*
t
HEN Captain Miles
Standish , with his lit
tle company o'f 16 har
dy pilgrims , discovered
the first fresh "water
( encountered by the
Mayflower explorers
after landing at what
is believed to be East
Harbor creek , on the shores of Cape
( Sod , the party sat down and drank ,
and as Mount records in his journal
er story :
"We1 were heartily glad and drunke
ur first New England water with as
much delight as ever we drunke drink
m all our lives. "
Thus was , with "BIsket and Hol
land Cheese , and a bottle of aquavite , "
the first New England Thanksgiving
dinner eaten on the noon of Novem
ber 26 , 1620 , around "a fire of sassa
fras , juniper and pine , which smelled
oth sweet and strong. "
Later these hardy adventurers
were able to feast on wild fowl and
venison In plenty , as have those who
( eame after them even unto the pres
ent day , for the forests of the cape
abound with game , and' the waters
with fishes very much as in the days
f the little Pilgrim band who in the
Mayflower's cabin signed the first
New England charter.
Although not set down in the laws ,
the reunion feast became an informal
annual function , and there can be but
little doubt that Thanksgiving day as
known to us of the present had Its
origin in and was inspired by the abil
ity of the pilgrim band to' soften the
strong waters of the hospitable Dutch
, Wlth the spring waters of the new
world , by chance shall we say ? Or
to what cause shall we credit the se
lection of the last , week of November
for the day of feasting and prayer
now so eagerly looked for and as care-
folly observed as Christmas , the New
THE REUNION
A Story of a Thanks
giving in a Tourist
By MINNIE E. OLIPHANT.
jSenevieve and I were riding in a
tourist car , headed away from Los An
geles , and slowly creeping across
Death valley. Our thoughts were with
J the folks at home , who were getting
iady for the Thanksgiving dinner , but
re were talking of other things. Words
are slow unless thoughts are produc
ing them , and , therefore , the conver
sation lagged.
Finally , Genevieve turned to me
with the smile she always wore when
R. good plain plan , had just struck
h r.
r."Let's
"Let's make believe , " she suggest
ed , 'that the passengers in this coach
are all relatives , and let's have a fam-
fcy reunion and Thanksgiving din
ner. "
4 < Kow can we ? " I asked.
"I'll go around and tell them that
this Is Thanksgiving , and we are all
Delations , and they are invited to our
ectlon for a family reunion , and that
they are to furnish their own share of
Hie dinner. "
I looked around the car to see what
ur "relations" appeared to-"Tie like.
Just back of our section was a young
-man with a fretful baby , and * little'
' * % -three-year-old girl. ' He seemed , so
itred ; b ut patient , though awkward ,
with the "children. I had heard him tell
toe young man who wore a striped
arv- *
* sweater , and sat across the aisle , that
he had just lost his wife and was tak
ing the children back to their grand
mother in Ohio. The young man in
( be sweater lolled around in his sec-
Won , dividing his time between a mag
azine , the 1-os Angeles papers and the
4esert scenery outside. Back of him
sat a middle-aged Jew , who talked tome
mo one , and looked at nothing in par
ticular , as 'if he had forgotten where
he was. Just before us was a young
lady , and all \vo knew about her was
had golden Aalr puffed out In
* s
jear or inaepenaence .Day ? The day of , thanks
Is more typically a national holiday than is any
other. It is American and unique. Every coun
try has one or more days set apart to commemo
rate Independence or the granting of some great
Twon to Its people that may be considered a step
* n the stairway to liberty , but the Thanksgiving
day of the United States is without a close com
parison in any land. Thanksgiving day begins
the winter season.
Wherever you find an American you will , as
the month of November wanes , find one who
thinks more of being at home or at the home of
Intimate friends for Thanksgiving day. Clubs , ho
tels , public institutions , all see to it that their
patrons , members or Inmates are provided , with
a sumptuous repast for the one great feast day ,
and whenever and wherever possible a great , fat
turkey graces the board.
The turkey should be our national bird , as it
Is or , rather , was everywhere in a wild state ,
and helped the original colonists to provide for
their families. It has for 300 years been the chief
feature at all important strictly American ban
quets , and may be safely called our greatest na
* f tional food delicacy. The Spaniards in Florida ,
> v French in Louisiana , Pilgrims in Cape Cod and
founders of the Virginia company all found the
wild turkey ready for the sport and table in this
their new home , and the American of today , from
the president of the United States to the hum-
the back , and that she tucked her
scolding locks up every few minutes
with a slender , ringless hand.
