The Portland daily press., 1882-01-28
ACup Of Tea.
Gossip About a Captivating Herb.
[London oueen.l

Judge for themselves. Inc heroine tflnes Wild
a teaspoon. and the hero saunters across the
room with cup, and behcld the thing we have
been waiting three volumes for is done! Nor
is tea for the rich alone necessary part OF ey-
eryday,comfort. Go into the poorest howell OF
the English agricultural laborer, and you will
find the house -mother looking forward to her
cup of tea as a reward for her days labor. Fol-
low to her home some wretched rag-picker in
the dirtiest alley in London, and yet if she be
not so degraded as to have no care lett for any
thing except gin, she too will mo;sten her crust
of bread with cup of tea. All classes, no mat
ter how varied their other interests, unite in
this common love for tea; that is, all women
for EnglishmeD, as a rule, though they can
take cup on occasion, are not such inveterate
tea-drinkers as their better-halves; whether be-
cause they are better fed, or because less ex-
citable nervous system seeks less nerve stimu-
liant, it is not easy to say.
We on to modern science the discovery that
in tea and coffee and cocos, and in M ate, or
Paraguay tea, as well as in some other drinks
that have come into use in different parts OF
the globe, there is an identical substance to
which each and all owe their popularity. Tea
does not contain any nourishment whatever, if
we except the milk and sugar commonly added
to it; but it does act upon the nervous system,
and IN some individuals very powerfully.
Many facts would seem to prove that there is
a widespread demand for such drinks; but they
prove no less conclusively that tea taken inn
moderately is injurious alike TO the individual
and the community. What may be very good
occasionally because OF its decided action, must
be very bad continually for the same cause
We have no wish to join in the chorus OF those
who prohibit tea altogether, any more than we
conclude that all alcoholic drinks must be per-
nicious because some people are drunkards;
but it is not widely enough known that large
number of Englishwomen suffer from indiges-
tion and nervous symptoms, aggravated and
even caused by the immoderate use OF tea.
MANY of them are total abstainers, and con-
gratnlate themselves on their virtue in that re-
spect, but the probability is that glass OF good
beer would do them infinitely less harm than
tea Women of the poorer classes drink tea
with every meal, If not between meals. They
keen teapot simmering on the hob, and they
'put their lips to it when they feel so disposed"
A little experience teaches one to recognize
these poor creatures; they have as much their
distinguishing marks as confirmed dram drink
ers. They are almost always martyrs 70 lndl-
gestion, and they always cling pertinaciousy
to their enemy, declaring that they "haven't
any appetite, and can't touch bit OF anything
till they've had their tea" For such as these
cruel as it seems to take away any comfort
from those who have so few-total abstinence
is the best cure. And for many other women
who suffer from nervous headache and other
symptoms, and who depend on ultra strong af-
ternoon tea to bring them up TO the pitch OF
dressing for dinner, we would recommend ab-
stinence again after a meal, not after some
hours fasting, as an adjunct to good food, by
no means in the place of it. These rules apply
to all tea drinkers. Women are very often in
different to the pleasures Of the table; and the
most indifferent are, perhaps, the working VIC
men of the middle classes, who, in the present
struggle for education, are apt to think all
money is wasted that is spent on creature COM
forts. Tea is trusted, but will prove false,
friend to these. 1t would be too much to as
sert that all indigestion results from tea drink
ing; but we do say, without fear OF contradic-
ton, that no one has tried every rational means
of cure until she has tried the effect OF life
without tea. She who has not the courage to
give up tea altogether may drink 1t less hot
and weaker, and, above all. she must not drink
that which has brewed for more than three or
four minutes 1t is the custom in some parts
of the United Kingdom to make the tea half
on the Kitchen hearth 70 draw an ane goooiess
out. If that we're ALL But the tannin,
strong astrlpgent, is drawn out at the same
time, and the resulting beverage is as unwhole-
some as it is unpleasant to the connoisseur In
tea.
verely on the Indifferent character of the tea
generally met with. Either the water does not
boil or it has boiled all the afternoon. Ser
wants have proverbially vague ideas as to boil
ing water, and it is next to impossible 10 get
them to believe that anything put "inaster s
fads'' can be affected by the length of time the
kettle has simmered; or the water is too soft.
or. being hard a thrifty mistress is guilty OF
the enormity of softening it with soda. Or
perhaps the teapot has not been used for some
days, and has been put aside wet 10 contract q
l.. Il du faruoanfad flavor and il
on to the next brew of tea. And II all these
conditions are complied with, the chances are
that the tea itself is bad-bought on chance at
the nearest grocer's, and warranted TO make
the greatest amount OF the Dlackest hquid iron,
each pound. Flavor or aroma it has none and
il is only tolerable to those who judge the
goodness of the tea by its blackness, and del
uge it with sugar and cream till all distinctive
character is lost 1t is often forgotten, too,
that the better the tea the more it has to lose
by exposure to air, and the more necessary 1t
is to keep it in perfectly air-tight box or tin,
and to keep it in q dry place. The lowest
priced tea is hardly ever the cheapest Tor 1t IS
seldom or never that from which the greatest
quantity of the infusion can be made Tor
given price. At present, the tea often served
by good housewives, who would not dream OF
offering to their guests any but frst-rate yiands
of all other kinds, is such that we are driven
to drink it nearly boiling hot for fear we might
taste it il il were cooler. No doubt there are
manv striking exceptions to this rule, and to
them we sue gest at their next at home. the
introduction of tea served Russian fashion,
j. e., first-rate tea, not at all black, handed IN
tumbers, with slices of lemon and lump sugar
to TASTE 1t is an excellent drink for Sum-
mer's day, and we have known 1t find great
favor at a s'small and early" Winters dance.
But the above conditions must be complied
with, for the lemon will not hide deficiencies
as cream does, any more than it will conceal
the flavor For those who like the aromatic
flavor. good Indian tea is the best to use.
Real lovers of tea almost always prefer it TO
Chinese, and it is only to them that Russian
tea will be acceptable.
1t is the fashion to exalt coffee and to decry
tea. Probably coffee is less likely to produce
the evils of which we have spoken But 1t
must be confessed that no drink except cold
water, and perhaps milk, can be consumed in
unlimited quantities without tear OF conse-
quences. Coffee is more troublesome to make,
costs more. and cannot be afforded in the town
by a majority OF the poorer classes. Cocoa
does more to supplant tea, but it does not and
never will entirely supply its place. 1t is an
excellent food, and tea is no food at ALL lea
is nerve stimulant, and cocoa especially the
preparations sold under the name-contains
little more of stimulant than any other hot
and nourishing drink. So that, in spite OF its
adversaries, we may predict along life to tea,
and we will hope that in future neither care
essness nor thriftiness may spoil its quality as
heretofore.