The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-04-10

the canal stretching far up and down,
a level trench of snow, it's whiteness
emphasized here and there by a patch
Of brown earth showing from some I'M
derwash in the banks. Southwark, at
the center of the town, a file Of low
decked boats lay soldered to their
wharfs by snow covered ice. In the
near fields to the north the white
ridges, piked with last years corn
stalks, suggested to boys, and dogs the
rich possibilities in rabbits. The like
possibilities, though in lesser degree,
were suggested by the nearer common,
thickly bestrewn as its white surface
was with black flanked logs, lying
there each under it's long, narrow nap
kin of snow until the iron toothed gor-
mand, whom one could hear wheeling
at his feast from over on the river
bank, should be ready to have them
served to him, and the rows of foot
tracks, juvenile and canine, running all
about limited of efforts to realize Oh
some such possibilities here A wider,
whittier common on the east, with the
clumps of white houses, smoking chin
neyS and black cOWSheds on it's edge
and the steel blue sky dropping down
beyond, was very picture of the sea-
son. Over large millpond on the west
glided 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
they traversed. In one corner of this
millpond on the morrow, if the NOR
row CHANGED to be Sunday, in a pool
relieved of ice for the occasion and
hedged about by throng of specta-
tors, they would baptize the latest con-
verts of the winter revivals.
Hither and thither, about and all
through the town, wound the deep
trodden footpaths, 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 househo1ders any
contribution in this sort to the public
convenience, and, except in small
patches at gateways and before the
doors and stores, the snow was left
lying until sun and travel dissolved it.
And since in Osceola the rubber boot
was as yet unknown and the rubber
shoe was disdained of men as a wear
beneath their manhood one rarely fail
ed 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 his boot heels.
In milder seasons the prevailing form
Of social entertainment was evening
teas, but now there was apt to be a
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
undersleeves. The men wore coats of
black broadcloth, no less carefully kept
and no less excellent in quality, and
high, stiff collars, swathed in black
silk or satin neckerchiefs. The dinner,
cooked mainly by the hostess own
hand, was served in two courses, but
out of it's abundance might easily have
furnished forth twelve or fifteen, of the
daintiness which courses acquire when
they are made particular point Of
Turkey and oysters, four or five vege-
tables, like number Of cooked fruits,
pickles sour and pickles sweet, coffee
and hot rolls, with dessert of two
kinds of pie, rich preserve served in
cream and a cake that was the chef
d'Puvre OF the feaSt-these were the
least that decency would allow, and
the guest was expected not to elect be-
tween them, but to eat somewhat of
all.
The company came to table for these
dinners with certain hesitation and
aWkWardness, and for a little while
after they were seated conversation
rather Jagged. First there fell a sharp.
eXpectant silence until the minister, if
present, as he usually was, had invoE-
ed a blessing. Then as the host took
carving knife and fork in hand and
rose from his chair with a certain con.
fidence, every eye and all attention
were fixed intently on him and remain.
ed SO fixed while with a single sturdy
stab he planted the fork immoyablv
.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 a bold stroke
through the bones and tissue of either
flank and nice, quick turn on the
handle of the fork triumphantly clear
ed away the breastbone and exposed
to appetizing view steaming, odorif-
erous mound of gray stuffing. With
this the company drew an audible
breath and settled back comfortably
in their seats, as when midair acrobat
concludes his feat without breaking his
neck, and shortly the talk began to
show something like f1uency. But un-
til the carving was we'll achieved, be.
You'd a staple compliment or two to
the carver, usually tipped with jest to
save it from any suspicion of senti.
ment or fulsomeness, and perhaps a
query to the hostess regarding her
method Of dressing and cooking tur.
keys, little or nothing was said.
1t was almost a violence ON custom
f@V~0