Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-08
How Mother Did 1t.

IF we were to suggest one which, above
all other things combined, would most
contribute to the happiness of the young
housekeeper, it would be to learn how to
cook as husbands mother cooked.
Mother used to make coffee so and so
mother used to have such waff1es; and
mother knew just how to make squash
pie; and, oh! if only could taste of
mothers biscuit. Such are the comments
of the husband and of too many meal Ia
bles. a
1t would be only little more cruel for
the husband to throw his fork across the
table, or to dash the contents of his tea
cup into his wife's face. The experience
of contrite husband is good reading for
those men whose daily sauce is "how
mother did it." He says:
~ found fault some time ago with Maria
AIMS custard pie, and tried to tell her how
the pie after my receipt. 1t lasted longer
than any other pie we ever had. Maria set
it on the table every day for dinner, and
you see could not cat it because forgot
to tell her to put in any eggs or shortening.
1t was economical, but in fit of generos-
ity stole it from the pantry and gave it
to poor little boy in the neighborhood.
The boys funeral was largely attended by
his former playmates l did not go my
self
"Then there were the buckwheat cakes.
l told Maria Ann any fool could beat her
taking those cakes, and she said had bet
ter try it. So did. emptied the batter
all out Of the pitcher one evening and set
the cakes myself. got the flour and the
salt and water, and, warned by the past,
put in liberal quantity of eggs and
shortening. shortened with tallow from
roast beef because l could not find any
lard. The batter did not look right, and
lit my pipe, and pondered. Yeast-yeast
to be sure. had forgotten the yeast.
went and woke up the baker and got six
cents worth of yeast. / set the pitcher
behind the sitting-room stove and went to
bed. In the morning got up early and
prepared to enjoy my triumph but didn't.
That yeast was strong enough to raise the
dead, and the batter was running all over
the carpet. scraped it up and put it into
another dish. Then / got fire in the
kitchen and put on the griddle. The first
lot of cakes stuck to the griddle. The
second dittoed, only more. Maria came
down and asked what was burning. She
advised me to grease the griddle. did it.
One end of the griddle got too hot, and
dropped the thing on my tenderest corn,
while trying to turn II around. Finally
the cakes were ready for breakfast, and
Maria got the other things ready We sat
down. My cakes did not exactly have the
right flavor took one mouthful, and it
satisfied me. lost my appetite at once.
Maria would not let me put one on her
plate. / think those cakes may be reckon
ed dead loss. The cat would not eat
them The dog ran off and stayed away
three days after one was offered him. The
hens wouldn't 90 within ten feet of them.
l threw them into the back yard, and there
has not been pig on the premises since.
/ eat what is put before me now, and do
not allude to my mothers system Of cook
ing"
A PARIS lettc., ays I" / suspect most OF
the beef have eaten of late is horse; any
how it does not taste like ordinary beef.
To obtain q joint at home is almost i'm
possible. In the first place, it is difficult
to purchase it; in the second place, if,
when bought, it is spotted BY. patriots 70.
ing through the streets, il is seized upon
the ground that any one who can obtain a
joint for love or money must be an aristo-
crat who Is getting more than his share. /
met a lady early this morning who used to
be most fashionable She was walking
along with parcel under Her shawl, and
six dogs following her She asked me to
drive them away, but they declined to 90.