登陆注册
15732800000047

第47章 THE COUNTY FAIR(3)

Pigs are naturally so untidy about their persons, and have such shocking table-manners that it seems difficult to treat a sow like a lady, but that one in the pen yonder, with her litter of sucking pigs, seems very interesting. Come, let's have a look. Aren't the little pigs dear things? I'd like to climb in and take one of them up to pet it; do you s'pose she'd mind it if I did? I can see decided improvement in the modern hogs over old Mose Batcheller's.

If you remember, his were what were known as "razorbacks." They could go like the wind, and the fence was not made that could stop them. If they couldn't root under it, they could turn themselves sidewise and slide through between the rails. It was told me that, failing all else, they could give their tails a swing - you remember the big balls of mud they used to have on their tails' ends - they could swing their tails after the manner of an athlete throwing the hammer, and fly over the top of the tallest stake-and-rider fence ever put up. I don't know whether this is the strict truth or not, but it is what was told me as a little boy, and I don't think people would wilfully deceive an innocent child.

The pigs nowaday aren't as smart as that, but they cut up better at hog-killing time. They aren't quite so trim; indeed, they are nothing but cylinders of meat, whittled to a point at the front end, and set on four pegs, but as you lean on the top-rail of the pens out at the County Fair and look down upon them, you can picture in your mind, without much effort, ham, and sidemeat, and bacon, and spare-ribs, and smoked shoulder, and head-cheese, and liver-wurst, and sausages, and glistening white lard for crullers and pie-crust -Yes, I think pigs are right interesting. I know they've got Scripture for it, the folks that think it is wrong to eat pork, but somehow I feel sorry for them; they miss such a lot, not only in the eating line, but other ways. They are always being persecuted, and harassed, and picked at. Whereas the pork-fed man, it seems to me, sort of hankers to be picked at. It gives him a good chance to slap somebody slonchways. He feels better after he has seen his persecutors go away with a cut lip, and fingering of their teeth to see if they're all there.

You'll just have to take me gently but firmly by the sleeve and lead me past the next exhibit, the noisy one, where there's so much cackling and crowing. I give you fair warning that if you get me started talking about chickens, the County Fair will have to wait till some other time. I don't know much about ducks, and geese, and guinea-hens, and pea-fowl, and turkeys, but chickens -Why, say. We had a hen once (Plymouth Rock she was; we called her Henrietta), and honestly, that hen knew more than some folks. One time she - all right. I'll hush. Let's go in here.

I don't remember whether the pies, and cakes, and canned fruit, and such are in Pomona Hall or the Fine Arts Hall. Fine Arts Hall I think. They ought to be. I speak to be one of the judges that give out the premiums in this department. I'd be generous and let somebody else do the judging of the cakes, because I don't care much for cake. Oh, I can manage to choke it down, but I haven't the expert knowledge, practical and scientific, that I have in the matter of pie. I'd bear my share of the work when it came to the other things, jellies and preserves, and pies, but not cake.

Wouldn't know just exactly how to go at it in the matter of jellies.

I'd take a glass of currant, and hold it up to the light to note its crimson glory. And I'd lift off the waxed paper top and peer in, and maybe give the jelly a shake. And then I'd take a spoon and taste, closing my eyes so as to appear to deliberate - they'd roll up in an ecstacy anyhow - and I'd smack my lips, and say:

"Mmmmm!" very thoughtfully, and set the glass back, and write down in my book my judgment, which would invariably be: "First Prize."Because if there is anything on top of this green earth that I think is just about right, it is currant jelly. Grape jelly is nice, and crab-apple jelly has its good points, and quince jelly is very delicate, but there is something about currant jelly that seems to touch the spot. Quince preserves are good if there is enough apple with the quince, and watermelon preserves are a great favorite, not because they are so much better tasting, but because the lucent golden cubes in the spicy syrup appeal so to the eye. But if you want to know what I think is really good eating in the preserve line, you just watch my motions when I come to the tomato preserves, these little fig-tomatoes, and see how quick the red card is put on them. Yes, indeed. It's been a long time, hasn't it? since you had any tomato-preserves, you that haven't been "Back Home" lately.

It's no great trick to put up other fruit so that it will keep, but I'd look the canned tomatoes over pretty carefully, and if I saw that one lady had not only put them up so that they hadn't turned foamy, but had also succeeded with green corn, and that other poser, string beans, I'd give her first premium, because I'd know she was a first-rate housekeeper, and a careful woman, and one that deserved encouragement.

But I'd save myself for the pies. I can tell a rich, short, flaky crust, and I can tell the kind that is as brown as a dried apple, and tough as the same on the top, and sad and livery on the bottom.

