10 



THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



©HE 50USBH0LD. 



ulad 

 chil- 



AI^MOST THANKSGIVING. 

 By J. K McC. 



An effort has frequently been made to have 

 the time for Tliaiiksgi viug'changed from Novt-iu- 

 ber to October, but it seems to meet with little 

 general favor. The inclemency of the weather 

 '^the main pi)int urged, but that, with many, is 

 an argument for the other .side. With our many 

 improvements iu travel it is about as easy to 

 gather a household together in cold weather as 

 in warm. And does it not add a iharm to the 

 day to rush in from the drear November weather 

 into the warm, old homestead, so odorous of good 

 <!heer, to be welcomed with open arms and glad 

 smiles, and a busv, bustling care for our comfort? 

 Even the staid old house dog seems to enter inio 

 the spirit of the time, and wags his welcome by 

 the door-stone. 



This is peculiarly an old-fashioned .Vmerican 

 feast-day, and it seems pleasant to keep up many 

 of its old-fashioned features. The aged grand- 

 father and grandmother, and very possibly father 

 and mother too will enjoy a dinner which re- 

 minds them of old-times far more than "one of 

 eight courses," however elegantly served. One 

 h£ said that "three- fourths of the poetry of 

 eating apples is in having them rciniiiJ us of 

 other days." It is no less true of this 

 festival to us older people, while the dear 

 dren are laving up memoirs for by-and-by. 



When tlie first snow flakes flutter down, and 

 the little ones watch them with gleeful eyes, 

 shouting " Almost Thanksgiving," how eiieerily 

 rises toour view that old-f;isliioned Thaiik.sgiviiig 

 table. There at one end wa.s the great roast 

 turkey, with its craiilierry sauee, at the other the 

 huge chicken. pie ami jelly. In the middle the 

 juicy, boiled ham for I'nole Robert to carve, 

 while platters of cohl boiled tongue and sliced 

 corned-beet were conveniently interspersed. The 

 outlying dishes of mashed turnips and potatoes, 

 delicate cream, cold-slaw, baked si;uash. and 

 boiled onions received due attention, as did also 

 the various sweet pickles and sour, and the 

 catchups and sauces. The side table full of pies 

 and puddings for desert awakened but litlle 

 enthusiasm, for it was a wonderful capacity that 

 did not weaken before this stage of tlie jjrocee- 

 dings was reached, even when sharpened by a 

 rough north-easter. 



If you have such a good old-fashioned feast for 

 your" board, do not worry though your most 

 resthetic cousin from the city comes down to the 

 home re-union. I have observed there even the 

 most fastidious people fall into line remarkably 

 well. . . 



If father and mother cannot come to you, it is 

 very pleasant to have the children invited and 

 prepare the feast at tlieir home, taking off all 

 care and responsibililv, and leaving them only 

 the enjoyment and novelty of being guests in 

 their own house. 



It is a hard heart, indeed, that cannot send up 

 grateful thmights to the Great Giver as she goes 

 about even her busiest preparations, and that 

 mother certainly fails in her dutv who does not 

 teach the children a lesson in thankfulness for 

 the good things that have crowned the year. 



But a joy associated with this day, which 

 is mni-e lasting than the flavor of the choicest 

 viands, comes from "sending portions to those 

 f.jr whom nothing is prepared." This is the 

 truest expression of man and thanksgiving; a 

 service most acceptai)le to Ilim who has said 

 "freely ye have received, freely give." "The 

 blessing of him that was ready to perish" is 

 better store than full barns. " There is one 

 thing," saidagood man, "which I hope iieverto 

 have'against me, that is the prayers of the poor." 



PACKED AWAY FOB THE -WTNTEB. 

 The time has come when the lawns, and cam- 

 brics and light calicoes must be called in and 

 laid aside until another vear. It is of course 

 necessary tliat all should be thoroughly washed, 

 as what could be more untidy than to lay away 

 ft soiled garment for half a year in a clothes 

 closet. But housekeepers differ in regard to iron- 

 in" them. I like best to have all but the white 

 dresses neatly starched and ironed, and folded 

 away in a large chest. Then when the warm 

 weather comes down suddenly upon us some 

 spring morning, it is but the work of a few min- 

 utes to freshen a dress with a hot iron, and there 

 it is ready to wear. Wliite dresses will need 

 boiling and bloaching ]>rohably, wlien their time 

 Jo be worn comes around. So it is not worth 

 wliile wasting time doing them up. They may 

 be rolled up rouuh dry, as well as any way. It 

 will be a great help next spring, if we live to see 

 it to have these laid away dresses all in order, 

 iinrt drop'ied stitches reset, any worn hems re- 



newed, and missing buttons especially, replaced. 

