The National tribune., 1901-04-04
APPLE.DUMpLINGs AND A GIANT CAVE.

4
Copyrighted, isssby the publishers of The NATIONAL
| TRIBUNE
APPLE.DUMPLINGS AND A GIANT CAVE.
81 Finds Ont a Treasure of Apples and a
Mammoth Cavern-Tne AdJutant Finds Out
How Much He Doesn Know About Cooking.
There were few apples raised in Geor-
| gia before the war, and the production
was almost wholly confined to the noun
| tain region where the small, old-fashioned
varieties grew, almost without care or at
| tention.
Like all healthy, normal boys, 81 was
exceedingly fond OF apples. On his way
back TO the column his attention was ex-
cited by the unusual sight in that section
OF an apple orchard, and, more unusual
still. it seemed thrifty and well-tended. Ii
was probably the property OF some man
who had Travelled in the North, and ac-
QuIred an appetite for its delicious fruit
Possibly some Northern school-teacher had
married down there, and longed for the
pleasant things Of her girlhood's home.
Following up the natural train of thought
81 looked toward the house, and saw there
one of these peculiar institutions OF Ken
tucky and Tennessee, straw-pen. these
| are pens of rails, with thick layers Of
straw inside, to protect against the cold
the Winters supply Of apples, sweet and
Irish potatoes, etc, stored there.
Hope sprang up in Sis breast. Leay-
ing the rest to move on, he rode over to
the straw-pen, and the fragrance that
greeted his nostrils when he came close
justified his hopes and made his mouth
water. There may be more delicious,
pure and penetrating perfume than that
of Winter apples in storage, but no one
has yet pointed it out. That of roses and
pinks is not equal to it. 1t always was
to 81 what a Whit of whiskey-scent is to
n thirsty drunkard. He dismounted,
thrust his hand far in through the straw,
and brought out big, blushing, fragrant
Rome Beauty.
Somebody from the Ohio River coun-
try planted tnat orchard" he remarked,
as he rubbed the chaff off with his hand,
preparatory to capacious and luscious
bite. There's more of Gods country in
this than anything I've seen in the whole
of Georgy. When Georgy's brought back
| into the Union, they ought to plant apples
all over the State, to cure 'em Of being
rebels
In corn-crib near by he found a couple
of sacks, which he filed with the fruit
one for his mess and the other for Col.
McGillicuddy, whom he knew to be quite
as fond of apples as he himself. He
threw these across his horse and made
his way after the detachment.
For three days the army deliberately
concentrated, around Sandersville, to mis-
lead the rebels that an attack on Augusta
was intended, and an invasion Of South
Carolina. The 20Uth Ind. remained quietly
resting at Tenille Station.
Having nothiDg1to do Col. McGillicud-
dy's mind turned toward luxuries. Sis
bag of apples made his tent redOlent of
intoxicating lodor,f suggestive of home
things. L. "a
'Adjutant," he.isaid one morning, as,
after signing up the morning reports, they
cot nm rniironH tiDe in front pf tho
tent, contentedly smoking, and watching
the men boiling, washing and mending
their clothes. There's nothing in the
world I'd give so much for, this minute,
as a great big mess of apple-dumpiings,
like those mother used to make. The
smell of those apples has set me to long
ing for them."
Nothing easier than to have them"
answered the Adjutant, confidently. Aunt
Minerva can cook anything. Here are
the apples. We have plenty of sugar
and -four, and it is an easy matter to
get milk. That's all that's needed"
WELL" answered the Colonel, I'm 60
ing to ride over to brigade headquarters,
TO find out what's in the air. I'll be
back about ] o'clock, hungry as wolf,
and shall expect fine dish of smoking
apple dumplings. l may bring the Cen
eral with me-"
Adjt. Willoughby was one of those in
huitdDhe Hltl
| who have no doubt in the world as to
their ability to manage anything in the
universe, and are eager to undertake any
job suggested to them.
Great Christopher" he soliloquised, as
the Colonel rode away, and he walked
back to Aunt Minerva AIMS boudoir by
the wagon, ''if apple-dumplings is what
the Colonel wants, apple dumpIings he
shall have, and by the peck. Nothing cas-
ier. Aunt Minerva Ann, the Colonel
wants a big mess Of apple-dumplings for
dinner"
Apple -dumplings?' inquired Aunt Min
erva Ann, with blank look. Whats
dem?'
"Apple-dumplings? echoed the Adult
ant, somewhat taken aback. why,
they're apple-dumplinys, that's all. Don't
you know what apple-dumplings are?"
"Nebber heared OBJ sich t'ings in all my
born days. Heared lots of apple-jack,
which old Mas'r useter take fer his morn
ms mornin', an what sets common folks
t foutin' an KILN, but nebber heared OBJ
no apple-dumpiins. Heared OBJ people
maxim pies oh apples, but nebber seed hit,
nur believed dey could do hit"
We'll, they do make pies out OF apples
gasped the Adjutant, beginning to compre-
hend the negress's ignorance, land mighty
good ones, too. Appie-dumplings are
something like pies, only they're boiled in
stead of baked, and eaten with sweetened
milk"
'Nebbe- made no pies in all my life.
Ole Nam Lie, she made all the pies, an
all de wheat bread up at de house. She
jealous OBJ de rest OBJ we'uns, an nebber
let we'uns see how she done hit. Done
| druv we'uns all away when she wukked
at hit"
"Why, it's all dead easy" said the Ad-
| jutant, with the easy confidence of youth
and inexperience. You just mix up
your -four and water, with little salt
and saleratus, just as you do your meal
and water, and then-and then-and then
you just coat your apples with it, and
boil them together, and you have your
apple-dumplings. You get q perfectly
clean camp kettle, and fill it with water,
and set it on TO boil, and get your -four
and water, aud Pll bring out the apples -
Aunt Minerva Ann did as directed, and
got out the wooden bowl which she used
to mix the dough for the corn-pone. I'm.
der the direction Of the Adjutant, who
| became momentariiy more sure that he
had mastered the whole art and mystery,
she mixed up -four and water until she
had il about the consistence of corn-dough
Il was as puzzled at first as bad as
George III, in the poem was, as to how
| they got the apples into the dough-" COM
| muned the Adjutant with himself 'As
| remember it, the poem don't explain how
| they do it, but I've thought it out All
| you need about cooking is a little common
sense, just as you need it in everything
| The trouble with that old wooden-headed
| King was that he didn't have any sense
about anything, Aunt Minerva Ann, now
| IA ..ff -