And I know about fillings, how thick they ought to be, and how they ought to be seasoned, and all. Particularly pumpkin-pies, because I had early advantages that way that very few other boys had. Iwas allowed to scrape the crock that had held the pumpkin for the pies. So that's how I know as much as I do.

同类推荐
  • 淇园编

    淇园编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 黄箓九幽醮无碍夜斋次第仪

    黄箓九幽醮无碍夜斋次第仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Mary Stuart

    Mary Stuart

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 心医集

    心医集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • AGNES GREY

    AGNES GREY

    ALL true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity, that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut.
热门推荐
  • 空网传

    空网传

    由空间微粒子构成的游戏世界,却是如此真实,抚摸着脸,近乎完美。视角中由远及近、斑驳万象的变化空间,吴境急速地坠落,闭眼感受强气流压迫神经的痛感。浓烈的硝烟气息,沉寂的热血沸腾,在实感游戏的魅力下,激情将在此刻爆发!
  • 超神打造

    超神打造

    抱回个垃圾筒居然藏个女超神打造者,未来科技打造超越现实的所有物品,不过需要杀变异体保护世界换取积分。尹龙从次开始了每天刷刷副本保护地球,闲来低调的用未来科技拯救世界,保护小美女呵护天使然后与腹黑御姐一同作战的精彩人生。
  • 穿越冷血女王

    穿越冷血女王

    一个凉风嗖嗖的晚上,一群黑衣人包围了一个浑身是血的女人,旁边还有横七竖八的有一堆尸体。只见黑衣人让出一条道路,走过来一个俊美的男人,但他脸上的贪婪让人恶心:“呵呵,紫儿,你还是把狐之戒交出来吧,看在以前的情分上,我留你全尸。
  • 拐个校草来暖床

    拐个校草来暖床

    在墙角,某男长腿一迈,嘴角坏坏的勾起一个性感的幅度。某女心想:难道要在厕所旁边壁咚?慢慢地闭上眼睛。可是那一个吻一直没有落下来。某男噙着笑说道:“老婆大人,你的头上有一片叶子。”某女红着脸说道“我又不是要你亲我,你解释什么。”“好好好,没有要我亲”某男宠溺的揉了揉某女的头说道。某女心想:这话听起来怎么怪怪的捏?“你!”某女反应过来自己被某男调戏了,转过头去。“呵呵。”某男笑了笑,将某女抱进怀里什么。“””
  • 逆战之再世为王

    逆战之再世为王

    天地玄黄,宇宙洪荒,从地球到宇宙,从宇宙到异界,当灾难来临,流浪星际间,开始了他怎样的孤独之旅呢……
  • 相隔1000年的爱恋

    相隔1000年的爱恋

    因为一次美好的邂逅,让本无关系的二人相爱,但任何爱情都要经得起考验,一次次的困难,让他们的爱,变得坚强起来……
  • 聊斋异版之红莲

    聊斋异版之红莲

    听说那个宅院曾经的主人是一富商,却在二十年前,全家几户人口连带家丁全在一夜之间失踪。在地的知县府还派了大批的捕头进那个宅院里进行搜索查证,离谱的是那些捕头却一个都没出来过,有人不信邪,非要进去探究,最终还是一个结果。
  • 莫让你的泪落下

    莫让你的泪落下

    街道下阴郁,两个身影,一个强忍,一个落泪,双手紧握,转身离别……………“等一下!请你记住在你的世界曾有一个人叫顾依人的爱过你”……几年后:他回来了,他回来找回他曾失去的爱,找回那个女孩对她说“曾经的伤,我来还”女孩说:“你还不了了”
  • 鬓云香腮雪

    鬓云香腮雪

    前世,姑父跟她说:“初瑶啊,你年纪还小,将军府总要有人打理,我们都是你的亲人,对吧?”于是姑父一家占去了她的府邸。嫁人时,姑妈和她说:“初瑶啊,你看你和梦竹如同亲姐妹一般,让她陪你嫁了如何?”于是表妹抢了她的男人。当一切回到十五岁,她从将军府踏入花轿之时,她叶初瑶只有一个念头。全部,她都要拿回来。
  • 妖王宠妻绝色逆天三小姐

    妖王宠妻绝色逆天三小姐

    她,是23世纪杀手界之王,惨遭背叛,却穿越到凤羽大陆,临风国四大家族中的废物痴傻三小姐身上,呵!废物?你见过七系全能的废物?你见过一天连升五级的废物?回眸一笑,从此,虐渣男,训庶姐,创势力,一手翻覆天下!可是一直追着她不放的男男是谁?“揭了我的面具就要做我娘子,”某男腹黑一笑,“啊呸!我在给你带上!”“带上就是承认我是你相公了”“……”某女无语妖王追妻;绝色逆天三小姐。