 By next season, very likely, the loose button will 

 be lost and you cannot match it, and so a whole 

 new set will be needed. Where one has no con- 

 venient chest for such laid-off garments, a box 

 with a well-fitting lid serves the purpose very 

 well. One lady takes a clean barrel and lines it 

 with newspapers, then folds her summer clothes 

 up smoothly and packs them away. The head 

 is put in the barrel and no chinks left for mice to 

 creep in. One needs to watch well against these 

 l)ests ; they will creep into a very small knot- 

 hole. 



An old maiden lady I know, has spent years in 

 piecing elaborate bed-qnills out of bits of cloth, 

 and then quilting them in the most laborious 

 fashion. She must have a full baker's dozen, 

 and thev never see the light except once a year, 

 to be aired. Then they look like a tulip bed on 

 a clothes line, if you can pardon such a rhetorical 

 figure. This fall the sad fact came to light that 

 mice had nibbled the edges of most of these fine 

 quilts. I was not present when the discovery 

 was made, and I am rather glad I was not. 



But the point I wish to make is, you cannot be 

 too careful when laying awny your things to see 

 that thev are, in effect, sealed' up against these 

 little intruders, for they will be cold this winter, 

 and want cosy nests and your nice dresses would 

 just suit them. 



READY FOR A CHANGE OF 'WEATHER 



By Olive. 



The first sharp frost had melted before the 

 bright sunshine, but Mrs. Delano took it as a 

 timelv warning. 



" Cold weatlier will be here in earnest before 

 long, Mabel," she said. " We must be prepared 

 for it. Let us take an account of stock as soon 

 as we get the work done." 



So they laid out on the bed in mother's room 

 all of last year's "left-over" flanuels for old 

 folks and young folks. Some were in good con- 

 dition fur a new campaign, but most would need 

 renovation, at least. The good ones were laid 

 aside again in the respective drawers where they 

 belonged, and then business began in earnest. 



Those which were available for cutting down 

 to fit smaller-sized people were carefully dis- 

 cussed and assorted. The good, trusty i>atterns 

 were laid on with good judgment, and soon two 

 nicii SDts for the smaller children were cut out 

 and rolled away fir the sewing machine. 



"These soft,' wliite stocking tops are just the 

 things to make into sleeves," .said mother, "and 

 vou can crochet a nice litlle strip in white Saxony 

 "wool to go about the wrist. It will be a satisfac- 

 tion to think that Amy and Freddy are )>repared 

 with heavier undergarments, if we havent their 

 outside dresses in reailiness." 



After the thorough investigation, it wsis decided 

 for whom new garments must be bought, and the 

 number noted down in a little blank-book, with 

 the probable cost. That careful revision and 

 making-over was a good stroke of economy, and 

 saved much pinching with cold on the part of 

 the children when there came a really cold 



mornnig. 



The next few days were given to a similar 

 work whenever spare time could be gained. The 

 housekeeper whose means were limited saw ex- 



aetlv what her resources were, and made the very 



best" of them. Old dresses, which had served , the meat has been removed. 



THANKSGIVING TURKEY. 



Pick and dean in the most fastidious manner 

 (you will never over-do this matter). Then 

 plunge it into boiling water, and then into cold. 

 JDrain and wipe it dry. Prepare stuffing by 

 taking dry bread and pouring a litlle hot water 

 cover it. "Cover closely with a cloth and leave 

 until soft. Then crumb well with the hands. 

 Add a large lump of butter, pe)iper, salt, and a 

 beaten egg. Rub in a few slices of fresh bread, 

 that it may not be too moist. I!ub inside of tur- 

 key with pepper and salt; stuff the breast first, 

 but not too full, or it will burst in cooking. Sew 

 up the opening and stuff the body. Tie the legs 

 down firmly, press the wings close to the side 

 and secure "with a string. If not very fender it 

 is better to steam it two hours. This may be 

 easily done by standing a couple of basins in 

 vour'wash boiler and setting the dripping pan 

 "with only a little water in the boiler. Save the 

 juice in the dripping pan, and set it in the oven 

 with turkey to roast, after steaming. When a 

 fork enters" the breast easily it is done. Baste 

 often and see that it is a rich brown. Make an 

 abundance of gravy of the drippings by adding 

 water and a spoonful of flour nibbed smoothly 

 in warm water. Please do not add the giblets. 



Drop Ginger C.vkes. — 1 pint of Xew Orleans 

 molasses, 1 cup of lard or i butter if ])repared, 1 

 cup sugar, 7 cups flour, 2 eggs, 2 table.spoonfuls 

 .soda, ground clove, cinnamon and ginger. 



Plum Pudding.— J ft suet, 1 cup of milk, 3 

 cups of flour, 1 cup of moUasses, 2 c"gs, i fc 

 raisins, 1 ft currants, 1 teaspoonful soda dissolved 

 in boiling water, flour, raisins. Steam 3 hours. 



Currant Cake.— 2 cujis of granulated sugar, 

 i cup butter, beaten smoothly, 3 eggs beaten' 

 separately, 1 cup milk, 3 cujis sifted flour, with 

 2 teaspoonfuls of lloyal baking powder, i ft> 

 dried currants. 



