Evening star., 1912-11-24
THANKSGIVING DOWN IN DIXIE

Hit were good fer Paul en- Silas,
Hit were good fer Paul en- Silas.
Hit were good fer Paul en- Silas!
Hits the oldtime religion
En- hits good enough fer me!
TT is the same old song that Aunt Mahaly
croons as Thanksgiving comes; but
we're not going to have camp meeting:
just jolly time, giving friends and kinsfolk
welcome to the old home, where the latch
string will be out And their love for Aunt
Mahaly's oldtime cooking shall not forget;
for my mind is intent on the cakes reposing
in frosted spicy splendor on the pantry
shelves.
There are six black fruit cakes, white
one, two pound cakes, three sponge cakes,
one spice cake, and one each of chocolate,
orange, cocoanut, and caramel. Small Mary
celebrates her birthday on Thanksgiving;
imposing pink candles, occupies a place of
honor Then there are the ten boxes of
caraway seed cookies and "horsy cakes for
the children to nibble between meals. The
candied grapefruit is as good as can be; SO
are the figs, stuffed with marshmalows and
nuts, with which the girls will ruin their
dgestions at bedtime. The salted almonds
and peanuts are just out of the oven, and
the jars of brandy peaches, watermelon,
sweet pickles, and stuffed peppers have been
brought up from the cellar to the pantry for
convenience. For the twentieth time, at
least, | admire my handiwork with an ever
increasing delight that only housekeeper
can comprehend.
Through the open door again comes Aunt
Mahay's song, with its accompaniment of
the mockingbrds singing in the magnolia
trees:
Hit were good fer John the Baptis'.
Hit were good fer John the Baptis',
Hit were good fer John the Bapts'!
Hits the oldtime religion
En- hits good enough fer me!
BUT the concord of sweet sounds is brought
- to an abrupt close by stamping of horses
and rafting of wagon wheels. Cakes, sausage,
and pumpkins are forgotten, as we all rush
out into the yard to welcome the additional
Thanksgiving supplies from Goshen, the
mountain farm. The white, canvas-co covered
wagons are filled with bleeding, cackling,
quacking, squawkng conglomeration which
Bill and the driver lift out, while Aunt Ma
haly and | count and examine. The list is
complete: one dozen turkeys, two crates of
frying-size, fat, yellow chickens, six geese,
one dozen ducks, and lamb that looks at
me so pteously that | innocently resolve to
the last hungry guests depart. He will
probably return such mistaken kindness by
growing up into foolish old sheep and a
| lifelong nuisance: pet lambs always do.
The country hams, sides of bacon, barrels
of apples, potatoes, cabbage, and buck
wheat flour were hauled down last week
Then, of course, there is the home garden,
with carrots, turnips, satisfy, salad, onions,
kale, parsley, celery and in the cold frames
head lettuce and radishes; not to mention
the cellar closets, with their canned fruits
and vegetables, jellies preserves, and pick
les. The food supply may seem large; yet
it is not. Twenty-Five grown people, with
scattering children and nurses, have already
announced their positive coming, and two
or three more are coming if circumstances
will permit. The length of their stay varies
from two days to two weeks, and then
dropping in for meals and to renew old
friendships; while the young people in town
will drive out to dance and spend the night
| Setting the table is labor of love, and
even Aunt Alahaly is not allowed to assist.
No one but myself ever touches Grand
mother bouquet set of cut glass. have not
seen anything like it. 1t is the old Scottish