The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-11-27
FEASTiNG A CENTURY AGO.
Description OF an Old Time Thanks
giving Dinner In rev EngIuHG.

Description OF an Old Time Thanks
giving Dinner In rev England.
The Thanksgiving feast Of Al century
ago had II charm to it that today seems
10 be lacking. says the Seattle Times.
Here is II description Of one of these
celebrations:
I'm til" great rcd farmhouse on the
hill preparations w2rc begun long before
the day The turkey that sIalkcd before
the dooryaTd had been watched with
hungry eyes and fatiencd with urgent
care Pumpkins had h""n brought from
the c0rnlirld to sun themselves on the
wood pile. All. it Wac sure sign OF
the days approach. and they might
have defended their right to be there
without heinz laughed at by the an
cicnt chrorir!cr's words. Lei no man
mako n jest ut pumpkins, for with this
fruit the Lord was pleased 10 feed his
people to their good content till corn
and cattle we're increased 4 Goodly
supply Of all garden vegetables was at
hand Apples and pears, the best in the
orchard. had been gathered and hidden
away III 70" dark to mellow. Alas for
the feast If there was not molasses
enough to be hadi There could be none
without it. Stores of raisins and citron
had been laid in. so there was some
thing for the girls to do while the boys
locked after the popcorn. which had
been seasoning in their wood shed
chamber. or picked up walnuts under
- Il 81, Il, IN hn
Then there was a deul of work neces-
sary within the house-the wedding
china to be brought out. the brasses all
10 he polished, especially the ancestral
andirons. and the spare chambers to be
set in order. with eXtemporized beds in
every available corner--all ready for
the homecoming. Grandpa and grand
MA wero the reigning sovereigns. and
their family WAS Il royal one. The night
before Thanksgiving they are all there.
and the misunderstanding have slowed
their little ones away In big feather
beds. dozen. more or less. in each. like
sardincs. and tho Youngsters have gone
to their pillow 1T in the attic cham
bers.
"Around the huge open fireplace, by
the light OF lis burning logs. those boys
of the olden times spin their yarns Of
childhood days and crack their jokes
until the laughter changes to tears and
they are ready for the evening prayer
and the tender good night. And then
the Thanksgiving morning! 1t Is clear
and cold. perhaps the first snow upon
the ground. for Borcas was wont to
contribute something unusual before
the days of weather reports. All the
family are at church-it was expected
and the proper thing. for family reli-
gion was on dress paradc-and the
gray haired parson, regardless Of the
passing time, rises to the occasion in
fervent words of gratitude TO God for
his abundant merciPs. Then comes the
dinner. skillfully managed by the maid
en- aunt-God bless her!-an indispen-
sable condensation OF virtue on such
occasions a dinner not so elaborate as
bountiful. not SO elegant as healthful.
How the children'S eyes dance, even
those Of the babe IL the big board era
die who has no part or lot in it. The
turkey, OF course. is there. crisp and
brown, as only one can be which has
been slowly roasted before the fire and
basted from the dripping pan beneath.
Vegetables of all sorts load the table;
delicacies. too. that have been wait
ing long for that hour. and numerous
mysteries OF their old fashioned Gull
nary art Then there are pies of sun
dry kinds. the chicken pie among
them: but best of all-and can we
trust our feelings to mention them?-
genuine pumpkin pies baked in square
tins. having only four corner pieces to
each. As the evening shadows fall
there is grand assembly about the
fireplace How merrily the corn sput-
tprs in the pepper. How familiar the
sound OF the nuts cracked on the
hcarthstone. What apples and compe-
titions in pairing them without break
in the golden shaving. The cider flows
from the great Parthcnware pitcher-it
never became old in those days"