The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-09-02


Died of bad Cooking.
A friend asked another of what the
gentleman died whose house they were
passing. After moments pause, he
remarked quite seriously. HE died Of
bad cooking" I do not know that
ever saw such a statement in an obit-
uary notice, but it might with truthful
ness be put into great many. The
only wonder is that great many more
do not ole of it. Probably an active
outdoor life helps TO keep of the fatal
result, though the same cannot fail TO
steadily undermine the stoutest consti-
tuition. ...-.a.,.,
Meats sodden in fat, and bread nine
teuths of the time sour or heavy, are the
order of many households. A lad,
whom circumstances compelled 10
board for severHl months in such a
place. said: 81 should have supposed
they would miss it sometimes, and have
good bread, but they never did" II
some housekeepers bad served an ap-
nrenticeship, to learn the art of making
DooI bread, they could not have sue
ceeded better. Sour bread aud dyspep-
STA are twin brothers, or rather mother
and child.
Careless. Woodworking mothers, who
will not take the pains TO cook few
plain things we'll, are usually the least
Sufferers by the poor management.
They and their families have usually
such an amount OF out door exercise
that they can barely live through it
without breaking down. Still great
deal of the ccossuess and misery which
hauuts such homes like shadow,
arises from the indigestion which fol-
lows loading up the stomach with
stones and leather in place OF whole
some food.
The evil is greatly aggravated when
we come to the more comfortable mid
die classes, where too often the whole
management OF meals, beyond few
bad directions, is left to an ignorant
and careless domestic. Good lneaIy
potatoes are turned into water-washed
Jumps; meat is put into cold water at
tirst' and afterward boiled at n furious
rate, till all the juices are soaked away,
and the mass that remains is about as
dry and upnourishinR as block OF
f6rous wood. Then the liquid meat
that Is left in the kettle is turned out
into the drain. So on to the end of the
chapter. The sour-bread difficulty Is
quite as great here, and II an attempt
is made to correct 1t, enough soda is
usually employed to make a hne dish
of SOAP in the stomach, when combined
with the grease usually accompanying
such cooking in one article or another
II our ladies' would only attend to the
business themselves, and first learn
and then carefully direct their do.
mestics in the business, standing
by to see that il Is done right,
till the habit is formed, IL would do
more to make their families healthy
and happy, than all the tucked skirts
or embroidered dresses they could
make in lifetime. II is worth ma
king the effort for. It will pay you the
largest interest in tho matter of mere
personal happiness, to see each meal
come on TO the table thoroughly well
prepared, and know that husband and
children are partaking of it without
danger OF that foe to all happiness, in
digestion. The advantage TO small in
comes of such wise supervisor, as the
mistress of the house, can not be over
estimated. 1.-THE eyes OF the mistress
Will do more work than both her
hands"
though often not the richest, pride
themselves on the title they have ac-
quired among plain neighbors of good
livers," which usually means, they set
table on which every luxury OF the
season abouuds, prepared with all the
expensive ingredients that can conVen-
iently be added thereto. 1t was a curl.
osity to hear Mrs. l.. describe the In
gradients she mixed into her mammoth
Jar of mince-pie meat. All spices that
ever came over were added, with wine,
brandy, cider, teaberries, little pieces
Suet, EhlslusI
currants, and various other things "toO
numerous to mention" When pud-
dinSs were made they were rendered
wholly indigesIible by a dozen or more
of eggs, aud the various pickles and
"catsups," with which her family were
daily RECALLED, were so hotly spiced AS to
burn the mouths of ordinary mortals.
One is reminded of Addison IS remarks
on such table. "WhRt counter-fsr-
ments must such medley of intern
perance produce in the body! For my
part, when l behold a fashionable table
set out in all its magnifcence, 1 fancy
that see gouts and drOpsies, fevers and
lethargies, with other innumerable dis
tempers, lying in ambuscade among the
dishes"
Such extravaganza in the use of ma
terinls is far from being a sign of n good
cook. Good cooking consists in pre-
pairing well, simple, wholesome food.
Unwholesome food is badly cooked,
however Ingeniously the materials may
be jumbled together. Rich people may
be able TO afford the time and expense
of being sick after living on such diet.
but it is not wise or right TO thus lay
themselves aside and cut short lives
which might be usefully employed in
Gods service, just for a momentary
qualification of the palate.