The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-04-13

suppcd on potatoes and salt; and but
ter, making takes the place of the man
ulacture of tow-and-linen suits, and
the care of raising the children of
the present day is much greater than
it was in those days, for the more highly
intellectual the race becomes the greater
the demand upon the parents. Observe
the difference in care and responsibility
of American parents and parents of UNI
civilized countries. Our children de-
mand and require more at our hands in
every way. They cannot be satisfied
with what would satisfy a Fcjee or q
IIottentot, and this labor, care and re-
sponsibility necessarily dcvolve upon
the mother, great part of which she
cannot avoid if she wished TO. But we
think that no one would willingly have
our country placed in the same condi-
ton that il was even fifty years ago, for
the purpose of avoiding the cares and
responsibilities of the present; and
while food in our early history was TAX
en- in the simplest manner possible with
out the many processes by which ii is
now prepared, we yet come far short of
perfection in this art. And while il is
the most difficult and complicated ii has
become the most important branch of
domestic economy, and the fact that
good, sensible cookery Is essential to
the health, happiness and prosperity of
the farmer is so obvious that il needs no
argument to sustain ii.
| Look ut the tired farmer as he comes
from his days labor; everything has
played at cross purposes with him to-
day, and he feels very much inclined to
be in i'll humor with himself and the
world at large. AS he approaches the
house he is thinking, al hope wife will
have a good supper ready for me-" and
see the light sparkle in his tired eyes as
he enters and sees the table spread with
tempting viands. Not those that please
the taste and starve man, and which
cause so much of the craving for tenn
porary Increase of strength, and that is
quickest gained through glass of
whisky that gives spasmodic impulse to
the wheels of life, and then comes reac-
ton and they turn more sluggish than
ever; but real blood, bone, nerve and
disseminating food. Watch him sit
down at the table and see the careworn
expression Of his face gradually pass off
with the fragrant steam of his tea
smiles begin to play about his mouth,
Bitboaht NOiuo iit anu NOOf
he is himself again. But when YOU see
table set with sour bread, tough pie
crust and muddy coffee, you invariably
see II set of sour faces engaged in its
consumption, and the meal proves to be
very much like the Irishman's apple
pie, "made of nothing but ounces"
No rejecting person will deny that
good cookery is essential to the happi-
ness of all, and therefore it is of the ut
most importance that q Young lady be
mistress of this art before she attempts
the management of household. The
best part of every persons education is
that which he gives himself. II is not
the quantity of facts acquired that makes
the capable man or woman, but il is the
proper use of them. There are some
who spend their lives mourning over
the necessity that is laid upon them of
studying the art of thrift and economy;
but how did our most capable men and
women obtain their power? BY the ed
ucation which this very necessity gave
them. Call 1t not misfortune then
that brings you in conflict with circum-
stances, for it is better fortune than a
dowry of millions. Only in this school
do we learn foresight, patience, stead
fastness, good sense. What else do we
ever learn that is better worth knowing?
And who is the greatest congueror; he
who Stays giant with sling and pebbles,
or he who is armed for the same conflict
with coat of mail and repeating rife?
If can get out of small income. food
and clothing, books and recreation. and
penny to lay by for a rainy day, find
more satisfaction and enjoyment than is
possible to my neighbor, who has spent
twice as much money, and has got but
little more in exchange for it, such skill
as this is by no means to be despised:
and more skill is needed, and more
economy and good sense can be prac-
ticed in this art of cookery, than in any
other branch of domestic labor.
We do not believe that girl should
always be making bread and pies, mend-
ing stockings and doing plain needle
work, neither should she always be
reading, playing and doing fancy work,
at the risk of becoming nuisance. But
there is time for everything, and this
piano-playing and cookery, fancy and
plain nccdlework may be combined in
one person, and believe me, make a
harmonious whole when blended, and
we should see to it that the leisure hours
of girlhood are spent in requiring such
accomplishments as will make plain liv-
ing and high thinking a most useful
combination in our future; and it is the
more practical part TO which the most
earnest attention should be paid.
After the necessary articles of furni-
ture are nicely arranged in the new
home, next comes the inevitable ques-
ton, what shall we have for dinner?
And to the unintated it is question
fraught with untold difficulties. To be
sure, 1t seems but trifling matter to
boil few potatoes for two, and make
II little coffee in that beautiful new coffee
pot, and you have seen beefsteak cooked
so often that you are sure you can do it
to turn; but having no practical
knowledge, the reality presents n far
different picture, for everything takes
the advantage of you. Through mex
perience you haven't put water enough
in your potatoes, and, therefore when
you are turning your steak they are
burning OH the kettle; while despairing-
ly attending to these, you are greeted
with cloud of smoke from your steak
and in frantic cndeavor to remove il
from the gridiron succeeded in burning
your fingers, and landing the steak in
the ashes. There you stand Nursing the
burnt finger and bordering in amaze
lnent the "total depravity of inanimate
things, when in walks that better-half
of yours, with that most tantalizing
question, "Dinner ready, Nellie?" OF
course he thinks his wife is a trihc more
angelic than wives in general. But
when he comes to his new home day
after day, and finds repetition of the
same failures, ominous views of the flu
ture will rise up before him, and he in
wardly deplores the education that has
perhaps lavished many accomplishments
upon his bride, while il has left her to-
tally unfit for the actual duties of life
and such scenes are frequent enough to
impress on the mind of every Young
lady the importance of making cookery
not only part, but very important
part of her education; and to convince
hon that che xtriIl And tbtc 20 l,o Il