The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-12-24
HARRY FARMERS TALKS.
LV L.


we we're then old enough to enj y all
the sports of the small boy. 1t was
the Christmas of that year when We
had
OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH SANTA
CLAUS
We we're told how he travelled
around with his wagon drawn by a
reindeer with long bran hing horns
and would come down the chimney
with 80 many nice things to put in
the stockings of the little ones. We
Just wanted Christmas so come! We
oOm nenced preparing for it the last
of October.
There were several of us and
mother had to KNIT our stockings.
Fne skeins had TO be held while she
wound the yarn on the ball, and as
We we're the oldest boy, it fell TO our
lot to hold the skeins. In order TO
keep Us from going to sleep, she
wOul6 tell Us tho many stories of
Santa Claus until we became so i'm
patient for thu time TO come.
A PIG TO FATTEN.
Two or three times v eek we had
TO count the number OF Sundays be-
fore Christmas would me. Would
is ever come? COud we waiS? 1t
Was first nine weeks, then eight
weeks, tnen seven weeks and then
Elk weeks before we could notice any
thlng being done for the greatest,
grandest AMI best time of tue whole
year The pig to furnish Rau.age,
pudding, spAre-rlbs and ba kOone
was puB In the pen made of Lice new
rails just out of the long leaf pine.
Or Curse, We had TO help. Some Of
the rails were too heavy for us TO
lift, but we did all thut we o0uld.
The first thing done was to lay the
floor, after which We made the pen
and put in some straw. When the
pig was brought and put in. He was
year old or more, for people thought
pig younger than that was not tit
80 eat. He was bright cherry red,
long and slender, with bristles as
,ng as your hand. We did not dare
TO g too close OF first for he would
smack his m nth and make suoh
terrible grOan that it would make
the hair rise on our heads, but we
had to go to see him a duz7n times u
day and give him sOme bread, sweet
potatoes, acOrns and any thing that
we thought he would eat. 1t was Il
week or more before he would ear
while we we're near. We thought Of
Christmas and Santa Claus every
time we went TO thas pig pen.
7HE Sc son DRAWS NEAR.
One night mother finished our
stOckings and we hung it up over
the fire place TO see how it would
look. We wondered if Santa Claus
would give any more than he did to
other children
At Last the great time was draw.
ing nearer, for the turkey and chick.
ems were caught and put in the oOops
- fatten M1tner had fni-hed all
the stockings and was making our
new cloths, which she had jusE
goven in she old Ion. We qui
cpuntiug week, n wv and just countt
laws We would hang uD that ne
.troking almost every night to be
1ure e. have il all right. We won
1ered many times how it would look
Vhen the m nv nice things were init.
THE FINAL PREPARATIONS
We oouuted again, is Wax but two
m )re nights, and then the g eat time
would come Th9 er. was now
filed with sweet potatoes TO b. made
nt) pies. { The people in this SEQ
sion use sweet potatoes, j1St as peo-
lle do pumpkins at the North, for
making pies We would stay around |
the kitchen, and if perchanoe pie |
vas soOrched it was given to US to
eat While the cook would hate |
suoh a mishap, it only made "a
happy when We peeped under and
say some black spots. The cooking |
was done in a large fire Pc ace and
spiders and ovens were used instead
OF stove. We we're told TO put some
wood on and under the oven in which
the pies were baked. The cook o. ten
scolded US for making too much fire.
Night came on and we were told
that Santa Claus did not like chill
dren that did not wash their feet at
night, so we must try to do this job
hekter than aver How particular