The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-30
SUNDAY NIGHT TEAS.

[ believe IN good dinner on Sunday,
the only day in the week when the guide
man Of the house has his dinner with
his family. l also believe in making
Sunday day of rest and gladness for my
faithful, hard worked Chloe How to com
bine these two things have long been a
problem, which at last We have solved
to 5he entire satisfaction Of all concerned.
We have dinner at half past one when
we come from Sunday school. The table
is laid with snowy cloth and the best china
always and generally for one guest. We
like to bring home with us some home
sick student or pale faced teacher, who
only boards, not lives, or a friend who
loves Sunday "sing." and can help with
fingers or voice. Chloe, in fresh calico
and white apron, comes in to wait Oh us
when her dinner, nicely served and gar
nished, is ready. In summer We give up
soup, and have lettuce or tomato salad
between the meat course and dessert,
and there is always coffee or tea last.
The dinner is the pleasantest and most
leisurely of the week as we'll as the incest.
AS much as possible is prepared on Sat
urday. BY four o'clock Chloe has every
thing cleared away, her breakfast table
neatly set and goes smiling out OF the
side door in her best array, not TO return
till ten o'clock. On side table in the
dining room she has set out waiter,
with a plate of thin bread and butter
nicely piled, basket of cake, pitcher
of ice water, another of milk, dish of
baked apples or fruit, over all napkin.
There is also the little japanese tray and
tea things with which the tea is always
made on the table, instead of being boil
ed and spoiled in the kitchen. If it is
winter, she leaves the teakettle ready to
boil at minutes notice. In summer [
boil the water in saucepan over the
kitchen gas. 1t takes five minutes and
that is all the work to be done for our
Sunday night teas. The meal is made
perfectly informal. If we are going to
evening service, my husband and Isome-
times take ours when we come home, and
let the rest of the family have theirs
when they choose.
Sometimes we have happy Sunday
evenings at home; all together. These are
the best and will have a hold on the
children, am sure, while they live.
There are long, quiet chats with "papa"
in the middle of the sofa, the little heads
ON each side nestled close, or our favor
tie game, each repeating line of poetry,
beginning with A, and so going through
the alphabet; or singing out of our beau
tiful Sunday school Hymnal, which is so
much moderated by people in general.
On these evenings our tea becomes real
pleasure. bring the waiter into the IL
brary, and put it on little round table
before the open fire. While the Sou
chong is brewing in the little blue china
tea pot, the children pass the bread and
butter, or every one helps himself in pic
mic fashion without ceremony. In sum-
mer the little table is wheeled out on the
piazza, and we have our tea there, with
the shadows of the vine leaves dancing
over us while we watch the sinking sun
Ten minutes is more than enough to
gather up the few dishes afterward. The
children, happy in anything out of week
day routine, say, "How lovely Sunday
isP' And we elders think, how good God
is who gave us our homes!- Mrs. S. II.
Gilman, in Good Housekeeping.