The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-28


down. a level trench of snow, its white
ross emnbasized here and there by
match of brown earth showing from Some
under-wash in the banks. Southwark
At the center Of the town, file OF lew
dccked boats lay soldered TO theH
wbarvas by the snow-coyered ice Ia
tho near fields to the north the white
ridges. piked with last years cornstaiES'
Suggested to boys and dogs rich posst
bilities in rabbits The like possibilities
Though in lesser degree, were suggested
hv tba nearer common, thickly ne
strawn as it's white surface was with
hIack-fanked logs, lying there each under
its long. narrow napkin of snow until the
ircp-toothed gourmand, whom one eouia
hnar yyeening at his feast from over on
tba river hank, should be ready to have
tbam served TO him, and the rows or
foot tracks. Juvenile and canine, running
all about. limited of efforts to realize on
some such possibilities here. A wider
whittier common ON the east, with the
clumrs Of white houses, smoking chin
news and black cowsheds on its edges,
and the steel blue sky dropping down ne
vond. was a very picture of the season.
Over a large mill pond on the west GID
ed the skaters, boys and girls, who had
themselves. with shovel and broom, by
hard, hot labor, in brief hours after
school, cleared of snow the scant ways
rhey traversed In one corner of thls
mill pond on the morrow, if the morrow
Glanced to be a Sunday, in pool re-
heved of ice for the occasion and hedged
about by throng of spectators, they
would baptize the latest converts OF the
winter REVEALS.
Hither and thither, about and all
through the town, wound the deep-trod-
den foot paths. so narrow that when
two people met one must needs step out
into the full depth of the snow, for no
provision of ordinance or custom exacted
of householders any contribution in
this sort to the public convenience, and
except in small patches at gateways and
before the doors Of stores, the snow was
left lying until sun and travel dissolved
it. And since in 0seeola. the rubber
boot was at yet unknown and the rubber
shoe was disdained of men as a wear
beneath their manhood, one rarely failed
TO find, in the houses and the stores, a.
man sitting with his feet fattened against
the hot stove, sizzling off the snow taps
from bis boot heels.
In milder seasons the prevailing form
of social entertainment was evening
teas but now there was apt to be q
round Of rather stately dinner parties.
The ladies came in carefully treasured
black silk gowns, of the richest and
stiffest material with wide collars Of
white lace. and lace-edged white lawn
under sleeves. The men wore coats of
black broadcloth, no less carefully kept
and no less excellent in quality; and
h.nh Ell In aal,
silk or satin neckerchiefs The dinner
cooked mainly by the hostess own hand,
was served in two courses, but out of its
abundance might easily have furnished
forth II or u Of the daintiness which
courses acquire when they are made a
particlar point Of Turkey and oysters,
four or FIVE vegetables, like number OF
cooked fruits. pickles sour and pickles
sweet, coffee and hot rolls, with a dessert
of two kinds OF pie, a rich preserve sery-
ed in cream, and cake that was the
chef doeuvre Of the feast-these were
the least that decency would allow; and
the guest was expected to select be-
tween them, but to eat somewhat Of ALL
The company came to table for these
dinners with a certain hesitation and
awkwardnesg, and for little while ar
ter they were seated conversation rather
Jagged First there fell sharp, expect
ant silence until the minister, If present
as he usually was, bad invoked a bless
ing Then as the host took carving
knife and fork in hand and rose from
his chair with certain confidence
every eye and all attention fixed intently
on him, and remained so fixed while
with single sturdy stab he planted the
fork inlmoFably astride the knob Of the
breastbone Of the turkey and with his
keen knife deftly unjointed wings and
legs, cut away the white breast meat in
thin, wide slices, and by bold stroke
through the bones and tissue of either
fian and n nice, quick turn on the ham
die of the fork, triumphantly cleared
away the breastbone and exposed 10 APP
petizlng view streaming, odoriferous
mound Of gray stuffing With this the
company drew an audible breath and
settled back comfortably in their seats
as when mid-air acrobat precludes his
feat without breaking his neck and
shortly the talk began to show some
thing like huency: But until the cary
ing was well achieved, beyond a staple
compliment OF two to the carver-us,ial-
ly tipped with jest to save it from any
suspicion OF sentiment or fulsomeness-
ana perhaps query to the hostess re-
garding her method of dressing AMI
cooking turkeys, little or nothing was
said.
1t was almost q violence on custom.
therefore-occasioning subsequently I'M
der this aspect surmises of prompting
scarcely less than tiendish or proyiden-
tial-when dinner given by Mrs.
Hamlin Wampler, Mrs. Luther Gears be-
gan, in the very height Of the carving, to
tell qGite story of the loss of a spoon
She told it in plaintive, mGveling tone;
how, after a dinner given by herself JIG
days before, TO substantially the present
company, when she came to collect hen
silver, with n view to washing and put.
ting it away with her own hand (as her
careful custom vast, she found a spoon
missing-one of her holy-sprig spoons
Nobody attended much, for Wamplel
was really doing a very neat Job N0nf