The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-03-13
A PLEA ron GOOD LIVING.

|
christine Terhune Herrick Writes On &
| Subject Of Interest to All.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YoRK, March 6.-Among oer'
:ain class of theorists there has alwayl
been much talk about plain living and
high thinking So closely have tho two
been connected in the facile phrase that
there seemed an implied hint Of glut
tony in the suggestion that an intellect
ual bon vivanti is neither an impossible
ity nor an anomaly.
Much expressed variation of opinion
may be directly traced to differences In
definition. This is undoubtedly true Of
the case in hand. Diversities Of belief
as to what constitutes plain living are a
plenty as religious sects. Without going
for illustration among those classes whose
ideas of conviviality are confined to that
kind Of entertainment whereby Gen.
jackson proved his good breeding to
Davy Crockett-when he put the whisky
Jug on the table and looked the other
way-or studying the habits and man
ners of those improvident ones with
whom it is always either feast or a
fast, and whose sole conception Of en-.
joyment is a big "feed," the extrava-
gance entailing after privation-one may
yet find wide variety from which to
Gull an estimate of what constitutes
plain living.
New England, where have been de-
veloped brains and Drawn on beans,
points to this favorite food as one source
Of much of the greatness of her sons, and
claims on this diet to have produced
a Sumner, an Everett, Webster, q
Holmes, a Lowell, Longfellow land a
John L. Sullivan), to say nothing Of
many other political, artistic and litera-
ry celebrities. In the middle states there
is perhaps less distinctive dietary.
Midway between the beans and Goldfish
of the Yankee states, and the hog and
hominy of the south, the denizens of this
half way district select the best from
their neighbors on each side. All unite
in common devotion to what some one
has APPLY termed the Moloch of Ameri-
can digestions-pie! This dainty proba-
bly, fourishes more rankly north than
south of Mason and Dixon's line. In
New England this and the oft quoted
beans and fish cakes are usually classed
with doughnuts among the necessities Of
life by the natives. Yet, to one with any
education in the art of dietetics, what
could be more barbarously unwhole-
some than such viands?
Climate and custom are the great die
tators of public opinion. The consumer
of the dyspeptic dainties enumerated
above would turn with scorn from
French "made dishes" and nondescript
plats, while the nation of cooks view
with equal disdain the rare roast beef,
tie huge mutton chops and the solid
wheaton loaf that form the staples of diet
in the British isles. To each people it's
own dietary is dear, and until recently
none was more insular in prejudice
against innovations than the average
stay -at-home citizen of these United
States. With the widened culture
gained by travel and by contact with
other peoples and other manners, a
change is taking place in this respect,
but even yet ansuch of cosnopolitanism
in mans or woman's nature is required
to fit the tastefor imported luxuries
There is little question that in the mat
ter of food each one must be a law unto
himself. What best suits the individual
palate and digestion, best develops the
Intellectual part of the consumer. IF
this result be achieved in Massachusetts
by doughnuts, beans and pie, and in
Virginia by corn pone and pork, let each
i've and let live. But neither one should |
INSIST that high thinking is impossible to
lis neighbor unless the latter conforms
% the mode of living prescribed by the
ormer.
On the same principle, charity should
,e exercised toward the man who has a
pretty taste in salmis, ragouts, timbales,
issoles, sol-au-sents, croquettes and all
he other viands with those mysterious
lanes the French cook bestows upon the
reations of his art, nor, above all, con-
ider that man gourmand rather than
gourmet who dares boldly to express
lis preference for these over more
omely preparations of food.
The housewife who desires to do her
est for the development of her family in
very direction does not lower the nature
f her efforts when she condescends to
UGH things of low estate as the daintiest
isposition of the food supplies at her
On the contrary, she will
ften find that when she neglects ma
srial interests in her anxiety to promote
rental culture, then is just the time
hen the intellectual part makes scant-
'st progress. Good and attractive food
lat will well sustain the body is a neces-
Try premise to thoroughly nourished
lind.
The ameliorating influence of good !
wing upon the cantankerous disposition
well known.
.ir well the cake and heat the omelet light;
be way to win q man is through his appetite. r
How often one hears it said of person
ON whom the granting of favor is \
ssired, "You would better approach |