Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-05-06
LIFE IN HOLLAND,

The family meet IN the mOrnins 2 room for VII at
NAV be called yeIy literal Z" breakfast" Me-
vyouv sits At the table, with her cheri.hed chIna
before her, and a stesmiDg kettle on an opep
stove by her side on the floor. She gives to each
sElah cup OF delicious tea, or not quite 81 good
coffee, at choice; and this, with a single sand
wieh II thln-sliced buttered black bread, tanked
oy the halves Of little new white roll. must
content the sharpest morning appetite till mid
day. All IL over in i've minutes; and q terrible
discontinue 10 is on the first morning OF trial,
For him who has battered his hungry soul BY
visions of kidneys or juicy steak. But good
deal may be said IN favor OF Tins slender meal;
6r when recouciled 20 10 BY use, sn1 Thus gently
simulated after good night of sleep. body and
mind are in better condition for real hard work
du ing the next three or four hours-tle most
amp, TtsTt in the dav-thsn when oyerburd ened
by a besvy breakfast; crete szpsTtO.
Neyrsuw At once proceeds with q most i'm
p0Ttant oIsTa8iOsl-that of washing up She
would TO more intrust her precious CHINA TO the
hands OF 4 servant than would young mother
the cutung of her baby eyelashes 10 the under
nurse. II Il even said, 81 general il the prar-
Ice, that EeE most gracious NJ the On
81 Id performs the like aaxIOIs task.
Washed and wiped. the china - Carefully put
away and locked up In the glass-SiCed cabinet
for the edmiTatiOn Of behOldeiS until the next
meal, snd thus these, as well az other vaIu able
works CT art stirred in sight. are not KEEP. merely
Tor show, bat, surely Is their proper Junction,
are put 20 constant use. The gentlemen light
az cigars, as matter Of ceurse, and 90 - bIsi-
ness
IN next family meeting i generally sttse!ve.
MeyTOUS, her china, and her kettle are there "a
before. hut this time there is more DIaDtlfrl
supply OF breSd-and- butter, and the black
bread s2ntEich a. supplemented by Others of
Jhln-slced dTled meat. The meal, however.
scarcely oilers FROM the eaTlIer one except that
there Is "A iaIgeT quantity eaten, and a second
cup OF Z q or cOree may be had. H. the summer
mCTth- light Rhine wines make their appear
aEe-. wash up az before, inevitable cigar,
These slight Suacks. whets TO appetite merely
lead Up, In full accord with the famous princi-
pies o. DE vuiucey, 10 dinner, the great, the
prsTCu1STa:iHg mssl about which. as he almost
s9bi'mely saws, ''the whole day should centre"
and certainly a Dutch dinner is a tremendous
fast During ons-haif of the twenty-fOur hours
u y impossible % be unconscious that yOu have
not diued, sn1 durirg the other not 10 bs con-
scioUs that you haye-the facts are too strong
appetite and repetition. Let US begin. Suppose
the guests TO Be seated; there is one preliminary
which seems odd 70 one accustomed TO the audi.
be ard even sOIcTOus grace before meat OF our
dear oil rector. The hostess gives a peculiar
glance round the table, saws few soft words,
among which may be caught something like
''pTie; instantly every body LOOKS steadily do yn
into the plate before him, nd the discovery NAV
DC nahe that each guest Is supposed 10 be Offer
ing Et~ own silent grace before meat; and before
the stranger, not being Quaker, has time to
recover has beWilderment gentle rustic from
the dress OF the hostess, announcing that She has
bnshed, is echoed by other rustIes from All
slde', and eyes look up with the transient CLEAN
of evanisLing piety.
Fish, flesh. aud mot SO commonly fowl ana
usually plainly cooked, are the staples The
Dutch are so particular about their fish being
peTfectly fresh that a good housesife il not
satisfied unless she sees them actually alive
either in the market or brought swimming in
wz,eT-taDks TO her door. The first herring OF
tie 2sSon Is held a dish OF luxury, and one
dollar IL a common price for an early one.
