Fig. 571. apple, and cut downward, making a slanting outward incision about an inch and a half long; draw out the knife, insert it again at the top of the first cut and make another slit in the opposite direction, the two slits forming the letter A without its cross piece. Again take out the knife and, commencing at the bottom of the second cut, bring the knife upward and outward, as in the right side of the letter V; continue cutting these points until the last one meets the first, being careful to push the knife to the centre of the fruit at each cut. When finished pull the two halves of the apple apart.
Plum pudding the child cannot have, but a fine baked apple will answer the purpose and may be made almost as attractive. Select a baking apple free from all flaws, wash it well and “bake to a turn”; serve steaming hot, with a sprig of holly in the top (Fig. 571).
CHAPTER XXIII
PICTURE WRITING AND
SIGN LANGUAGE
The next best thing to seeing one’s friends is hearing from them, and the more interesting the letter the greater the enjoyment, particularly when the communication is intended to be passed around the entire home circle. There is a delightful way in which to express yourself differently from ordinary writing, a method used by the early Egyptians, called picture writing. The Egyptian pictures were not at all like those made by modern artists; their representations were crude and unfinished, yet they answered very well for the people and the times. You have advantages over those ancient people inasmuch as you need not even attempt to draw the designs. All that is necessary for you to do is merely to look over the newspaper and magazine advertisements, select the prints needed, and after cutting out and pasting them on a sheet of paper, with a few connecting words between, you will have produced an odd, interesting letter, and the work will be pure fun.
Fig. 572.
Fig. 572 gives an idea of such a letter, supposed to have been written on Thanksgiving. Try to read it. For fear you might not quite catch the meaning, here it is interpreted for you:
"Dear Grandmother, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins: I send you greetings. I know there will be a cooking of tarts, turkey, puddings, and lots of good things. I like sweetmeats and fruit best. Please use the camera and send me a picture of the family while at dinner, and of my cousins standing in a row. Wishing you a jolly time,