And these were to form our family
party.
While I was studying the' people ,
Genevieve was taking an Inventory of
our supplies.
"Go on with your invitations , " I ad
vised , "and , if they are accepted , I will
look after the table. "
She stepped back down tfe * aisle &nd
stood with her hand on the seat in
front of our Jewish "friend to be. " "I
beg your pardon , " she began , "but I
want to Invite you to come to our-
Thanksglvlng dinner , and to furnish
your share of it"
"Thank you , " he looked up and
smiled , as he lifted his hat , "but where ,
is your dinner to be ? "
"Down there where my sister is sit
ting. " She nodded her head In my di
rection."We are going to have a fam
ily reunion. "
"Where is your family ? " His smile
broadened.
"All in this coach who will come. "
Here the young man in the sweater
turned round , and she addressed him.
"Will you come , too ? And ? "
"With pleasure , if I can be of any
assistance. "
"You can assist by furnishing some
thing toward the dinner. "
He pushed his hand down Into his
pocket "I have a piece of chocolate
and two sticks of chewing gum , which
are at your disposal. " The frank smile
on the young man's face revealed no
tendency toward freshness , but the
older man , not being able to see his
face-feared that he was Inclined to
raake sport of my sister. , Therefore ,
he-leaned , forward and , said : , , "There Is
a/diner on , and I think we.coujdtso
in " . / - Vv
"No , no , " interrupted Genevieve ;
"we don't want to go into the diner.
We want a 'make believe' family re
union here In our 'private' car. " Then
turning to the young man , /'Chocolate
and chewing gum are acceptable , if
they are the best you have. "
The man with the children had been
down to the end of the car giving each
of them a drink , and returned to his
seat , just as Genevieve was ready to
put thejnatter before him.
"We are to have a family reunion , "
she began , but seeing a shadow pass ,
over his face , hastened to .add : "This I
West citizen of the coun
try , will enjoy the Thanks-
gif Ing turkey.
If one would enjoy a
good old fashioned.Tbanks-
glving day at its best the
true road to the feast lies
in the country. Thanks
giving on the farm is some
thing to be remembered.
There the whole family is
taken into consideration ,
and It is safe to say that
each individual member
has been preparing for the
day almost ever since the
celebration of the last one.
Stores of mince , apple
and pumpkin pies have
been baked and range on
the broad shelves of the
store room ; apple sauce ,
preserves , with home-made
pickles , "put down"
months before required for
use ; stores of grapes , ap
ples , pears and nuts , care
fully looked over ; a goodly
ham , freshened in cold
water 24 hours , tnen careruuy wipea ary aim
placed in a pot of cider to" boil 16 minutes to the
pound ; a loin of pork , roasted to a rich , golden
brown , to be served with apple sauce , and the
feature of the feast a turkey , fattened to about
the 20-pound mark , the pride of the farmer and
the joy of his wife.
The turkey , hatched on the farm and as care
fully watched as any member of the family , fat
tened on grain and meal with a mixture of
chopped nut meats to ogive it the proper flavor ,
killed one week before the feast and hung In an
outhouse , where it is kept cold , but will not be <
injured by the frost is brought in the night be
fore for final treatment before being consigned to
the oven.
The great bird is carefully picked and drawn ,
thje interior wiped out , not washed , which would
destroy the flavor , and filled wfth "what is known
in the country as "the stuffin' , " a thick mixture
of sausage meat , bread crumbs and eggs , with
just a faint touch of sage and onion. When pre
pared and placed in the huge oven to roast it
becomes the duty of one cook to watch the oven
and baste the roast until it is evident to the prac
tised eye of the heroine of many such conflicts
that the turkey is ready to be served with fresh
made cranberry sauce and a rich gravy , In which
all the giblets have been stirred with some well-
balanced chestnuts. Now. everything being ready.
the family and guests ( and there are sure to be
guests In country at a country Thanksgiving din
ner ) troop into the long dining room , to find the
repast not only ready , but served with all the
pomp and state the feast deserves.
