Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-08

woman, IN inc great Methodist revival
in Brandywine hundred Joined the
church and became good woman and
died on that line. knew her well.
Uncle George Davis farm was a
fayortc meeting place for the young
folks on sabbath afternoons. Two Of
the more frequent visitors were Abner
Cloud Lots brotherl and William
Sharpley.
| remember Abner saying, "Wcll Bill,
where shall VIC 60 to-nightg"
They came to the conclusion to go to
old Harry Beeson's house. He had a
large family of bright lively girls who
made good company for the boys. The
house is yet standing on the west side
OF the pike, as you go out Just beyond
Shellpot bridge. Harry was rather
wealthy man.
APPLE GATHERING AND CUTTING.
In the fall of the year was apple
gathering and cutting. The young folks
joined in parties to pare and cut apples
and TO make what was called apple
sauce. ] don't mean apple butter.
The girls aud boys, 10 TO 16 years old
and so on, met at n neighbours place.
The lady Of the house would prepare a
large copper kettle. A quantity of cider
was poured into it and then the cut
apples. Good apple sauce was as good
a thing on the table as rice pudding for
u harvest dinner. No inferior arples
were used for this purpose. 1t was the
Gray House or pippin. They were not
sweet apples. To make the sauce good
as it was always made then the cook
had to know her business. 1t was not
everyone who could make the sauce. 1t
was for both home use and for market.
recollect very well one occasion we
were preparing apple sauce at neigh.
boris house. We had not gone 10 bed
and had got into market with our stuff
about o'clock in the morning. II was
winter and we put up at the old
Lafayette Hotel, Third and Market
streets. If remember right the sauce was
sold at four cents quart. 1t was used
on bread but was not called apple
butter. But | want to be distinctly
understood that in those days people
seemed to be honester than they are now
in making up their stuff for market
This sauce was far superior to the stuff
we have at the present time called apple
butter.
The other day my granddaughter
brought some apple butter home to
dinner, Well, of course, rartook OF
it just for old times sake. l began at
once to find fault with it and laid it al
one side. For comparison-we had
some mince pie meat. | asked what
il was. could not tell the difference
between the mince pie and the apple
butter, they were so fixed up. There is
another kind Of apple sauce which is
still made now, called apple stew. This
is very nice to eat with roast pork. This
in the olden time was always made with
the choicest apples.
"HAvE YOU LAID IN YOUR MEAT?"
"Have you laid in your meat" was a
common question in the fall of the
year among the neighbors.
This meant the hog-killing and beef
dressing. A good farmer would lay in
enough meat at once, three or four hogs
and u good beef, which would last him
for the year If properly cared for. The
hogs ran from $50 TO $50 pounds, and
the beef from 400 to 500.
HoG-KILLING MORNING.
The morning of hog-killing day was
a very brisk one. Everyone was up
before daylight A large cask was got
ready to scald them and bench to pull
the hogs in and out and to get the hair
OIL. Tho water was heated by stones
laid ON big fire with big pots or kettles
to make start with. Then the opera.
ton Of killing and dressing commenced.
The farmers always understood the hog.
killing business. The hogs were hung
up on uprights by the hind legs and
strung by mandrel,
The best hand in the crowd was the
dresser. He was the artist of the crowd
and the boss for the day. When it was
all over a good dinner was served up.
In about day and half the hogs were
cut up and sailed down. Then they
were slowed away in tubs and barrels.
Oftentimes pickle brine was poured over
the meat.
SERVING AROUND.
A choice piece OF pork, sausage oil
mince meat was always sent around to
the nelghbors who had helped in the
hog-killing ! remember well when
had TO take the horse and serve around
TO the family connections. 1t was a
nice job for boy.
When | was a little tacker | never
cellar to cnf nm meal WE SH oU we Iiv sni
there were ALWAYS three nice bo%s ki, IeG
every fail, MIA old nan beinr E miiIey
Won NAV know the hogs were }at heaSy
and well kent It wac "igh, tima 60 ., J
particular Occasion / rrmenbsr IN TnI
bogs were niIed in IN tbe bench and j.,
removing them the very biSsest fei
rirht on me. Its two sides eneinsed NJ,
ike an enyelope, Thev had to take t thy
hor off before could gerun The mon al
LAUGHED AT the wnv was 60 cnmnistei,
covered hv The ~ unT,a,,n, ~