The Democratic advocate., 1880-02-28
When the Cook is Sick.


the light Of the kitchen and the ioy Of the
department Of domestic drudgery languish-
es on bed Of rheumatism. Having dur
ing long term Of service regularly answer
cd to roll-call, she has unwittingly con
yeyed to her employers the idea that she
might be counted on forever and in any |
emergency The possibility Of her absence |
from a days duty had not occurred to
anybody in the house. II would seem as
natural TO find the church steeple lying
Hat on the pavement as to mark cooks ab- |
sence from stated duty.
But as the frost Of winter arrests the
activity even Of the busy brook aud con.
lines It in fetters Of ice, SO does autumnal
rheumatism catch the cripple and poor girl
while waiting too late at night outside the
gate to wish her departing cousin safe
journey home. It is not 50 much hearty
sympathy for her sufferings that fills the
family with sorrow. True, there is fair
amount Of sympathy, and what there is Is
deep and sincere. But the trouble is 10
know how to got along without her ser.
vices. So long as il has been the custom
to depend on her for almost everything
necessary to daily existence that the yari-
Gus members Of the family are almost help.
less.
There are some things which the girls
know. Sophia Serena can make Charlotte
russo and meringues aud whipped cream
and sosp.bubble pie and seven story Jelly
cakes 10 fats, with layers Of jam to keep
the fats apart. Maria Magenta can taste
fully adjust on the parlor mantel and the
etagere the neat little plaster Samuels,
japanese pagodas aud other articles of
bric-a-brac which have been bought with
her own pia money or presented by admir-
ing friends. But neither of these young
ladies know how to kindle FIRE 10 the
kitchen range or keep It u going in the
event Of having succeeded in setting the
fuel ablaze. After some discussion as to
the proper relations Of kindling wood to
anthracite they decide to place the hard
coal at the bottom, because it is the heavi-
est, and to lay the chopped wood and
newspaper on top, because they are light.
A neighbor, who kindly comes to the
rescue, explains to them why this method
of lighting the fire was a failure Old
Mrs. Materfamilias has not for many years
taken an active part in details of house
hold effort or culinary art. Ia "a rash mo
msnt she resolves TO try her skill in
compounding and baking dish Of tea bis
cults. Disrespectful little Billy says that
he and some of the other boys are going
to have a game Of croquet, aud he wants
to know if he can take these biscuits for
balls, as they are exactly hard and tough
enough. The family wiring their hands in
disgustful despair over their various fail
ures and hope for the speedy convaleseence
Of the poor serving maid.
But felicitous thought strikes Sophia
Serena and Maria Magenta, aud even wor-
ries its way into the brain Of the improyi.
dent Mrs. Materfamilias, who has never
trained her daughters 10 ways Of household
usefulness. Why should these amiable
and excellent people have been so helpless2
Why should they have depended on the
servant for works Of daily necessity which
somebody must perform for every family?
Why should they have grown up in such
iguerance OF all that woman ought to be
mistress Off Have they not sold them
selyes opt to the kitchen administration
and made the cook the queen Of the
household Have they not been her too
willing slaves and dependents They will
turn over new leaf They will esteem
the young woman highly for her works
sake.
But they will remember that however
helpful she may be, she may be taken sick +,
or die, or get drunk, or be married to her
cousin and stop living out. They will
learn how to do for themselves So when
this necessity is laid upon them they set to
with willing hands aud eager hearts to learn
those domestic arts in which every woman
should excel, whether she intends to prac-
tice them or not. They become experts
in all manner Of kitchen accomplishments
and are independent. They learn how to
tell the difference between a steak aud a
turkey, so that the marketmen no longer
impose on their ignorance.
Their pies are wholesome, their biscuits
are digestable, their roast meats are fault
less. And far above the mere ability TO
make eatablo things, they have the joyful
satisfaction Of being able to reign supreme
in their own home, instead of being sold
out to tyrant,
Some Of these days Sophia Serena and
Maria Magenta will marry. If they are
slaves their lives and the lives of the poor
fellows who we'd them will be miserable.
If they are able to manage their own house
holds in all the details, they will be En-
presses, whether they keep one servant or
half dozen, and whether the whole kitch-
en- force Of hired help is sick or we'll.