The turkey is placed before the host while
the roast loin of young pig graces the opposite
end of the table , with the boiled ham in the cen
ter , flanked with mashed white and baked sweet
potatoes , turnips and cauliflower , with boats of
gravy and bowls of sauce within easy reach of
alL "Now pass'up your plates , " is requested from
each end of the table , and the oftener .this re-
' p'eated advice is followed- the more the face of
the good matron glows with satisfaction. The
great pitchers of foaming , cider pass along the
board and the diner at a farm Thanksgiving feast
finds it all so novel and good that the vision
comes up before him frequently while struggling
with a complicated menu at his club or some hotel
or mincing through the series of problems pre
sented at a French or Italian table d'hote dinner.
On every Yankee warship in the hot lands of
the far away Malay islands , Cuba , Guam , Panama ,
the Sandwich islands and under the flag that
floats over every American consul's home or
office Thanksgiving day will be celebrated , and ,
like another stitch in the great bed quilt of liberty
and independence will knit the fabric closer to
gether.
We do well to have a Thanksgiving feast. We
thank the great Creator for our being , our sturdy
forefathers for our great country , our Burly Brit
ish ancestors for our love of country and good
things to eat , our bustling energy for rapid
progress , our wives and mothers for domestic
atmosphere that makes life enjoyable and success
certain and the rulers we have placed in power
for unparalleled prosperity.
is Thanksgiving , and we are'all away
from home , so my sister and I decided
to play that you , and everybody else
in this car , belong to our family , and
to Invite you home to our section , for
a Thanksgiving dinner. "
He saw what she meant , and ' the
baby reached out toward her ; as If it
understood , too. Genevieve' took' the
little one In her 'arms. "You see that
the baby'is willing , and-a'little child
should lead you ? '
"Oh , of course , -we will "be glad to
accept your kind invitation. If my
children won't disturb theparty. . " "
"No , indeed , " she assured him , "we
need children to make a Thanksgiving
dinner complete , " and , with the baby
in her arms , she walked down to the
golden-haired lady.
"Will you join us in our dinner
party ? "
"Thank you , " returned the girl , "but
I have my dinner with me. "
"Very good ! We want you to put
your dinner in with ours , and from the
size of your basket , I should imagine
you have more than all the rest of us
put together. "
"But I am going to Chicago , " the
young lady protested , "and I must
make ray lunch do for all the way. "
"Oh , I see , you are afraid we will
eat too much of it" She laughed , sit
ting down beside the girl , and still
holding the baby in her arms. "If you
will eat with us , you won't need to
open your basket. It is not your food
we want , but you. "
The girl still hesitated. "My moth
er told me not to get acquainted with
people on the train , for fear some
thing might happen , because I have
never been out of California before ,
and she-is afraid for mete take such
a long trip alone. "
"Are you afraid of me and- this
baby ? " askedJGenevieye. '
"Oh/no , I'm not afraid "of ladies ;
but mustn't speak to gentlemen , un
less I am introduced to * them. " "
"Well , my dear girl we won't enjoy
our dinner party just behin dr you here ,
knowing\that you are eating'all alone. "
The young man in the sweater told
of his last Thanksgiving 'in Alaska *
and our Jewish "relative" brought out
the best jokes he had in stock. ' We
laughed in the proper places , and
asked for more. Then tre agreed to
name over some of the things we wer
glad about
I saw the young man in the sweater
give the golden-haired girl a look that
made me wonder if he had noticed her
dainty appetite and silence , or wheth
er he was glad to have her present atp
p
our reunion. "I an } getting , back to
Chicago , " he said , "to attend my sisJ (
ter's wedding , and I suppose that I
ought to add that I am thankful I am
going to have a new brother next
week. "
y
"I'm going to a wedding , too. " The
golden-haired-girl had forgotten that
'she ' was not to speak to a gentleman
without an introduction. But she re
membered in time to lean round be
hind me.
"Whose ? " In coming to her rescue t
had forgotten that no queadons were
to be asked.
"My brother's , " she replied , some
where back of my shoulder.