Lady Loaves. — With 1 quart of flour mix 3 

 teaspoonfulls Knyal baking powder, dissolve 1 

 large teasdoonfull of sugar, and i teasjioonfull of 

 sail, in i iiiiit of milk, unit 2oz butter, and add 

 to the flour, together with milk, and proceed to 

 form the whole into asiniioth dough, with butlittle 

 kneading, roll i an inch thick and cut into small 

 squares, and fold the corners to the centre. Bake 

 in very quick oven. 



CuicKEN Pie.— Cut up and boil until tender 

 two chickens in enough water to cover them. 

 Make a rich baking-powder dough, wet with 

 sweet milk. Roll very thin and line a four- 

 quart pan. Put in a layer of the chicken, well 

 seasoned, then some .strips or dice of dough, then 

 another layer of chicken, an<I till up with the 

 liquor in w"hich the chicken was boiled. Roll a 

 thin top crust, cut out the centre with a cup, and 

 through this add more of the gravy from time to 

 time. Chicken pie is apt to be too dry. Bake 

 about one hour. i 



Curing Pork. — As the period will .soon arrive 

 for slaughtering hogs, we call attention to the 

 fact that small pieces can be cured, or preserved 

 more readilv and easier than in larger sizes. An 

 excellent plan rccomniemled several month ago, 

 is to cook the meat, ]>aek it in kegs or barrels 

 (not too closelv), ami |i(nir hot lard over it until 

 the ves.sel is filled, care being taken that every 

 jiart is well covered. The method is not new, as 

 the majoritv of farmers keep sausage in the same 

 manner. The lard can afterwards be used after 



their time, were taken carefully apart, washed, 

 and made over until they seemed almost like 

 new. But no work ree< ived greater attention 

 than the warm, soft skirts made out of various 

 uni)roniising materials, which she prepared for 

 her little girls, and the snug woolen stockings 

 and well-fitting leggings, buttoned up the side 

 with shoe buttons, which she jirocured for each. 

 " It is only one stitch alter another, Mabel, 

 and I have learned to take them pretty fast. 

 Now we are ready fiir the new dresses and wraps, 

 andean go abcnit them with twice the comfort, 

 since the old are all in the be.st order we can put 

 them, — ready for any change of the weather." 



I tried a long time to make pot pie that would 

 not fall when taken up, but always failed, more 

 or less. Then I read that if two tumblers of cold 

 water were added to the stew just before the 

 crust was put in, the dough would have time to 

 rise before it began to Ijoil. I tried it, and can 

 succeed everv time now, mnkiiig the crust as 

 light as bake'd biscuit. Make the same kind of 

 dough, wet with milk, but not so short as for 

 biscuit. It is excellent rolled thin and laid over 

 boiled beef and cabbage, abuut fifteen minutes 

 before serving. Hungry scliool boys approve of 

 it when they rush iu,"famished, on a winter day. 



Free +o AU^ ^ gold watch. 



Thei.o>Ii.^h.r^of the Capltol City Home Cncot. the w-11 known Illailraud and 

 Faniilv Ma,za2;nf, ciake the following: lil>fra! offer lor the hoUdny*: The i"Tion tellm" 

 us ihe'longfit verse Ja ihe Bible Ix-fure JaEu:iry lit., wiU receive a ^olid Uold^ Lady 

 lluntlneCafL-d &w1bs Wntih wonh fiO. If there be more th.in one correct 

 the second will n-. five an eteirant iMcm.niadint; Gentleman's M atch; 

 the third, a kev-w;i.iiine £n^lir>h Wotch. Enih jH-rs-.Q mo. I send 36 cents 

 with their answer lur which tli'-y w ill rec> ive FRKE. j.istpaiii, three monthtt' 

 lauboerlptlon to ** liOME Gl'EST,"and an IJecant Lady's Work 

 lJo3 With ih' irnumoh'Tnitl'ully sloncilled ontbccovrr. Each i>oi rr.r.nir-,-- 

 1 Silver Plated 1 hlmble, 1 pnekaire Fancy Work Neodh". tl 

 elegant Fruit Napkins, 1 pn<-kafre Embroidery Silk nworir.l 

 colors, 1 paeknirc Silk ISInrks for I'atchwork, 2 ChrUtman ^ 

 Card*, 3 >rw Vear <'nrd«, 1 Lovely Binhdny Cord.arni 1 copy /_rr: 

 ol" " Ladles' Fnney Work Ouldc," cont.'^iriin? iilustntiions and descrip- 

 tims of ail the lat.^t dcsiims in f-iniy wnrk. The retnilar price of the above 

 ariiilesIs^l.So, but to those who comjly wiihlhe aboTereqairements wenlllsend 



l^d'toss'cS Publ'rs Home Guest, Hartford, Conn. S 



