New Highlander of the
old pattern, very genuine, very strict, but
very gentle 1t was a wonderful couple.
She was the talker, and her tongue could
be very sharp on occasions, but she carried
q lot Of blue sky in her eyes, and when her
hair grew gray it seemed to be only like
lambs wool and not at all like snow. But
he was quiet-impressively quiet-that is,
you felt good deal with him. Some peo-
pie don't need to talk to explain them
selves; some do. But father liked fun, and
he liked a Thanksgiving dinner of the big
gest proportions. They were agreed in the
ology, in politics, in social affairs, in family
government partly, and both believed VITA
all their souls in New England cooking.
The conference was not long, because as
to the programme my father never med
died My mother, to be sure, made point
of consulting him, and he made a point of
appearing to be consulted, but he never
suggested a Change-not the slightest. II
he had! Well-but he was a wise man
For days my mother went about planning
and not talking. Her head was arranging
the whole programme At last the picture
was done The time had come to exhibit
it. 1t was after the chores were done at
night and supper was cleared away, and
we all sat in the big room. She smoothed
down her apron, then heaved a big sigh,
then got up and opened the oven door,
looked in, shut it again, sat down and
smoothed her apron once more.
Mary" said she, take your pencil and
write it down on the big slate. 1t is to be
this way. We are to invite Aunt Betsy
and Uncle johnson and his two boys Then
there will be the side table for Mrs Schoon-
son and her daughters and Mrs. Howard
and her two little fellows. Then Parson
Eliot and his wife must be here, but they'll
have to eat another dinner down to Deacon
| Hopkins, and so we must have them either
at l2 or at 8, and we'll fix accordingly.
Have you got that down, my girl?" Yes,
mother, it's l. folks, as l make out" And
| father said, But, other that'll take the
biggest shoat in the pen
Very we'll" said she, let it take the
biggest. It'll take lots more. Then there'Il
| be two turkeys and a duck and three chick
ems for the pie. Got that down, Nary"
Yes, mother"
Then we shall have pumpkin pie and
mince pie and apple pie-three kinds. Then
we shall have potatoes and squash and
| OulOnS anu anu DStlS anu CdODdk0
| We shall have biscuit and honey and
douGhnuts and Lafayette cake and Wash
| ington cake and jefferson cake. For pud-
| ding we must have some of your butter
| nuts, Mary; nothing SO fine as butternuts
| to make Il rich pudding-better than al
monds twice over. Then we must have
elderberry tarts and damsons and vcrgalien
| pear preserves.
| At this she hesitated for n moment, and
/ father IN odd asNTpf bar IiA
not say anything of cider and apples and
| baked pears and baked ounces"
Now, if my father had any weakness it
| was for baked or boiled ounces. Cook
soft, then split them open while hot and
| set on the table To be eaten with butter and
| sugar"
My mother did not say anything to this,
for she did not wish to appear to be die
| tated to in her own dominion, but she got
| up and went once more to the oven and
| looked in. ] think she saw the ghost of
that dinner Why should there not be a
ghost before body we'll as afterf 1t is
| my opinion that there is, and that it is such
ghost that often gets into our heads and
sets us at many n job. At any rate, that
dinner was as certain because it was in my
! mothers head as if it were already on the
! table.
Then she closed the oven doors very soft
ly and came back to her chair, and father
said: Mother, am glad it is done. What
a famous cook you arel There is not an
other such in 10 counties"
Then he closed his eyes, laid his head
back in his chair with peaceful smile ali
Overt it and looked to be asleep. But dc
not think he was asleep. i think he was
saying to himself, YES, she is a famou:
helpmeet, and she is herself better thar
10000 dinners"
But If one be giving thanks he may a.
we'll think of his good wife occasionally
Then his eyes peeped open at me across the
room, and there was a big tenderness in
them. There was no more use for my pen
ell. so hung up the slate and went owe!
and shampooed his head for him and &C
casionally kissed the bald spot that peekec
out from his nice brown hair II you want
to be really thankful, have a father such a
mine was