"Perhaps her brother is to marry my
sister. " The young man had heard
her answer. "She is to marry a Call-
fornla chap that I have never seen ,
I barely know that his name is Har-
mon. "
"Will Harmon ? " Again the girl was
startled out of her corner. "My broth
er Will is to marry Miss Jenkins. "
"Sure enough ! " The young man
reached across me. "Shake hands , for
we are almost relatives. "
Genevieve rose with as much dig
nity as she could command under the
circumstances. "Miss Harmon , allow
me to introduce to you Mr. Jenkins. "
Our dinner was over , as everything
eatable was gone. The porter carried
the cups and saucers back to the din-
ing car , and cleared away the paper
sacks and crumbs.
The golden-haired girl sat alone no
-more on that train , and the young man ]
with the sweater'read no more maga
zines. They may have been talking
about-'the coming wedding , but-as'we
were about to' leave the train at Salt 1
Lake City , our Israelite "relative" said
over the back of our seat.
"There may be more.'than one wedding - ]
ding f ' ' - " * ' i
'
" "That fs the romance of pur Thanks
giving Dinner , " " suggestefl' , lather
of the childreij * whose baby was * "at
last asleep , ano he had time to enter"
into a conversation. "
"Now , her mother , cant blame us , "
put in Genevieve , "for tfiey would have !
inet In a few days * anyway. " 1
. * <
T he problem is not -bow much land
you have , but how well you cultivate
it Make the hay land produce nine
tons per acre , and fouror five acres
of hay will be enough. Make the corn
land produce 200 bushels per acre , and
cut down the area to one-fourth. Do
the same with the othe'r crops , and *
you will soon find that .you have much
more land than you can possibly cul
tivate.
The farmer raises cattle and hogs
with a view of rapid development of
fat , but the horse is used for mechan
ical power and should develop great
bone and muscle. Muscular develop
ment cannot be attained In close con
finement and the young animal should
not be tied in a stall and fed corn and
timothy hay to fatten him for the
shambles.
Unless there is an experienced and
successful corn breeder in the vicinity
who makes a specialty of growing first-
class seed corn , every farmer had bet
ted make his own selection from his
own field or from the best fields of
neighboring farms.
No kind of live stock can thrive and
do well in ill-lighted , poorly-aired
buildings. One of the first require
ments in a stable is that it should be
well provided with windows , and have
means for letting fresh air' in and foul
air out
The Introduction of the English
sparrow by its driving away the little
native" birds has been responsible for
me e damage by Insects and weed
ps ; tj than all other causes combined ,
including cats , and boys with guns.
If the hens are protected against the
cold winds while they are enjoying the
sunshine of the yards , they will surely
lay more eggs than if not thus shield
ed , while the reduced feed bill will
compensate for the expense Incurred.
Paint the staves on all sides before
erecting the silo , rather than to paint
the"ex'te'rior 'later oh , "since paint put
on the outside afterward holds water
In the cracks and causes the staves to
decay more rapidly.
rapidly.'t
't
If the cows are stabled at night ,
much fertilizer is saved that would
otherwise be dropped In the pasture
and disintegrated by wind , rain and
sun lose its strength and be lost
Nine tons Is a large yield of bay
from a single acre , and few would ex
pect this yield from Bermuda grass ,
yet such is the case , or at least from
an acre of vetch and Bermuda.
-The largest beet sugar factory in
the ' United States is at Spreckles , Cali-
foraia , which has a capacity of slicing
i3,000-tqns ' of beets per day , equal to
100 carloads of 30 tons each.
The women folks on the farm should
sssert < their rights and have the mod
ern ' and necessary equipments In the
dairy , and thus produce , with less la
bor , a good article of butter.
If there is any doubt whether land
needs : lime'or' not , test it One meth
od ' is to grow common garden beets.
This plant makes a very poor growth
on soil which needs lime.
Fashionable folks are taking up
horses again , the automobile having
become ] too common for them. And
farmers j are buying automobiles to save
their horses. *
The dairy cow , if able to express ,
herself in a way which the human
family would comprehend , might veil
:
lay claim to being man's best friend.
For home use , the garden , the arbor ,
the boundary fence and even the
veranda are the locations generally
avallable for the growth of the grape.
The succulent grasses are rich in
muscle and bone-forming materials
and are loosening and cooling to the
system. i " *
Probably no one thing enters more
into j commercial fruit growing than
proper packing.
, No other branch of farming pays
as j well as a good orchard , ' if well
taken care of.
i
Once settled indoors , the house
plants must be sure of regular attention
tionif they are to be a success.
