The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-02
THE APPLEBY PUMPKIN.
Nllp York Eneninn Post

Ntw York Euening Post
Cooks, like poets, are born, not made.
do not assert that experience, train
ing, culture, ii you please, count for
nothing, nor that the most delicate per
ception, the deftest manipulations, and
the most impeccable instincts can dis
pense with suitable material, and the
same is true OF the poet But, given
these conditions, and ninety-nine per-
sons out OF hundred can produce moth
ing beyond the conventional good din
ner which the hungry may eat with
satisfaction, and, with reasonable pru-
dence, escape harm. The hundredth
does something more. The dishes need
not be numerous nor very eXpensiYe,
Int there is about them that subtle, in
tangible and altogether delightful quail
ity which in literature and art we call
genius. A poem is but an aggregation
and arrangement Of entirely arbitrary
signs, standing for equally arbitrary
and unmeaning sounds, which in turn
are symbols Of crude and ill-dehned
ideas; and yet how charming is the
possible result.
Mrs. Appleby was that hundredth.
Her opportunities were, indeed, not
very wide nor her fame extended. To
her table came such things only as are
within the reach Of people OF moderate
means. But whether in the cooking OF
steak, the baking OF bread, the prepa-
ration OF cakes and pastry, the bric-a-
brac, so to speak, OF cookery, she
touched nothing that she did not adorn.
Nevertheless, like other artists, she
had her specialties. Although. every
thing was excellent, not everything was
superlative. The loftiest mountain
range does not maintain uniform
height throughout its extent, but here
and there pushes up above its fellows
some sublime peak, clothed in spotless
purity and lighted with the splendors
OF the sky. In some such way rose con-
spicuous above the high level-shall l
say tableland?-of culinary success her
pumpkin pies. Into their perfectness
there entered not merely good country
milk, but actual cream without stint,
eggs OF absolute freshness, rich, smooth,
delicious pumpkin in q felic-
itous union, all etherealized by
the most consummate blending
OF spicy aromas. 1t was held in a
worthy setting. For its beginning there
was. OF course, the finest OF tho wheat.
/ am told that there was lard in it, but
one not in the secrets OF cookery would
not have suspected anything so gross in
go fine creation. Light, feathery,
faky, it seemed rather sea-foam, ar
rested and semi-solidifed by some spell,
Just tangible enough to DO moulded into
a fairy cup, till, fixed by the alchemy ot
fire, with its ambrosial mixture it
should emerge thing Of beautya and de-
sire. AS for the color-oh, call them
not pies but pictures. Where could
YOU match the golden-brown, wavy,
finely wrinkled skins save IN some old
Flemish painting2
But as preliminary to the master
piece OF high culinary art, this kitchen
lyric, il you please, it was necessary
first to catch the pumpkin. This had
always, to be sure, been very easy for
Mrs. Appleby. The problem had been
what disposition to make of the very
surfeit OF good things which her own
orchards, garden and field furnished for
her table. For her great creation moth
ing would answer but the good, old
fashioned Connecticut field pumpkin.
As to those substitutes to which people
OF lower ideals sometimes resort,
souashes. however excellent for other
uses, sweet pumpkins, caohaws, sweet
potatoes, and-HeaVen help nsi-oven
Irish potatoes, she held them in utter
contempt.
But there came a time when these
conditions were greatly changed, 1t
was the exquisite irony of fate that Mr..
A. should be rewarded" for some par
tlsan service by small appointment at
the seat OF government. In comparison
with the income on which they had
lived with great comfort, tho salary
seemed quite muniiicent. They had
always classod themselves with poor
people," but their We've OF wealth and
poverty were destined to a speedy
change.
house, with its lawns, its great shade
trees and its flowers, gave place to the
narrow city house, whose very breath
seemed squeezed out of it by larger and
taller neighbors 1t was "cosey," con-
yenient, with all modern improvements;
a "beautiful house." the agent declared,
but it seemed little queer. The City
OF Magnificent Distances is, in fact,
built up In blocks like other cities.
There are few, very fow, exceptions,
whrve the older citizons havo retained
lawns and even small gardens; but for
the most part oven the wealthy must
content themselves with little strip OF
erass between their houses and the
street, euphemisttcally known US park
ing" The Appleby's had in front n
morsel Of ground about as big as n
large newspaper of the fashion oil some
wears ago. At the back was n similar
bit, over which an ambitious asphalt
walk had attempted to spread Itself.
The little remnant lent itself pasBively
to lew turfs OF down-trodden and do
iected grass. What with the neighbor-
ing houses and the high board fence,
the sun, which does not shine every
day in Washington, made only occa-
sional and brief visits in the middle OF
the day.
There ara few illa that cannot be
cured. The satisiac,ions OF life pretty
much all come from n harmonious adj
justment OF people to their surround
ings.
There wore, indeed, many compensa-
tions for their losses. Washington is
beautiful city, and no. one lives in it
long without feeling the subtle tOscina-
ton of its life. II the Applebys did
not realize all their expectations, they
appreciated their advantages and made