The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-20
Tea.

If MANY cups of tea have the reverse of
a beneficial effect on the system, on acs1
count of the reaction and sense of eX-
haustion which they invariably produce,
yet the first cup of tea offered is as
inyigorating as it is welcome. and the tea
is as closely associated with English and
American women in the minds of French
men as is coffee with the French in the
minds of Americans. As to the accom-
paniments of tea-cream and sugars
recent writer boldly asks: Why don't we
fOrswear them both? as at this hour of
tie day they interfere far more with
the digestive organs than does the tea
itself; he considers it would always be as
rational to add cream and sugar to wine
rs to delicately favored tea. This is
rather going ahead, writer, and If we are
inclined to sacrifice our sugar we have not
yet made up our minds to give up the
cream. Indeed, gentlemen who drink tea
are very free with the cream, both when
helping ladies and when helping them
selves Sugar is decidedly going out of
fashion at afternoon tea, and out of ten
ladies, perhaps, only three will say yes
when it is offered but it may be this is
rather the result of fashion than fancy
The French, on the contrary, take su
gar lavishly; they even dispense. with The
use of sugar tongs, which the Americans
consider so indispensable at the teatable,
and help themselves to sugar with their
fingers. A French gentlemen, following
this custom, helped himself to sugar at the
house of an American, Who so shocked
was he'by the proceedings, or by way of
joke threw the contents of the sugar
basin and the sugar basin itself out of the
window, to the establishment of all pre-
sent If the intention was to teach man
ners to the Frenchman or the observation
of an American custom, it was sad ex-
| hibition of the want of them on the part
| of our countryman; and we have no rea-
son to be proud Of this usular prejudice
in favor of sugar tongs, which are perhaps
one of the most awkward Instruments for
daily use that can well be invented; one
helps ones self to bread with fingers, why
not to lump of sugar.
We draw upon the Russians for many
of our customs connected with the dinner
table but have not yet taken kindly to
their idea of tea drinking; that is to say
substituting lemon for sugar and cream
fragrant peel and pint of acid, slice
of lemon no thicker nor larger than half a
crown This, according to authority
already quoted, neither DISCUSSES nor
dattens the aroma of good tea as do the
conventional additional, sugar and cream
but combined with and heightens it. .
The great fault of using lemon consists in
adding it in excess, whereas very slight
shaving containing both peel and pulp is
the correct quantity for an ordinary cup
of tea But this custom has yet to take
root, and with us this process is. but
slow one; we are not too ready to take
up new idea but once We have done SO
it is remarkable with what pertenaeity we
cling to it. When lemon is substituted
for cream and sugar slices of the prescnb
ed size are handed with the tea
Hot tea is decidedly preferable to cold
| tea, and this is perhaps reason why
cream is such an agreeable addition. cool
ing it to individual taste Rare china is
again brought into use by the wealthy
and artistic; but ,Sii;tisite as the china is
one would almost pref~r to be handed a
cup Of less value. The quantity of the
Ttea, however does not always keep pace
with the quality of the china. Any one
who has once tasted the Russian caravan
tea will understand the term good tea but
this is a luxury which only the wealthy
care to invest in. as it costs upward of
Slipper pound There is, of course, a
medium in all things and there is a wide
margin from which to choose, and econo-
my in this direction is soon detected. Il
is the province of the master of the house
| to buy the wines and Of the mistress tc
I buy the tea, and the one is far ofteneT
celebrated for the wine he gives his guests
than in the other for the choice tea offer
ed to hers. american Queen.