Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-09-19
FAMOUS PIE SUPPERS OF
4 NORTH CAROLINA TOWN
Men Assessed Hall Cent a Pound Of
the Weight Of Girls Who Make Them

the Weight Of Girls Who Make Them
There is no dish which occupies
larger or more firmly secured place
in American hearts than pie. The
United States Is justly celebrated as
the foremost pie country in the
world. Pie belts of varying lengths
and width ramify throughout the
Union. There Is the New England
pie belt, consisting chiefly of mince;
the Western pie belt, of pumpkin; the
Middle Atlantic pie belt, Of huckle-
berry, and the Southern pie belt, of
blackberry. 1t would he difficult to
estimate the influence pie has had
upon American character.
Notwithstanding the hold pie has
upon the affections of the American
people as a whole, there is probably
no other spot in the country where
pie has become the institution that it
has in the little village of Rosman,
situated in the purple hills of West
ern North Carolina, near the beauti-
full Lake Toxaway. Rosman is in
habited by sturdy people of Scotch
Irish descent, who believe in patriot
ism, progress and pie. Rosman is
justly entitled to widespread fame for
its gorgeous and unparalleled pie
suppers. The village does not con-
fine itself to one species of pie, but
is familiar to all known kinds. and
possesses one peculiar to itself alone,
this being the famous double-decker
pie, which is not found in its per-
fected state anywhere else in the
Union.
The pie supper was first given In
Rosman for the benefit of the village
chapel. 1t is now an old and estab-
lished institution. Pie, in the course
of years, has become intimately asso-
ciated with the social life, of the
village.
The great annual pie supper is
held IN Rosman about the second
week in December 1t is the leadin.;
social event of the season, not only
in the village but in the entire coun-
tryside. Mountain swains, with
their lassies, drive in from mites
around or ride in on muleback.
The event takes place in the vii
lage schoolhousc. and While the
women folk are preparing within, to
the accompaniment Of much laugh.
ter and many gigslcs, the mon are
kept waiting outside. Finally the
word IS given and tho men pile in
pell-mell. Upon a long row of tables,
stretching down the centre of
the room, are rows upon rows Of
pies, rot dozens, but hundreds of
pies. Each man is supposed to select
the pie that suits him best. It is a
most difficult proceeding. There are
apple pies, pear pics, mince pies,
blackberry pies, blueberry pies, goose
berry pies-the list is exhaustive.
While the men are scufing over the
assortment in their efforts to make
choice. the ladies lining the WALL
look on in high glce and with in
creased gggles.
Perhaps man finds pie exactly
to his liking. He notes it's numbGI
and calls out, say, "Twcnty-seven.
From somewhere in the tremulous
ranks lining the walls comes the
bashful feminine voice, "Here." And
forthwith a blushing mountain maid
steps Out to meet the cavalier who
has chosen her pie. Immediately the
gallant cavalier seizes her hand and
escorts her to the scales in the rear OF
the room. She steps up, and to the
accompaniment of more bushes and
smiles, Is thereupon weighed. Per.
haps she tips the beam at 100
pounds. Her cavalier then pays into
the treasury half-cent for every
pound, or sixty cents. This ceremony
over, the couple retire to a nook
where the pie is Jointly consumed
while much entertaining converse.
tion is enjoyed between bites.
If, after this try-out, the cavalier
IS pleased with the maker of the first
pie, he is careful to select her mum.
Der again, since each girl may con-
tribute any number of pies. In case
two men get the same number the
one who calls it out first gets the
girl. The schoolhouse is quickly
echoinS and resounding with shouts,
laughter and much scurrying to the
scales. AS not infrequently happens,
a careless chooser finds a 200-pound
girl on his hands. He grins bravely
as he chips one dollar into the treas.
ury. A mountaineer will cheerfully
fork up any amount below dollar
but whole dollar is an awful sum
to him. Any girl is dear at that
price, and when he has to pay ouS
dollar for a fat one, he feels that
"lemon" has been handed to him
good and fair. The mirthful guf.
flaws OF his companions as he digs
into his jeans does not make his grin
any wider
The North Carolina mountaineer's
stomach Is as strong as his heart, and
before the supper is over the last
crumb of pie has disappeared. Then
the tables are cleared away, fiddle
is produced, and the old time break.
down is danced just as it was in the
same community hundred years
ago.
The revelry is over before mid.
night, for early to bed is the rule in
the mountain country. Before long
the roads begin to resound with the
rattle of wagons and the clatter of
horses feet, and another of Ros-
mans famous pie suppers has passed
into history.-New York Press