Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-11-07
Small COurtesIes at Home.

There Is great lack Of minor refined
habits IN some places--especialiy IN the
arrangement OF the table. Setting a ta-
BILE is pre-eminently iady's work. II
should not be left 10 any fTowsy Gretch-
en-, or blundering Blddy, or shiftless
Dinah. = woman, with any Of the in-
stincts OF a lady, however dormant,
ought 10 want 20 see her table beauti-
fuI, and attend TO IL herself, or give her
girl special training in this department.
Country housekeepeEs, alas while
too solicitous Of the substance, often
completely ignore the symbol. In most
cases their cloths are clean. usually in
some districts, that Is ell. They are Of
ten wrinkled, frequently there are no
napkins, the glass Is dingy, the knives
unpolished, the food arranged more as
regards quantity than appearance, and
altogether, 10 sit at such board long,
would eHectualIy check any attempt 10
rise above the gross materiality Of the
subject.
There is scarcely a woman who in
her secret heart would not desire bet
ter. But the thought OF set Of hum
cry, impatient, sweaty, farm hands hang
upon her like milestone. Perhaps she
has read Mrs. Diaz's excellent little
book, "The School-master's Trunk"
and from IL has learned-or perhaps
not, and some one has told her,-that
rich cakes and pies and hot bread are
abominations; in despair, she remem-
bers that she still has this famishing
crowd to feed. She may herself be-
lieve that plain bread, light cakes, ua-
cooked fruit. and simpler meats, would
be wholesome;-but, oh, the men
folks /" Above all, to imagine them
brushing their hair and putting on their
coats and sitting down. to smooth.
snowy linen. glittering glass, sparkling
silver, shining steel and fresh flowers.
no more
might tell you 10 determine to have
plain white dishes, uniform ifnot price,
less: glass like crystal; silver reduced
20 absolute solid spoons, forks and but
ter-knives (more if you can afford iD,
and the money saved from the shams Of
slated pitchers and sugar-bowls, going
60 enrich your damask and then your
china know l should frighten
YOU, were | 10 add, "Use them every
day, arrange them with exquisite care.
and embellish them with fragrant flow-
ers."
know, I am familiar with every diff
fculty which can beset the mistress OF
a farmhouse. Yet think what cause
you have to hope. Your men and boys
aIl 90 tothe pump and splash themselves
plentilully with water as though by in
siinct. If they knew that you sincere
" desired il, they would soon form the
habit 81 taking just minute or two
more to arrange their toilets. II is
pretty sefe to say that il the table in
variably presented an exquisite appear
ance for two weeks, they would be sor-
w 10 see q relapse the third You may
not be able 10 reform the food itseli.-|
but the accessories, with patience. you
may.
There Is no use in talking. Hard la
Dor, as hard labor, in itself 4 degrading.
1t is constantly encroaching upon an1
threatening previous qualities Of mind
and heart. II is false morality to try
and teach otherwise. and Il is well for
ali, especially the greatest toilers, to
look this matter squarely in the face.
Once warned Of The danger, they can
study intelligently 10 avosdit. The end
Of living 10 not 10 labor. but labor is the
nfeans cllisine. High above Il and be-
yond Il end iealously guarded from It's
spelling influences must be kept life IT,
SELF Not until we comprehend, as we
should IN this enlightened age, that
since the days Of our ancestors the
world has wakened TO the grand truth
that we, ourselves. and our souls, are
our true inheritance, 10 which all eter-
nal things are 10 be subosdinated. will
we understand the real mission Of labor
that is, Il il q useful machine, which
we must rule and which must not be
permitted 10 rule as. In order to de-
rive permanent benefit from Il, we must
believe that We owe 10 ourselves as
much rest and recreation, and refine
meat and culture, as possible. Waat
folly 10 wosk 10 hard Cor temporal riches
shat may neser come. and neglect daily
opportunities 10 live iDlelligensly in the
present.
Would il not be constant delight,
favorable occasion for the steady con-
quest OF coafseness, this simple matter
0f the family meali With caFeiaily ar
ranged appointments. agreeably dispos-
ed sisnds. presenlabie toilets. combined
with seeming leisure, ss though COM
pany of Christians (not herd Of FAM