The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-05-01
Social Ceremonies.

AT DOttOm, uuo bOClhl lOTtuS VI OIL
civilized nations are based on the grand
principle of mutual good will, and of
doing to others as we would that others
should do to us. There must be reci'
procity, both of forbearance and of act
i've kindness. The French have a
proverb, "A pleasure conferred de
serves another in return" and in popu-
lar language. pleasure has wider sense
than the mere dictionary meaning,
stretching so far as even to include a
money present. When once the mutu-
ality basis of politeness is admitted and
adopted, the rest will ever be n question
of degree, to be regulated by the slid
ing scale of time and opportunity.
Hence, cases. anecdotes, and illustra-
tons, are better guides to the true
spirit of all ceremonial, than any code
of abstract rules.
Common sense and ready tact can
alone prevent people from committing
blunders and improprieties. If from
the sublime to the ridiculous there IS
only one step, who does not feel that
there is only half a step from civility
to affectation, from kindness to famil-
iarity. from pleasantly to sarcasm, from
dignity to stiffness, from unreserved to
rough behaviour, from cheerful fun to
boisterousness? Whoever keeps on
the right side of the boundary, and, by
long usage or by natural instinct, not
only does what he ought at the right
time and place, but absolutely and
completely refrains from everything
that would compromise him, may fairly
claim the title of wellbred person.
In manners, as in diplomacy, excess
of zeal is a great mistake; in none of
its shapes should politeness ever be
overdone. Set compliments are dan
gerous things to handle. They may be
offered in all sincerity, and yet have a
very equivocal sound. An old adage
says, "All men are equal before Polite
ness" which is certainly great mis-
take. On the contrary, ceremonial po-
likeness recognizes and regulates the
inequality of men and women. 1t gives
unto Caesar the things that are Caesars,
and to the underling the things that are
the underling's. 1t is as strict as
Portia, in the matter of the pound of
flesh; it forbids the taking of a hairs
breadth more or less than the pound
written in the bond and due to the
claimant 1t metes out its awards with
an iron rule. This is your right and
that is yours; here is his place, and
there is theirs. No cavil. dispute or dis
cussion is possible; still less pleading
for indulgence and favor.
APPLE RICE PUDDING. Peel, halve
and core six tart apples; place them in
a flat stew-pan' with little water, two
tablespoonfuls of sugar, two or three
cloves, and stick of cinnamon; when
tender, take up carefully; boil the sirup
while longer, and pour over the
pieces. Boil two-thirds of teacupful
of rice in milk, with a scant teacupful
of white sugar, and the rind of lemon,
until the rice is thoroughly cooked /;
then take out the rind and stir in the
beaten yelks of three eggs. Put half
of the rec at the bottom of a pudding
dish; spread over the apples; cover
with the remaining rice, and place in a
cool oven for ten or fifteen minutes;
beat the whites of the eggs into a stiff
froth, add the juice Of lemon, three
tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and
spread over the pudding. Return to
the oven until of delicate brown.
Rock CREAM.-This will be found to
be very ornamental as we'll as a deli
cious dish for supper-table. Boil a tea
cup;ul of the best rice till quite soft in
new milk sweetened with powdered
loaf sugar and pile it npon dish; lay
on it in different places square Jumps of
either currant jelly or preserved fruit
of any kind; beat up the whites of five
eggs to stiff froth with little pow
dered sugar, and flavor with lemon or
vanilla. Add to this when beaten very
stiff about a tablespoonful Of rich
cream and drop it over the rice, giving
it the form of rocks Of snow.
How TO CURE DYspEpsIA.-Dr. Mich
OILS. who has made a series of dietetic
experiments on himself. has arrived at
the conclusion that, if the stomach is
allowed to rest, any case of dyspepsia
may be cured; that the diet question
was at the root of all diseases; that pure
blood can only be made from pure food,
and that, if the drink of q nation were
pure and free from stimulating quail
ties, and the food was also pure, the re-
suit would be pure health.
EGG BREAD. - Egg bread is not
cheap, but it is good, and young house
wives, whose yeast sometimes plays
tricks with them, will find it great
resource. To make it take one pint of
milk, two eggs, butter the size Of an
egg. one halt. cupful of sugar, three