The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-11
HOUSEKEEPING.

One of the first delights of young
couple starting housekeeping consists
generally in the feeling that now they
will be really able to entertain their
own friends, and usually monsieur is the
first to avail himself of his new privi-
lege.
Now, in itself it is delightful, doubt
less, to use hospitality one with an
other; still somehow, ere long, unless
the family purse be a pretty deep one,
and the cook person of considerable
culinary sagacity, the delight is apt to
pail on madame, who can make neither
her allowance nor her nlenuS stretch to
the required extent.
OF course Charley's friends are all
one nicer than the other, and equally of
course it is only natural. not to say
fiattering. that the said Charley should
like to bring home stray friend when
the fancy seizes him; and are there not
proverbs by the dozen to prove that one
extra makes very little difference, if
any?
But in these days, of all the medieval
fallacies the saying What's enough for
two is enough for three is out-and-out
one of the worst.
1t may have been true enough in
years past, as our grandmothers cook
cry books show. but now we are all be-
coming more anxious as to the quality
than as to the quantity of our food, and
the dainty little menu. that is amply
sufficient for the matrimonial tete d-tete
becomes simply semi-starvation if a
third, not to say fourth, be intro
duced.
In consequence all YOUR plans have
to be altered, involving often enough a
hurried rush at the last moment to the
neighbOring tradesman, and, however
convenient this last resource NAV be,
the household bills will most certainly
bear tokens of your little dinner. J"
The experienced house mistresSeS will
lift eyebrows and hands in horror at
such an enOrmity as being taken un-
aware, and make unkind remarks
about bad management. Quite 50; only
our newly married wife is not ex-
perienced. and the chances are she will,
if obliged to study economy as well as
comfort, be liable to find her larrier
rather in the state of old Mother Hub
bard's cupboard, if taken piDspr0Uiste,
and then that trOund-the-cOrner shopping
is terribly tempting until she finds Out,,
as she is sure eventually to do. the diff
ference judicious marketing makes in
the price of things.
But then comes the cry: 20. I
haven't got the time to 90 rushing
round marketing and looking for cheap
places; besides, l confess openly don t
know enough to trust myself to choose
my provisions. | have to 90 to first
rate storekeeper, and trust to him for
the quality, and, perhaps, myself for
the quantity" To be sure you have
Besides, no one wants you to- rush
about looking for cheap places (Which.
by the way, is what most people think
marketing means, if they attach any
meaning whatsoever to the phrase);
only look into things for yourself, and
do not simply 90 to fashionable shop
because your friends 90 there. and you
are told that ''SO-and-so is the only
place you can possibly get such and
such things"
Choose respectable shops and show
from the first that you must be looked
to for orders and you will ordinarily
have but little to complain of. especial
ly if they find YOU are acquainted with
the use of weights and measures. and as
prompt to appreciate fair treatment as
You are to check inferior or defective
supplies.
Just as You seldom hear good mis-
fpa loi Oft tbar / Il
creasing wOrthlessness of servants. so
you will seldom find good house
keeper grumbling at her tradespeople.
Why, little management will even
bring that foe of the harasSed and i'm
pecunious householder, the butcher,
himself, to terms.
That somewhere between the farmer
and consumer a good deal of money is
running into somebody's pocket is clear.
or the wholesale market prices
and the prices in your butchers
book would tally little bet
ter than they do just now. but things
need not be so bad as they are by any
means Pay your butcher Yourself and
give any special message personally or
in Your own writing, so that there may
be no mistake.
Weigh the meat, or see It done every
now and then, and be strict about
every inaccuracy promptly.
An ounce or two more or less may seem
q small thing to make fuss about, but
YOU have TO pay for it. and ut the
current prices it will represent an
sum, to say nothing of the
fact that inaccuracies of weight have
slshiOn of becoming
chronic if not pointed out directly.
If the meat be deficient in quality
speak about it likewise, and also if it is
particularly good. Show that YOU are
quite rs able to distinguish when YOU
are well served as to complain. If YOU
are steady and discriminating
customer your butcher will take pleas
ure in putting any chances he. can in
your way. such as warning YOU when he
has any particularly good meat or offer
ing you some little dainty left over from
some larger customer.
1t is wonderful if Ito use racing gslang)
yOu ''stand in with YOUR butcher how
your dinners will improve without any
very great corresponding increase in
your expense.
The same holds good of WON'T fish
mOnger and greengrocer. In this case,
however, you must be your own house
keeper. for the average good. plain
cook seldom realizes a menu elastic
enough to profit by such hints. As re-
CARDS your butchers bill. you may
ALWAYS keep that within fairly reason
able limits by the choice of Your Joints.
We once heard a butcher plaintvely
observe. Ladies mostly seem to think
sheep ami oxen all legs and sirloins."