Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-11-28
LITTLE MAIDS As COOKS.
Schoolgirls Taught to Burn Their Fingers
I'm = Training Class.


few minutes before noon. They were Of
assorted sizes and styles of beauty, but
their ages all clustered closely about
sweet sixteen. There was one little
haxen haired Miss whose lisp and mien
betokened that she had but recently en-
tered her teens, and close behind her
tall, dignified maid of dusky hue, who
looked as If she would be eighteen some
of these days. These were the extremes.
Fifteen years may have made fair
average.
The absence of the usual bulky bags
of books, and the character Of the girl
ish chatter, which was all about butter
and burns and blisters, instead of prep
ositions and logarithms, evinced that
this was no ordinary bevy of school
girls. There were twenty of them, all
told, and they had been to cooking
school.
The quantity of edibles turned out by
these two score fairy fingers during the
process of the first lesson would scarcely
suffice to satisfy the cravings of lusty
appetite; but then Rome was not built
in day; neither can an elaborate menu
be concocted in an hour. A crockful of
croutons or sippets and a faultlessly
baked potato were the only tangible re-
suits of yesterday mornings practice.
Several little maids, however, treasured
up precious little cut or glistening
burn as evidence of hard work, and all
had their craniums just chock full Of
knowledge as to the best ways and means
to run kitchen.
"Housekeeper No. Z, appoint you to
take care of the stove for this morning.
No. IL, you must look after the sink, and
you, No. A, will be in general charge of
the room" These were Miss Stones
words as she called the class to order.
She wore tiny cap of soft white lace
and a wide spreading apron, and moved
and talked with grace and ease that
would invest the meanest kitchen with
the dignity of a drawing room. The
somewhat unpoetical task of fire-build-
ing was the first duty of the morning.
and into this work the teacher entered
with such zest and understanding that
the "little maids in school, who looked
on and learned thought it great fun, and
just as easy as flirting. After a few
moments instruction they knew all
about removing the ashes, arranging the
kindling, applying the match and start
ing blaze, all without drop of kero.
sene or begrimed fingers.
The big, brightly polished range stood
in the corner Of the room; the spick-and.
span sink, surmounted by row of dip
pers and dishpans, stood opposite, and q
far end, apportioned off to serve as the
laundry, was set forth with boiler, clothes
horse and the other necessary accoutre'
ments. Along the center of the room
were ranged the five tables which repre-
sented the scenes of maneuvers of the
twenty cooks. These were bedeckeG
with spoons, knives, forks, plates, chop
ping boards and scrubbing brushes, ant
every article paragon Of perfection
Each pupil was furnished with seat a
table, and after work was over each wa
required to polish her respective cornel
with soapsuds and scrubbing brush unit
it dazzled.
Against the east wall stood big cup
board, shiny and crochety in its newness
provided with innumerable hooks anC
crannies, each devoted to its particular
utensil. "a place for everything, ant
everything in its place." suggested Mis-
Stone, as she pointed out to her group O
open mouthed learners the way of th'
Dover egg beater and the wherefore O
the glass lemon squeezer. "The rolling
pins must be piled right here, the cullen
der hung just there and the dish towel
placed far back in the right hand corne
of the third drawer from the top, on thC
left hand side, between the tea cloth
and the dusters," she went OH. "We pu
the matches in this covered crock so tn
rats won't nibble them and set the hous
on fire. The bread we must stow ava,
in tin box for fear it should grow stale
We must always keep the butter wei
covered, as it absorbs strange tastes s.
easily" and so on through the whole cat
egory of kitchen ethics.
Then the little maids were set to worl
cleaning potatoes. OF course they poise,
their knives aloft for the purpose, an,
Of course Miss Stone gently but firml,
bade them to drop them instantly. Tn
best authorities on cuisine never par
potatoes nowadays; they scrub them
Each girl was supplied with smal
brush, which she applied to the cart
apples cuticle with suclNlEigor that
was soon as white as her own fingers.
Then housekeeper No. was hidden t
place the potatoes in the stove for bak
ing. "Ouchp she cried, as she lifted th
oven door and ran back in dismay
Housekeeper No. was delegated to try
200, ow, owl" was the result of her frs
trial, as she hugged a tender little en
gagement finger and fed in consterna
ton. The other girls only laughed an
Miss Stone flew to the rescue. Beneat
her 'open sesame" the door started ope
Ikea dream. you'll learn after awhile,
sheremarked smilingly. And the burne
maidens sighed and said they hoped sc
and once more the chorus giggled.-
Philadelphia Inquirer.