Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-26
Table and Kitchen.
Let THANKSGIVING stand for a Red
Letter Day.

The winding sheet of summer is weav-
| ing in the roaring loom of the storm clouds.
The trees are being stripped of their gar
ments; naked they/came into the season
and naked they must go out of it. 1t is
time to be getting ready for Thanks
| giving. fFi
This distinctly American holiday is a
legacy left us bs paE honest Puritan fore
| fathers. 1t waseffofn it's very inception a
| feast day.
It's hrst observance was in the fall of
1921, when stern old Governor Bradford
| in gratitude for a bounteous harvest,
| which followed period of sore distress,
| proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and
feasting and in practical furtherance of
mis- proclamation at once dispatched four
men In search of game. Then game was
| not so scarce as in these days and the
hunters soon returned with sufficient sup
ply of game, principally turkeys, to re-
Jo1ce the heart of the brave little colony
and satisfy their wants for days to come.
In the hands OF the thrifty housewife
these good things were transformed into
very generous and surprising list of
dishes for the great day, or days; for the
ceremonies and feasting, including the time
OF preparation, lasted about month.
As Our Mothers Used to Do.
Following their example, it behooves
the home maker of today to stand a will
ing hand-maiden to generous Mother Ceres,
and see to it that on her own table the
fitting oblation is set forth, lighted by
the flaming torch of hospitality and good
fellowship.
Economic if we must before. Econ
om1ze If we must afterward; but let our
national Thanksgiving stand as a red-let-
ter day in the calendar of the household.
Doubtless one might be thankful for
abundant harvests and all the mercies of
the year on a Barmecide feast of bread
and tea; but 1t would be quite apt to lack
the spontaneity that ocular and gustatory
demonstration of natures abundance sup
plemented by the cooks best efforts bring
with it.
To the woman who believes in tradi-
ton, Thanksgiving day is not perfect if
the feast be made from modern dishes or
served after the fashion of any country
but our own.
To Undue the day with the old-time spirit
one must initiate as closely as possible the
old-time-country feast; with the simple and
homely surroundings that made Thanks
giving day at grandsir's an occasion long
to be remembered.
The old family china should be brought
forth, the antique silver released from it's
Wrappings, and even the curious, precious
bits of old pewter, rich in "reminiscences of
the past, permitted once more to do duty
In honor of the occasion. In fact, the latest
idea evolved in the realm of that favored
class who have honored the memories as
we'll as the traditions of their forebears, i'll
treasuring up the quaint family china, sill
yer and still more primitive pewter ware, Is
to use this very antique service for their
most fashionable small AFFAIRS" especially
if the guests bear the "colonial stamp.
Not a Day of Selfish Pleasure.
The day would lose it's significance if de-
voted to selfish pleasure and qualification
only. Do not forget the less fortunate and
friendless, and those far from home. There
is no sadder day in the year to the home
lose Ar4 r;aa 10, ;~ ia
one knows of some one to whom Thanks
giving would bear fuller meaning through
the acceptance of our hospitality.
Individual Customs in Families Are
Interesting.
In one household Of Knickerbocker origin,
after the dinner has been discussed, there
is a good old-fashioned experience meet
ing, when each one of the family "reckons
up his mercies,, and makes public an
nouncement of what he has to be especial
ly grateful for.
An established custom in one of the old
Philadelphia families, where children and
West,S is to have the le cofree ' and and fruit
served sin the family sitting room" after
The coffee, piping hot. is brought up by
the maid, poured by one of the aunts and
passed around by two Of the small chill
dren, costumed in white aprons and caps,
which are kept in store for this festal oc-
CdSlOu Inc Ol 0eluS CupDSdToT pro
TEN. is much sought after, the office being
transferable from year to year.
In one New England home, fortunate in
the possession of store Of colonial heir
looms, Thanksgiving day finds the TWEEN
tieth century dining room metamorphosed
into the replica of an eighteenth century
one. In front Of the spacious fireplace are
the crane, pot hooks and kettle with the
skillet toaster and baker standing on the
hearth. On the shelf above are the cider
tankard, iron candlesticks and tin lantern;
while along its edge are festooned strings
of drying apples. Above hang the old
queens arm and powder horn.
The ingle sides are set forth with spin
ming and flax wheels, warming pan and
plates and porringers almanacs and sam
piers lend realism to the scene.
Special Accessories.
While these are impossible for the major
ity Of our people, who are becoming more
and more nomadic In their habits, all the
decorations Of table and dining room should
be in keeping with the day. A pretty idea
is to bank the mantle with all kinds of
fruits and small vegetables, purple grapes,
brown-cheeked pears. rosy apples, crimson
beets and golden squashes mingled with
oats, barley. ears of corn, autumn leaves
and scarlet berries
Wind the chandelier with ropes of moss
and clusters Of bitter sweet. Light the
table with candles placed in antique iron,
brass or silver candlesticks, and for the
centerpiece use your ingenuity in evolving
jardiniere made from small half pump
kin or cabbage.
If you use the pumpkin, cut the edges in
points, scoop out the center and fill with
fruit, striving to get the best color effects.
If only the cabbage is available, strip off
the coarse outer leaves, take out the heart
and fill the delicately colored green ball
with yellow chrysanthemums and the green
Of carrot parsely or ferns
The bill of fare may be varied to suit the
purse or the individual taste, providing
that the national dishes, the real concomi-
tants Of the first Thanksgiving, find an
honored place. Certainly it should be a
feast where the special products of our own
land should be enjoyed-the turkey, the
potato, the Indian corn, the pu.npkln-the
cranberry, barberry, apple, butternut, ETC.,
should have preference, leaving foreign
dainties for other occasions.
A dinner simple enough and good enough
for anyhody would be the following.