Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-01

tie but lofty and delicate sense of obliga-
ton. Yet the rude o'clock meal over
Shared, for economy's sake, by another
busy woman), an hours repose and
change of dress brings her out trans
formed being-once more fascinating IN
social way-her inexpensive apartment set
off with feminine taste and Mecca to
bright spirits like herself. What sharp
transitions IN her life Yet no more, per-
haps, than many another.
Then Judge not hardly she who fights a
battle for a livelihood against her sex's
weakness, to say nothing of corsets, bustles
and dragging skirts. She does her hest
and if she eats in gypsy fashion, blame
her not
think, too, there is flavor Of almost
romantic expectation as one sees cover
after cover lifted of, and the little meal
come forth. Very good things may ap-
pear-a delicious omelette; couple of
nicely broiled chops; roast chicken, done
to a turn. Very bad things, likewise, may
come-overdone steak, now and then a
stale one; perhaps uneatable potatoes,
swimming in grease. 'Twere too long to
particularize, while the "man and brother"
who delivers, has sometimes childlike
way of forgetting to leave such stand
ard articles as bread, butter or milk, or
of carrying away some dish intended
for the customer at hand, or vice
versa, leaving what manifestly is in
tended for somebody else. Coupled then
with perennial uncertainty as to what is
to be brought, is the necessity for Wig
lance.
But looking at it in the right way, even
these features are not wholly unobjection-
able. They prevent monotony and cause
one to appreciate good things when one
gets them. When good things are not
gotten, are there not groceries and bakeries
and butcher shops around the corner, or
even delicatessen establishments where all
sorts of things can be had ready cooked?
These last suggestions, however, will
manifestly fall fiat, so far as a man is con-
cerned. Exacting, unconquered creatures
that men are, they of course must sit down
to table where all things are as they
ought to be, or surrounding existence is
made aware of the fact. 1t is in general
the woman who will make this thing do
instead of that thing or that thing in
stead of this, and catering is usually,
therefore, woman's way of getting along.
If in her necessitous weakness she eats
from those terrible little Dishes she finds
afterwards some beftting place to put them
away from mice and reaches till the next
meal, when The caterer takes them off. She
hangs them out of the window in basket
or tucks them away somewhere out of
harms way. Her own knives, forks,
spoons and plates are washed quickly and
carefully; the papers are disposed of, the
cloth folded away, the room tidied up, and
by s o'clock she is ready in another way
to beautify existence. IT'S woman who
strews flowers in life's path, and without
her the caterer would go out of existence.
write of "she." | ought to write of
'they." Meals sent to one person are not
especially cheap. They are cheap when
taken by one and shared by two or taken
by two aud shared by three. The class of
caterers TO which reference is made charge
from Sc to 81 per week for two
meals a day served (ostensibly) to
one person it being expected that
enough shall remain over for the third
meal. There is almost enough for the
subsistence of two persons. The usual
price for meals taken at an ordinary
boarding house is S. per week, and it can
be seen at glance which mode of life is
the cheaper.
Then, too, there is more liberty as to
hours. The regulation from Z to 8 break
fast, the u to l lunch, or tie 6 to
dinner, counts for nothing. Meals
can be ordered for any hour within reason.
True, the caterers ideas as to time are al
ways rather vague, and half hour does
not disturb his equanimity. A woman
will make allowance and take up
her knitting or play the piano, or go
to sleep, or anything consistent with
forbearance. A man will not He will
-. But it is time to stop-any reader
can divine the remainder.
RosALIND MAY.
P S-The basket holds buttermilk, perhaps
ice-cream-a anything that must not be heated.