The midland journal., 1885-08-21
Ladies Department..
Family Affairs In France.

orally adopts in the science of cook
ing. as we'll as other household ac-
complishn eats. But there never was
a greater or more general error.
French women know practically less
of cooking than any others, and
any women above the rank of Ser
want would consider it beneath her to
cook q dinner, she would feel positive
ly degraded by having TO 90 to mark
ct, and to carry home malket-bask
ct would be an indignity that she
would not submit TO. This being all
solutely the case, how is it that
French households are so much bet
ter regulated than American ones,
the food SO much better prepared
at considerably less outlay !? The
reason is that France being an old,
impoverished country, labor has nee.
essarily been systematised aud per
fected. Every woman who knows
that she must earn her own living.
early ascertains in what direction her
tastes and abilities lie, she learns her
chosen trade thoroughly, and having
become skilled in it, keeps TO it and
is not perpetually tormented by the
idea of changing it or marrying Ito
better herself which is the main rca.
son that American girls so seldom be-
come expert or skilled artisans. If
q French ..cusimere" marries it is to
some one in her own line of bu siness
"a head.coOk, butler. coachman or
the like and both pursue their respec-
tive avocations after, the same a. be-
fore marriage. A certain number of
girls are as carefully and as thorough
~ trained to become cooks and other
domestics as other women are taught
to he embroiderers, milliners, dress
makers accountants and gOvernesses.
Cooking Schools are frebuent in
France, but if there are no facilities
in their homes for learning, half
grown girls are placed in the kitch-
ems of the we'll to.do where they are
taught to cook, in return for their
services in running errands and
doing chores, they are given their
tuition and board and lodging, with
an occasional present of clothing, 80
that by the time they sre seventeen
or eighteen years of age, they are
fully competent to take place in
some small family as bonne or gener-
al servant. No French lady would
think of taking girl into her house
who knew nothing of her duties. If
she were herself capable-which is
doubtful-of teaching her ''help'
how to cook she would not give her
time to it-so that, the spectacle ola
raw servant like our 'just landed"
Biddy, not knowing how to "bile a
praty" is unknown in France. The
bonnie is equipped with two little
books, the first is issued to her by
the government and in it her char
acter or recommendation, is to be in
scribed by her mistress on leaving
her. In order to prevent fraudulent
characters" each recommendation is
stamped or vised by the authorities
with the knowledge and consent OF the
girls, last employer. This is a most
admirable system, as a lady on engag.
ing new girl has but to look over
her book to ascertain what her quail
ifications are, but knowing that the
entries are trustworthy she is not
obliged to loose time inquiring into
the girls accommodations. The 9TH
er cook is one in which the bonnie
enters all her expenditures of money.
daily given herby the lady ofthe house.
And here be it remarked that it is
mort Of tho adnoatiOn Of avnrv Erauoh