The Mena weekly star., 1909-09-16
PIE ORDER"
MR. GWiLLPLlLLBlY ARISES TO QUESTION OF INFORMATION.
Wants to Know the Origin of This Familiar Phrase-Incidentaily He Chants Praises of the
 Real Pie.


 T know" said Mir. Gwillplillbly. this is pretty hot weather to be ask Ing questions, but would like 1t if somebody would tell me the origin of the phrase fin apple pie order mean. Ing, as you know, that the thing or place so characterized is in the very siickest and trimmest sort of shape, nomely, perhaps, but attractive and wholesome. It originated in New England, no doubt; this use of pie as a basis of comparison seems clearly to indicate that; but how did apple pie come thus to be set up as the symbol of superior excellence?
 T suppose it was partly because of apple pies priority of invention, for l imagine 1t will be conceded that apple was the first pie; but I suppose that US continued use in this manner has been due to the apple pies unbrokenly continued pre-eminence in all good pie qualities. It could not have been long etter the invention of apple pie be. lore pumpkin pie was introduced, and mince is certainly an old time pie. and so likewise is cranberry; and in apple pie order certainly could not at once nave become so firmly intrenched among the contemporaneou native New England forms of speech as to preclude the possibility of its being supplanted by in pumpkin pie order or Tn mince pie order If these not much liked productions of Pilgrim in. genuity had either of them displaced apple pie from the highest pinnacle of popular esteem.
 But neither of them ever did, which shows to my mind incidentally not only the clearheadedness and correct taste of those sagacious early inven- tors of pie but as well the perspicuity of their succeeding generations. Tn apple pie order still stands, as indeed 1t should; for of all pies apple pie is undoubtedly the best, and if we are to have pie figure to denote excel lence that pie should be apple pie.
 AS it is made in New England homes by New England housewives truly there Is no pie like apple pie such as this, with pie crust that somehow seems never to be equaled in the production of any other kitchen and with contents of surpassing pie Joy, this apple pie when 1t has finally been made ready for eating.
 For this pie, the real apple pie of New England. goes through final glorifying process after 1t has been baked. When they have taken the pie from the oven and placed 1t on the kitchen table they deftly remove the top crust, so deftly that it is never broken nor even its edges marred. and when this delightful disk of crust has been thus removed they spread around on the surface of the pies filling little fine butter, and some people sprinkle in little grated nutmeg-though I can't say I fancy the nutmeg-and now they add sugar, and now you replace the top crust. You see the Idea of adding the sugar after the pie is baked? With at least some of the sweetening left to be add ed now you do not have thoroughly sweetened pie, but you get still the keen taste of the apple. and you get the sweetening, too. but you blend these delightfully."- in the eating.
 And thus prepared the apple pie Is ready to eat. And it may be eaten hot. and in that condition there are few things more delightful; but as for myself I prefer this pie just at the moment when 1t has first got cool.
 'Of course 1t will be understood that the apple pie in this form is work of love and pride, to be found only In homes and to be had and enjoyed at its very best only where one can get home to eat 1t. But there are New England homes, and some else where. hope. where apple pie is still so made, and though you may think the weather too hot to discuss it, that such apple pie should have been coined into phrase signifying every. thing that is good is to me no wonder. It is in this pies simple excellence, | believe, that we find the origin of in apple pie order.''