Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1912-11-29

pare for a Thanksgiving
dinner than it was for the
Msr hostess of hundred years
&A ago. Then it meant not
hours, but weeks of planning, for the
hostess had none OF the conveniences
or labor saving devices that We are
so familiar with as necessities today.
No indeed, her dinner had TO be
cooked on an open fire, not on a mod
ern range or gas stove. Electricity
would have seemed nothing less than
a miracle. The simple utensils used
In the home of the present day would
have caused the greatest amount OF
establishment. lemon squeezer
would have been regarded as a curl
Gus object. but then so would have
been a food chopper, an egg beaten
or can opener.
The coffee was always roasted and
ground at home. There was no pre-
pared mustard. cocoa, vanilla. gela-
tine or prepared yeast. String beans.
lima beans, asparagus or peas were
not served in November Tomatoes
were called love apples and were not
recognized as vegetable. Every
thing was home made, for groceries
were not delivered at the house in
sealed packages.
There were few dollhouse flowers
such as we are accustomed to see
adorn our tables The flowers were
all of the old-fashioned variety.
Orchids were unknown, the ehrysan-
themums we're very small; roses were
not like the roses of today. but car
nations were used in abundance.
Invitations had to be issued a long
time ahead to insure a reply, II the
guest resided at any distance
Verify, we have much to be grateful
for. when we consider how many
wonderful inventions there have been
to tighten the housekeeper's labors.
Now. when Thanksgiving is cele-
brated In every state In the Union.
there is no one who hasn't some
thing to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving ever Is day of
pleasant "reminiscences; a day when
the family and friends are gathered
around the we'll laden table In spir-
IL Vi itJOlCiuBs ilOSplldlllS ID luc
characteristic note of the day and 1t
really ought to be a pleasure and a
gladstone task to plan Thanksgiving
dinner.
The housewife OF 1912 will be wise
II she follows the example of her
great grandmother and plans her
dinner and table decorations In ad-
vance so that she will have little to
do on Thanksgiving day
The decorations for Thanksgiv-
ing table would be very effective II
II had for It's main decorations the
turkey For, what is a Thanksgiving
dinner without turkey? The table
cloth around the edge of the table is
trimmed with large sized turkeys cut
out of crepe paper in realistic color
ing. Paper turkeys hold the place
cards The same bird ornaments the
napkins. Small baskets trimmed with
chrysanthemums hold the sailed al
monds For the center decoration OF
the table use a large dark red basket
filled with ears of corn. The imitation
corn and leaves can be made of vel
low paper with green paper for
leaves. Wheat, oats, fruit. or flowers
Or anything in keeping with the har-
vest idea may be used
A college girl who has taken up the
business of making table souvenirs
and decorations has gone to Americas
early history for the appropriate lit
tie things used at Thanksgiving TAX
ing the year 1880 as the proper peri
cd for her charming trif1es-the year
In which the first Thanksgiving was
celebrated in Boston-the clever girl
has turned out little puppets dressed
as the Pilgrim fathers. Indians and
many a fair New England maid known
" song and story. She has made
crude cardboard houses. covered with
log-cabin paper. and for the animals
used by the first settlers she goes
TO the toy store. where suitable and
cheap tritles are found
For the finer Thanksgiving tables
she arranges. her New England scenes
of those long ago times are as instruc-
tive as they are beautiful. The cen
ter of the table is always used for
the picture she wishes to represent,
and there. with her quaint dolls. her
Puritan maids and men. her primitive
homes. wigwams. wild turkeys. deer,
ducks. cannon and what-not. she will
turn out pictures as amusing to
grown-ups as to children.
Some OF this brilliant woman's no
tons could be copied at home with
very little expenditure The history
books give any number of pretty
scenes to copy from and by choosing
the least elaborate the work would
be lessened and the. effect be just as
good.
For instance. there was always a
blockhouse in we olden days, with can
non before il. and turkeys were roast
ed in the open air. and there were
piles of corn when the harvest was
in and so on In a farm home il
would be easy to have dried ears of
corn about. shucks and all showing.
and in a city ears of popcorn could
be used
Take the blockhouse scene and pre-
! pare the picture for the possible in
yasion OF hostile Indians. Cover a
square cardboard box with brown pa