m 



NEW ENGLAND FARMEK. 



Mat 



tion must be taken to ascertain this important ' 

 fact, for a very little of that haven would create 

 guch a fermentation as to endanger the whole Tast 

 curd, and our noble enterprise be thwarted. 



All things were made ready, a vast hoop being 

 prepared, which was placed under the ponderous 

 beam and screws. The day arrived for the grand 

 ceremonies. It was a proud day for Cheshire. 

 The sun rose up from Old Ocean to usher it in 

 irith onusnal splendor. The golden tinge upon 

 the mountains never looked so golden. The gen- 

 tle breezes that whispered through the valley were 

 laden with sweet incense from the blooming Sow- 

 ers of the hill sides, and the sweet tones of the 

 church bell echoed through the valley and amons 

 the mountain tops, cheering them on their march 

 with their precious treasure to the cider mill. 



The men and boys put on their Sunday clothes ; 

 the rosy-cheeked damsels their best white aprons ; 

 married ladies dressed with the last pattern of 

 chintz calico, with a vandyke over their shoul- 

 ders. Old conveyances were put in requisition, 

 some were on horseback, some in wagons, and 

 some in carts drawn by oxen. They poured from 

 every road and cross road, the grand cavalcade 

 moving with the imposing dignity inspired by the 

 occasion. As the parties from the different 

 neighborhoods arrived at the cider mill, a com- 

 mittee, chosen for the purpose, met the contribu- 

 tors with due congratulations, and conducted 

 them to the place of deposit — the great hoop. Af- 

 ter the last contributor had arrived, a committee of 

 fedieg undertook the task of a proper admixture 

 of this before unknown quantity of curd. It was 

 soon prepared : the ponderous beam and screw 

 •were applied, and the whey run merrily. The 

 ceremonies were appropriate and imposing, the 

 beloved Elder dedicating the cheese to their hon- 

 ored friend, Thomas Jefferson, President of the 

 United States. Then a suitable hymn was sung 

 to the tune of Mear, (being lined off by the El- 

 der) with stirring effect. The congregation were 

 dismissed with a benediction, and dispersed, con- 

 sidering it the greatest day in the history of Cbes- 

 Mre. 



"When completed, the cheese, weighing 1600 

 ■pounds, was loaded on to a sleigh, and Elder John 

 Leland, well seated with reins in hand, started for 

 the capital of the United States. I 



On his arrival at the ^Yhite House, with due ' 

 formalitj' the cheese was presented to President 

 Jefferson, with an appropriate speech, setting 

 forth the loyalty of the people of his charge ; 

 how theyiad fought against the cowardly slan- 

 ders of the Puritans, and how they gloried in his 

 triumph. He presented as a token of their re- 

 spect an article of their own manufacture, in 

 which every family and cow in the town of Chesh- 

 ire participated. In response, the honored Pres- 

 ident returned his warmest thanks, duly appreci- 

 ating this wonderful gift as coming from the very 

 heart of his people, which he received as a token 

 of his fidelity in the great cause of equal rights 

 to all men. "I will cause this auspicious event," 

 said he, "to be placed upon the record of our na- 

 tion, and it will ever shine amid its glorious ar- 

 chives. I shall ever esteem it among the most 

 happy incidents of my life. And now, my much 

 respected Rev. friend, I will, by the consent and 

 in the presence of my most honored Council, have 

 this cheese cut, and you ^^-ill take back with you i 



a portion of it, and present it to your people (that 

 tiiey may all have a taste), with my most hearty 

 thanks. Tell them never to falter in the princi- 

 ples they have so nobly defended. They have suc- 

 cessfully come to the rescue of our beloved coun- 

 try in the time of her great peril. I wish them 

 health and prosperity, and may milk in great 

 abundance never cease to flow, to the latest pos- 

 terity," 



Then came in the steward of the President with 

 glittering knife, and the cheese was cut in the 

 presence of the President, and the heads of the 

 departments, foreign ministers, and many other 

 men and women of notoriety. It was of a beau- 

 tiful annotto color, a little variegated in its appear- 

 ance, owing to the great variety of curds compos- 

 ing it, which added to the beauty of the scene. 

 Very soon the cheese, with bread accompanving 

 it, was passed around, commencing with th« Pres- 

 ident, then the Elder, the heads of departments, 

 and thus in order until all were fed. It was high- 

 ly admired and complimented for its good flavor, 

 richness and color, and was considered the most 

 perfect specimen of cheese ever exhibited at the 

 White House. Then the honored company were 

 formally introduced to the distinguished Elder, 

 wishing him happiness and prosperity ; and not 

 only him, but the beloved people of his charge. 

 "Tell them we have never partaken of so good 

 cheese before in our day." The company dis- 

 persed, rejoicing that they had been honored with 

 the privilege of once more feasting to their full 

 satisfaction upon bread and cheese, which so for- 

 cibly reminded them of the golden days of their 

 childhood. 



The wonderful size of the cheese, and the cer- 

 emonies at the White House, were matters of no- 

 toriety throughout our whole country, as well as 

 in foreign lands. 



During the journey of the Rev. Elder home, a 

 false report came to his ears, that the President 

 in his remarks at the reception of the cheese said 

 he himself was not very fond of cheese, but his 

 negroes were. By diligent investigation it was 

 found out that a verj' wicked man, failing to get 

 a piece of the cheese (there being such a great 

 demand for it), fabricated this awful disrespectful 

 report. He was duly reprimanded. 



As the Elder proceeded on his way, highly 

 pleased with the success of his mission, he put up 

 one night at a village inn, where he had stopped 

 on his way to Washington. There was a Federal 

 meeting there that evening, and a large collection 

 of people were assembled. The news had ar- 

 rived there, that when the President had the 

 cheese cut it proved to be full of skippers, and 

 they asked in a sarcastic manner what was the 

 cause of so great a calamity. The Elder, with 

 his usual gravitv, responded, saying, "On that 

 notable day, when the curds of my beloved parish 

 were brought together for the purpose of making 

 the largest cheese the world had ever beheld, an 

 unfortunate occurrence took place. The curds 

 were poured into the vast resorvoir — the great 

 hoop — and while it was being stirred and mixed 

 by a committee of women, chosen for that occa- 

 sion, a Federal in disguise, taking great liberties, 

 fell into the floating mass and came very near 

 being drowned before he was rescued. It created 

 great consternation at the time, and it is not to be 

 wondered tnat the cheese was full of skippers and 



