The morning call., 1890-12-28
TBA-BALLS.
The Method by Which Every Per-
son Can Make Their Own Tea.

Those who relish good cup of tea may
rejoice that they may have it fresh, fragrant
and invigorating by using the dainty in
dividual tea-balls. which hold the tradi-
tional pinch of the herb. This delicious
beverage can be made by each tea-drinker
at his own table, or the mistress of the
household can brew it herself to suit the
particular taste of each one of her family,
These tea balls are artistic in shape and are
trifie bigger than an ordinary-sized thin
Bile. A popular design is an acorn. The
part representing the nut Is perforated like
pepper-box, and the cup of the acorn
forms closely fitting lid. A silver chain is
attached to the center of the cover. 1t
hangs over the side of the tea-cup and is
used TO lift the tea-bsll out when the tea is
made.
Boiling water is poured on the tea and the
balls remain IN the water from three to five
or ten minutes, as desired, and they are then
taken out and deposited in a dainty bowl by
the kettle. Each tea-drinker gets refresh
ing draught Of pungent palate pleasing tea
that discounts greatly the sloppy, bitter.
smoky decoctons permeated with fannie
acii that are foisted upon victims at hotels
restaurants and private houses. An Eng
hshmaD stoutly declares that the Ameri-
cans do not know how to make tea" He
says he has not tasted decent cup of tea
in this country. That is rather severe on
the American housewives, although it is
true that many do not know how to make
acceptable tea. Surely there must be few
who understand the delicate art we'll enough
even to please Ben Johnson, who could ouaff
fifteen cups day. The tea-balls contribute
toward the making of good tea in no small
measure.
There is family tea-ball which will hold
enough for the family circle. 1t is put into
the teapot, and is found to be more con-
venient than the individual tea-balls by
those who do not care to take the trouble OF
treating every one to his taste The family
tea-bail is $40. the individual ones cost from
So IS upward. Those who cannot afford the
luxury OF silver balls can easily make little
farletan bags just large enough to hold the
brewing for one cup OF tea. These bags are
placed in a bowl by the kettle or urn, and
when the hour for tea arrives one is put in
each cup, and when a delica ate aroma is
waited up In warning each bag is taken out
with silver tongs.
This way OF brewing tea is popular among
fashionable people, and no doubt it will be-
come general. The wise hope it will. is
certainly healthy, economical way of max
ing tea, and much better than sleeping the
herb or boiling it for an indefinite time until
1t Is but bitter dose OF fannie acid One
OF the prominent physicians among the
women OF to-day says: You might as well
tan your stomach with tanbark as with
boiled tea. have had more cases of dys-
pepsia among servant girls caused by
polled-tea drinking than from any other
single cause. During Lent they fast so rig
idly that they drink great quantities of tea,
by which the lining of their stomachs is
converted into leather, and they are rem
dered. of all women, the most miserable"
ANA they certainly render many of their
mistresses miserable by serving them boiled
tea. The tea-ball will enable each one to
please his own taste and get just the right
modicum of theme and tannin to add
piquancy, fragrance and flavor to the cup
the wits declare is the noisiest bit of china
ware on the table-because cit cheers"
Dorothy @. in n. Y. Tribune.