274 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Life in a Quiet Neighborhood 
1 Tiie “Storm Country.”— .Just read 
Pastoral Parsou and Hope Farm Notes 
for January 28. That number was a 
feast—so many good tilings from page to 
page. Frequeut reference to the old hill 
farms in Southern New York, a recent 
article about community dinners, and the 
reports of how “our folks" spent C hrist- 
mas, have roused me into a desire to tell 
the folks how u-e spent Christmas in our 
little neighborhood down here among the 
hills—in Tess’s “'Storm Country.” Our 
road leads from a State road, tip to the 
top of a big hill, and then down to a line 
main road; a long, sloping, uphill road, 
steep in only a short distance. At the 
top of the hill is the farm where the 
Community Woman and her folks live. 
Here is a crossroad which, to the right, 
leads to a deserted farm. To the left it 
goes down the big hill to the State road, 
where our sehoolhouse is located. There 
are six farms on our road, and on the 
road to the sehoolhouse are two farms, 
one. at present, vacant. 
The Neighbors. —In one house dwell 
three generations—grandfather and grand- 
grandmother. the son and his wife and 
three daughters—one so recently married 
that the pair are still called the bride 
and groom. Then there is the big man 
and his wife and seven children, in one 
house. In one neat little place dwells 
the T.one Man. Two families are away 
for the Winter. . 
Fourth of Jury. —When the Glorious 
Fourth came around the Community 
Woman sent a note to grandmother: 
“It’s too hot to have a regular dinner in 
the middle of the day; let’s fix up some¬ 
thing to cat and go out in the woods and 
have earlv supper.” Grandmother wrote 
back: “Bring your supper and come 
down here, and we’ll eat it under the 
maples in our front yard.” So the Com- 
munity Woman sent word to the neigh¬ 
bors. and at sunset they all gathered at 
grandmother's, bringing cakes ami salads 
and cold meat, and grandmother and the 
son’s wife ni6*le cofloc and broad and 
butter sandwiches. They put a table out 
in the yard and loaded it with plafes, 
cups anil saucers, forks and spoons, and 
all the good things to cat. Chairs were 
put out for the older people, and the 
young people sat on the grass. There 
was a big swing from one of the trees 
and they all talked and played until 
Charles Wain came out above the tall 
white chimney tops.” 
The Sciiooetiouse at Thanksgiving. 
_As I have said, the sehoolhouse is at 
the foot of our high hill. Climb that hill 
road oneo and you will agree with me 
that it is pretty high. One of the finest 
teachers in the State presides down at 
that little sehoolhouse. A married woman, 
young, pretty and sweet, otic who loves 
and understands children, and they all 
love her, and she has had several years 
experience in teaching. There arc five 
scholars from our neighborhood who at¬ 
tend down there. Teacher sent out in¬ 
vitations for a party the day before 
Thauksgiving. Tbe little house was full, 
and there was a flue program. Ibere 
was a wigwam <ff pine branches, and an 
Indian who made a speech and brought 
out Old Glory, and everybody stood up 
to salute. Teacher bad a basketful of 
squares of delicious fudge and another of 
popcorn balls, made by her own fair 
hands and the help of one of the larger 
girls. The balls for the pupils hud each 
a stick of candy in the center. These 
wore passed to everybody several times. 
The Community Woman sent the Com¬ 
munity Man down with a big bag of hot 
doughnuts. Rig, fat ones, dipped in pow¬ 
dered sugar, and pood! Everyone had 
two or three of these, and I flin^ sure it 
was lots easier lo climb that hill after 
eating those delicious goodie:;. 
A Christmas Celebration. —It was 
just a short time after when we were 
again invited to the sehoolhouse for the 
Christmas celebration, two days before 
Christmas. The decorations were beau¬ 
tiful and there was a big tree loaded 
down with gifts. ’1 he children drew 
names, two weeks before Christmas, and 
each one brought a gift, for the one whose 
name lie or she had drawn. Teacher had 
a big lovely doll for each of four little 
girls, and mv. how proud and happy they 
were! The older girls received strings of 
pretty heads. The boys got miniature 
ships, horns, hooks, etc. All had a box 
of candy and nuts, and you may be sure 
Teacher was not forgotten. The Com¬ 
munity Woman sent down a big bag of 
sugar cookies. They had frosting in the 
middle, and on top of that an animal 
cracker. Everybody had two or three of 
these. Said one neighbor t<i another: 
“Think of it. I’ve just eaten a dog and a 
lion.” “That's nothing.” was the reply. 
