The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-06-17

recurring question:, "What shall we
have for breakfastP" She seldom an.
swers it to her approving conscience,
and her penalty is to be devoured by
dumb remorse. For the average house
keeper is not that "mini0n OF fortune
and worm OF the hour" whose faultless
cook and heavy purse have only to lay
tribute on an abundant market. Alack!
the typical American housewife &C.
counts herself lucky if Dor maid-of-all-
work can serve the simplest breakfast
without assistance, or coax the kitchen
tire to burn in the geld dark of the be-
lated winter dawn. Nor is there money
to spare for Gates and dainties. So that
the vast body of citizens of this en-
lightened republic begins its daily la
bors on an unattractive and indigestib,e
meal which rather exhausts than sup
plies the vital forces.
But what should breakfast be? Sim
ply, as its name implies, the fast-break-
ing. Or, as the Germans call it,
Fuhstuck, the "early morsel." The
French, indeed, reduce their early NOR
sci to mere cup of coffee or chocolate,
taken on rising, and this suflices them
till noon brings the breakfast with knife
and fork, which is, indeed, q luncheon
of many courses, with fruit and wine.
But this artificial habit doubtless grew
out of the late hours of the people, and
does not commend itself to q simpler
existence.
The English, on the other hand, from
whom we derive our substantial meal,
break their fast with plenty and elabora-
ton. The Kissing urn stands in solid
prosperity at one end of the board, the
tea (always made upon the table) dis
tills its most fragrant essence within the
ugly but useful "cosy" at its feet; coffee
or chocolate steams in shining silver
pot. Two or three hot dishes, among
them the inevitable bacon and eggs, an
nounce themselves in tempting odors
from beneath their FURNISHED covers. A
monumental muffin plate conceals mys-
FERROUS viscera of burning Goals. Above
silver tripod hangs cunning egg
boiler, whose flame the solemn butler
lights and tends as if he were the cele-
brant of some mystic and depressing
rite. A contingent of well-browned dry
toast, "cold as the fruitless moon," Oc-
cupies the toast rack; and jam, MARINA
lade, and honey add color to the feast,
while the sideboard proffers cold joints,
game, and vast loaf.
A well-appointed English breakfast
table is, indeed, as cheerful sight as q
hungry man could desire. But it is
related that cultivated Hindoo prince,
being a guest at one, confided to a
friend his misgiving that people loving
of
could never become civilized in the fine
sense of that word. And, indeed, eX-
cept in greater refinement of cooking
and serving, such meal differs little
from the beef and Drawn, the boar's
head and mighty hams, divided with
the fingers, and washed down with great
mugs of strong beer, which made the
breakfast of the gentles of England in
Henry the Eighth's time.
The German 'searly morsel'' consists
of cup of coffee, bread, eggs perhaps,
and q comb of golden honey, or some
like dainty. On this fare the fine brain
of Germany has done its subtle thinking
for generations-the poet his imagining,
the warrior his planning, the philoso-
pher his specializing, the statesman his
contriving, the musician his ethereal
weaving, the theologian his destroying
and his up-building.
Nay, there was an earlier nation of
poets, orators, philosophers, warriors,
statesmen, dramatists, painters, archi-
tects, sculptors-a nation from which
we still borrow the best we know of art
and eloquence-which wrought its eter-
nal labors on still simpler diet. The
old Greeks made their breakfast of
bread dipped in wine, to which in self
indulgent moods they added ripe fruit.
Dinner, to be sure, was an affair of time
and substance. But there were slaves
to cook, and slaves to serve it; the labors
of the day were done, and the simplicity
loving Greek might permit himself lit
tie elegant gluttony without self-re-
proach.
Might not we profit by the example of
the older and the younger nation? A
simple and light breakfast would 60 far
to redeem US from the reprOach of being
q nation of dyspeptics. 1t would greatly
lessen the tolls of the hOusekeeper, who
could teach the most unintelligent maid
to prepare good coffee, and bread, and
the wholesome Graham puffs variously
called, or who could herself make upon
the table the best of breakfast tea. Eggs
at some seasons are scarce and dear.
But the matutinal egg would be far
cheapter than the long array of half
spoiled breakfast dishes with which the
conscientious housekeeper struggles
after "variety." These simple viands,
with oatmeal and milk, offer all the
chemical elements required for nutri-
ton, and may be unfailingly good.
This morning sobriety leaves the head
clear, the spirits light, the body stimu-
lated, not clogged. It tends to cult
vate simple and refined taste. And if
the familiar breakfast, with its steaming
meat, its amber potatoes. and infinite
riches of griddle-cakes and hot bread be
something to resign, the gain in health,
ease of work and cheerfulness will bring
swift compensation.
It was said of Lord Holland that he
always came to breakfast with the air of
one who had just heard unexpected
good news. If he were often hypocriti-
cal, it was the hypocrisy of a household
saint R,,t II y,ouSt no romomhorad fhot