St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-06-24
A Tea Talk.
s. T'hpcl,

That cnecr but not inebreiate wait on each"
Sidney Smith advised people of a
melancholy temperament to always
keep "a tea-kettle simmering on the
hob and it is related Of him that once
when at a fashionable tea-drinking he
noticed a servant who had vainly tried
to make his way through the crowd of
guests suddenly reappear carrying a
steaming tea-kettle, when everybody
moved as if by magic. II declare"
said the eminent divine to his hostess,
ga man who wishes to make his way in
life could do nothing better than go
through the world with boiling tea
kettle in his hand"
The power which tea has to steady
and exhilorate the nerves is not an i'm
aginary one, as can be easily demon
strated by drinking a cup of it strong
and clear on retiring to rest. There
will be pleasant sense of rest diffused
through all the limbs, but the brain will
be actively awake and the mag nation
filled with brilliant imagery. Tea
topers are very numerous class and in
some localities stronger and more in
vigorating fluid is introduced into the
social beverage. A writer on German
social customs speaks of tea that was
offered to him, favored with vanilla and
rum; and the lower order of English
and Irish greatly relish dash Of gin in
their tea. 1t is only of late years that
tea has ceased to be luxury. When
the East India tea company commenced
to import it into England in 1878 it sold
at from $25 to $45 pound, and during
the Revolutionary war, when tea was
made in Boston Harbor it was priceless;
the Loyalists could not buy it and
the Yankees would not. In the late
war of the rebellion it doubled and
trebled in value, and at the present time
it is probably cheaper than it ever will
be again, ranging from thirty-fve cents
pound to $3.50. The English, Irish
and Scotch are wholly dependent on tea
as social beverage, but the Germans
and Italians prefer coffee as the Jews
do also. The young people of this coun-
try are not Indifferent to the good quail
tiles of the beverage; they like it hot
and sweet, but not strong, and they are
afraid that drinking tea is injurious to
the complexion, as it undoubtedly is,
the tannin in it being strong dye. But
the old folks love tea; they like to daw-
die comfortably over genial cup that
has the golden glow, the aromatic flavor
that soothes with its mild opium and
warns the cookies of the heart The
shell-like china and tinkling golden
spoons of the millionaire cannot give a
more dreamy, sensuous delight to the
cheering draught than the freight of
the clean hearth reflected on the shining
tins of picturesque dresser and dimp-
ling into the cup of hot tea just turned
from the brown teapot on the Goals. and
which good woman with bare elbows
sips with refreshing zest. She will tell
you that it is meat and drink to her, and
her idea of happiness is to have some
old crony to drink tea with her, when
they will each put their elbows on the
in both hands as Queen Victoria herself
is said to be fond of doing when alb
solved from court etiquette. Tea is also
the name given to the final regular meal
of the day, and there is restful, sooth-
ing melody about the name, implying as
it does much social cheer.
So let us welcome peaceful evening in"
The day is done, and at the tea table
all It's burdens should fall OFT. There
may not be much spoken sentiment, but
there will be rest after the long day; the
baby may fall asleep with its head in it's
plate, but that will be only cause for
diversion. The light savory food of the
evening meal need not be partaken Of
hurriedly, SO there can be gentle lin
gering and entire relaxation from every
thing that disturbs, and the tea itself
will be a gentle stimulus to light and
agreeable conversation. When the last !
flush of sunset dies on the horizon, and
the evening star hangs like a gem
against the amethyst sky, then is the
time for a bene6cent goodnight repast.
81 From silver spouts the grateful liquors
glide,
While China's earth receive the smoking
tide;
At once they crafty their sense and taste
And frequent cups prolong the rich repast."
Detroit Post and Tribune