“I’ve just ealen a cow and ati elephant-’ 
Oh. yes! Santa Claus came in—a great, 
big Santa, who distributed the gifts. The 
Preacher Man was there, and he made a 
nice little speech arid thanked Teacher 
for all of ns. And when it was over 
everybody said, “We’ve had a lovely 
time.” 
A Christmas Dinner. —Well, the 
Comm uni tv Woman had us all working 
on Christmas Eve, and you may be sure 
she was, too. We had a six o’clock din¬ 
ner at her house, and a tree, each family 
contributing to the whole affair. There 
was no turkey, but roast beef, gravy, 
mashed potatoes, baked beaus, pickles, 
bread and butter, cranberry sauce, coffee, 
tea and milk, doughnuts, rice pudding, 
pumpkin pies, blackberry pies, cakes and 
delicious fruit gelatine. The eldest son 
of the Community folks was home, also a 
visiting niece, and the Big Man had a 
friend with him—27 altogether. After 
supper all repaired to the parlor and 
viewed the wonderful tree. Wo had 
practiced Christmas hymns on Saturday 
nights for several weeks. So we sang 
several ; our three schoolgirls sang the 
song they had sung at the sehoolhouse, 
and the Community Man made a few 
appropriate remarks. As we sang again 
Santa Claus came in with his pack. The 
Bride had made 25 very pretty cornu¬ 
copias, and they were filled with candy 
and popcorn, and there were oranges for 
all. We had taken all our gifts and fas¬ 
tened them on the tree. Everyone was 
remembered. Santa, who was the Big 
Man’s big boy. gave the larger girls boxes 
of fine candy, and all the men cigars. 
A Snowy Night.—N one of us will 
ever forget that Christmas Eve. At 10 
o’clock we said goodnight and started 
down the hill. It had been snowing all 
day, and tbe flakes were still coining down 
soft and thick. It was a beautiful sight, 
with the piues and the hemlocks heaped 
to their tops. Tbe Bmle and Groom led 
the procession. Next was the Son and 
the Big Man, and the Big Man had his 
baby in his arms. Back of them was the 
Son’s wife and the Big Man’s wife, then 
the Son’s big girl and the Big Man’s big 
boy and biggest girl. Back of those came 
the buggy, with the Son’s little girl driv¬ 
ing, Grandmother beside her, with the 
littlest. girl in her lap, the two little boys 
in behind, their legs dangling out and 
dragging their sleds. Lust, but not least, 
the Lone Man, carrying a lantern. 
New Year’s Day.—O n New Year’s 
Eve they all went to Grandfather’s, to 
another six o'clock dinner, to which all 
had contributed. The Son’s wife has a 
phonograph, and by its music the young 
folks “two-stepped” until tired, and then 
they got Grandmother and the Big Man 
to teach them the quadrille and Virginia 
reel, and it was great fun. As the old 
year was passing they all gathered about 
the organ and sang “Praise God from 
Whom All Blessings Flow.” And then 
again they sang it as the New Y’ear came 
in. After that cake and hot coffee were 
passed around, the young folks went back 
to their dancing, the older men to the 
checker boards, and the “wimmen folks” 
talked. No, they didn't gossip —not a 
bit of it. 
Further Festivities.—T hen the Big 
February 25, 1922 
Man and his wife wanted them all at 
their house, but as it was a small house 
they decided to have Grandfather and his 
folks at one session and the Community 
Man and his folks at another. They had 
already bad the Lone Man with them for 
Christmas dinner. Son on Saturday night, 
just a week after New Year’s Eve, Grand¬ 
father’s folks all went to the Big Man’s 
bouse for a six o’clock dinner, and it was 
a mighty good dinner, too. The men were 
just beginning to play checkers, at 10 
o’clock, when the Community Man’s big 
hoy came down the hill with a lantern 
for help. Our neighbors on the school 
road were in sore distress. The men all 
got up and put ou their mufflers and 
greatcoats —it was bitter cold and went 
up the hill to help find the missing one. 
At midnight, when the word came that 
death had visited our neighbor’s house 
and taken away one of the household. 
Grandmother, the Son’s wife and the Big 
Man’s next to tbe biggest boy went up 
the hill in the cold and snow and moon¬ 
light. The Community Man and his wife 
were already there. Theirs was a sad 
task—taking down the beautiful CSirist- 
mas tree to make ready for the coming 
of that which only that morning had 
been life and health and youth: 
“Let not ambition mock their useful toil. 
Their homely joys and destiny obscure; 
Nor grandeur hear, with a disdainful 
smile, 
The short and simple annals of the poor.” 
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