Mighty dishes of vegetables, boiled and after
wards SfeTed in butter, appear a. Courses and
the quantity piled upon ones plate f. AT tirsf
embarrassing to the fieshly appetite. There are
fouT or I'VE varieties OF the kidney bean ali
well worthy OF commentator. These baan-
are safed ID large esrthen jars. or preserved by
an INGENIOUS Plan; by baking. for win
Ter use, and, fresh, sailed. OF preserved
they ave brought upon the table throughout the
year, when other green vegetables are not 70 Inc
had ioT without his great platefal of vegetable
per 81 TO Hollander d dds himself TO have uron-
cry Cined There are invariably two courses
az SOiif meat. and the change are ruDp ur,0y,
beet veal, ham; for mutton and lamb are
scarcely ever eaten. Good mutton Is not 70 bs
had in Holland There il some PECULIARLY ~,
The pastures or C!IIT ate which makes r1ufto-,
very IaEk and tallo%y. The poor people eat it,
OF course. ard so they do geese, which are by
no Means looked upon a. a luNury: but a greater
number by Ear Of far sheep than are r,6Surn a
ID hCISEi are shipped for the English ;partic
ulaTiy the LOndOn) market.
1be amenities OF the table and IT, Customs
have their slight peculiaTitiCS. The piece Fe re-
stS'dRee and other meat dishes are carved by
The host into shoes upon plate, which Is u ,ssad
nOm guest 10 guest, who help themselves ac-
cording 10 fancy, every gentleman having pre-
Iionsiy taken good care OF his left-h and adv.
his OVID peculiar charge. A stranger will so6r
be taught that she expects him to choose slice
10 her liking and, having helped LimsaIf and
passed on the meat-piate, 20 make tender in
rulry about her selection OF pickles, for he can
not bat notice that she has meanyhiIa baeI
making q solemn AMI deliberate saryev Of the
great variety upon The table; pickles she and
everybody Invariably eats with nfea. hot or coli
and no wonder, the quality being really s-rerb
Tie great pride OF a Dutch housewife NJ 4 NAV
not be said that preserves are a greater. i
pickles, and both OF them make a great show
Upon the dinner-table. One little Custom prs-
yAk IN helping fair lefthand Beighbor to
mlhe-the gentleman must be careful TO pour a
lew drops into his own glass 6rst- Whetha- tb a
be simply TO give himself the benefit OF any
Particles OF dust or cork upon the top or b.
actually the remains Of the ancient custom or
cup, the thing IL always done to the last yIass
Possibly n may even be the heather custom OF
hoa,lon; which Is certainly practiced By the
wine. ''u
The Datch have solved the great eating with.
he-knhe question in a very ehectual manner
by dong away with the temptation. Their na
tive specimens Of cutlery are so bad ii. in
Gsing them there can be no ever-recurr,ny
pleasure such a. may be had IN welding a Welt
balanced, smooth ,ivory-handled ROdyers " birb
answers 10 every turn OF the wrist and cuts an
clean and trre as TO make ore faucv even the
toughest heeistake negotiable into tidbits. The
diner IN Holland is expected 10 cut mr. h: 49,,
and other estables al at once upon his nIa,s
A. we'll a. be can manage with his wret he'd i'm
Ileme NJ; which ne then gladly deposits upon
away VITA the fork alone, held in his INT hana
The stock OF cutlery, bad 81 IL is cannot be verv
large, Tor ore knife and fork Is all the ala -
for each person dGrIny the whole DINER.
The various dishes OF fresh fruit, or fruit nrs-
sefFSd entire, such A. Peaches AMI apr!cotx are
hthued up N succession 10 the hostess first who
having counted noses. cuts up into halves or
quarters, according 70 the number OF ,uests AMI
tIe quantity OF fruit upon the DISH which Is
tten passed from hand to hand; 80 that yhetlier
the supply be plentiful or scanty, each ynesT N
ne choose, NAV have his fair PROPORTION. This
seems 10 he ho<pItahle method; AZ certsinIv
prohibits on the one hand the display OF selfish
deSterity sometimes made on a dish OF 6ne
peaches, when there are q dszen or more 10
tHtake, or on the other hand, OF the motesf
foftearsnce which leaves the De aches y n touehsd
and the onging soul unatsfed
lminedi atsiy after eating has ceased the cigar
DoN l. ken round BY the children, ii any are
present and DO lady dreams Of objec,in2 nor
even consent asked. After some little time
AZ Ieiire 10 the drawing room, where MevrOuw
n.'ls her tea equipage ready TO her hand, AMI
.neh me gentlemen have had their small cup
s-s. Louhge on 10 business until o O'clock
ne smu>emenn and occupation OF An ave-
mig ~ home In family In asy circumference
~blch y the sort OF family whose taily ufs has
Deen mere csscrioed, are pretty uearIy tina same
IN All parts or the world, and those in HolIsn
are no exception. A little music peefale--ori
And rescfDg, with pleasant chat AMI .ms,i
games, not forgetting the prepar alton of Ies.ons
81 the chiidren, pas away the time until m
o'clock, when, after another "conee-drinLincD'
very similar 70 the early morning msaI ~ :.