The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-11-19
The 0agttte.
setting the Table.

Setting the Table.
"Susy, run and get the salt.disb,
said mother as the family begun
their morning meal, "and bring
me another cup and two saucers
II havn't any fork" said Tom.
"Guess I'll eat with my fingers"
~ mo, indeed" said mother, Ego
right away aud get yourself
fork"
81 do wish we could always have
a pitcher of cool water on the ia,
BILE" said father, "whatever else We
don't have"
skate, get some water for your
father, and do try to always re
member that; l am sure | have
told you often enough"
The three children were at last
: 10 their places again, and come
thing like quiet was restored. !.
ado hope We can get on now
without having any one got up
again until the meal is over" said
father, at makes SO much confus-
ion and discomfort. Whose busi-
ness is it to set the tlble?'
"Kate's." said little Susy.
"Well, Kate, if you will set it for
q week without having one thing
missing when We set down, l will
get you a new dre3s."
Kate was pleased with the pro.
posal, and determined to exert her.
self to the utmost. She made the
simple matter of setting the table
a study, and the increased order
and comfort OF the family meals
would have been good reward,
without the new dress, which she
at last succeeded in earning.
There is q science about setting
the table, which is too often neg.
lected in country homes. The
first cardinal point is clean, de-
cent tablecloth. Even il it IS made
out Of hempen cloth, it looks in
vitipg If it is perfectly neat and
smoothly spread. Better wash
three times in tho week than to
call your family to sit down around
a coffee stained, crumplcd table
cloth. 1t is not much OF task to
wash out one or two through the
week, and it pays for the trouble
many times over.
Then let the plates and cups be
shining and evenly set, the knives
bright, the salt-dish and sugar
bowl (Which are so often neglect.
ed) spotless, and let every spoon
be in its place. A little care and
forethought can prevent the disor.
der which go often spoils halt the
meal in country houses, as ono af
tor another is sent for missing ar.
ticles.
have seen table full Of mon
cit down to dinner in large brick
farm house, where one great plat
ter in the middle OF tho table was
made to hold turnips, potatoes,
boets and pork, which had all been
boiled in ono pot. Tho beots had
given their peculiar hue to every.
thing else, and the odor arising
from tho stew was almost enough
to drive ono from tho house. A
good dinner can be half spoiled by
being carclessIy put on the table.
and every ono knows how the
best of materials oan bo spoiled in
cooking. Some housewives seem
to have a wonderful skill in both OF
these departments; good -four il
converted into sour indigestibIe
mass, and fresh vegetables, BY fe.
ing all cooked together, loso all
their own peculiar excclIcncies,
and seem only TO imbibo tho bad
traits Of their noighbors, The
whole meal, when the family are
called to partako Of it, has much
the appearance Of being thrown on
10 the tablo.
How seldom We SEQ glass Of
flowers Oh tho supper table IN our
American homes Yet what n
charm they throw over the plainost
meal How refining their inhu.
encs on tho hearts of tho children
how cheering and delightful to
oil flower. lovers
Nothing that makes homo pleas
ant and bright, is too trlfling to ro
ceivo our earnest study and attcn
tion.-MRs, j. II. McC. in Countrl
Dent.