"r ' * " i - .
Horse manure is much better to be
mixed , w.ith other manure-and worked
over by swine. ,
A useful and ornamental plant is
parfley. It may easily be , kept for
zse all winter. . r'N J ° *
j.pl .
Marsh land Is usually ricb. and all
it needs to make it productive ist
drainage. The fall of * the year IB the * . >
best time to drain before the winter
rains set in. If the grouncl is riot too *
soft for the horses , one or moro fur
rows may be run out with the two-
horse plow. Hook three horses to
the plow. An extra man should fol
low with sharp ax to cut the roots.
The ditch may be deepened by tho- .
use of the lifting subsoil plow. To do
good work a heavy match team in the
hands of a capable plowman Is neces
sary. After land is drained , turn- the
sod over with the three-horse plow.
It is now Umo to be thinking seri
ously of winter protection for small
fruits. For strawberries , the usual
covering of straw is good. In mild
locations a layer of straw not less
than four inches thick should be ap
plied. In more severe locations this
would be increased to six Inches , and
.in the prairie sections It Is desirable
to use eight inches of straw , or eve
more.
1 i ; . i
The prevailing fence of , today Is
the woven wire variety. No better
fence was ever devised , provided it ia
'
put up well , andrno other feace'is so
poor , ugly and inefficient If it'fe erect
ed in a slipshod manner.
Pick the fruit , empty it onto the sort
ing tables and pack it right HI the or
chard. If this method Is "practised
much labor is saved , for the whole
work is completed as soon as the fruit
is gathered from the trees.
It has been conclusively proven that
hens kept in a yard and fed right will
lay more eggs than hens that run at'
large all over creation. The feed bill
will not be so large either , a fact that
Is worth considering.
If swine are kept penned and are
given absorbents enough to keep them
fairly clean and dry , they will nearly
earn their keep in the amount of fer
tilizer they will make , and it is the
best of its kind.
Apples will not be over-produced' un
til every man , woman and child In the
land has all the apples he or she can
use , and gets them at a moderate
price.
If not done , plant , your gooseber
ries and currants this fall. Grape
vine should be laid down and covered
with straw. Even the old Concord
cannot stand our strenuous winters.
Start the trap nests 'so It can be
known which are the best winter lay
ers. Almost any old hen will lay In
spring and summer ; it takes a good
hen to lay in late fall and winter.
Not all regions and all soils are suit
able for growing a good quality of
onions , and only recently hare -onion
growers found out that peaty , swamp.
hinds made the best onion ground.
Nitrate of soda will force the growth
of melons , tomatoes and other plants.
A tablespoonful scattered about each
tomato plant and slightly raked in will
produce good results.
There is a great region of country
where the blackberry may be called
the poor man's fruit This is true be
cause of the ease and certaintr with
which it is produced. "
Every foal at weaning age has cost
the breeder considerable money , and
the preservation and development of
the foal has much to do with the prof
its of the farm.
In marketing onions the first essen
tial is to properly grade and clean the
bulbs , in order that they may present
an attractive appearance whem offered
for sale.
Insignificant matters often do not at
tract attention , yet a little crack in the
poultry house , if near where the fowls
roost , wiL cause suffering sooner or la
ter.
1
j
The sow that has proven herself
extra valuable as a breeder and a
mother should be one of the most
prized animals on the farm.
In mending a steep place in the
roadside , briers , brush and all fence
rr
row mowings make good material to
lay down to place the dirt upon.
In erecting a woven wire fence one
If the essential things to be consider
ed is that of strong and well support
ed corner or end posts.
The great value of lime In the soil
is its power to correct soil acidity , or
sourness , and to improve its texture
or physical condition.
Well bred heifer calves mar often
be purchased cheaply of people who
live In town and keep but one covr far
family use.
The market for small fruits Is great
er than ever , because the fruit is 'now
bought up by the canning and preserv
ing houses.
To make a success of dairying you
can't know too much about your cows.
No two cows are just alike.
The products of the dairy are per-
liaps the most useful articles includ
ed in the human diet
Fall rains are searching. If there
Is any doubt about the roofs get at
them now.
Location has much to do
profitable disposal of second-claw
ea.
' ' "
' " ' -