The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-04-08
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
WINE AT woMeN's LUNcHEoNs
An Institution of High Life That L. q
Menace to Responsibility.


moral aspect of the point under discus
sion, / shall limit myself to a question
of good taste in the matter of serving
q variety of wines at the luncheons for
women which now play so prominent
q part in the entertainment of our
friends throughout the country.
Look, for example, at the large
parties to which, at half-after one
o'clock in the afternoon, are convened
ladies in visiting costume, bonneted
and yelled, to be shut in a darkened
supplant the wholesome light of day.
There, during two mortal hours, the
guests are fed with delicacies of which
each one seems to the taxed digestion
to be-yet never is-the very last they
will venture to accept Cucumbers,
caviare, truffies, foie gras, almonds,
mayonnaise dressing are but a portion
of the addenda of the feast. To relieve
the thirst thus engendered the banquet
err has recourse to what? Beside her
plate stands exactly the same array of
glasses-glasses Of English cut, of
Venice or of gilded Carlsbad ware,
lending glitter or color TO the board
glasses for sherry, for Rhine wine, for
claret, for champagne, all that would
be demanded for the service of the
most formal dinner.
Beside this scintillating group Of
glassware is to be found tumbler or
goblet of water filed to the brim-
there are so few houses where the
servants are instructed on this point
with fragmentary ice! What woman
having ordinary regard for the ele-
ments of hygiene presumes at such a
crisis to insult her already disturbed
digestion with a douche of iced water?
Ten to one she does not care for wine,
never thinks of touching it at home;
as a matter of course let's the sherry,
the Chablis, the Burgundy go by I'M
touched; but unless it occurs to her to
quietly demand a glass of water with
out ice, and, if need be, to tinge its
clear substance with dash of claret,
she is compelled to drink champagne
Latterly, as natural solution of this
recurrent difficulty, Clysmic, Apolli-
naris and the Hygcia waters are con-
tinually served
Champagne, curiously enough, con-
tinues to hold it's own. How very ex-
traordinary that you Americans should
set champagne before your guests at
midday" said travelling Englishman,
from whom, naturally, he having re-
ceived the best Inequalities of the best
American society along his line of
march, frank comment was to be ex-
pected. with us, you know, except
at races and picnics, it is wine that is
like an evening coat-never seen out
until after dark" However little we
may relish the condescending manner
of this and kindred national rebukes,
there is no disputing that the right is
on their side. The whole matter of
serving champagne in season and out
is overdone in America. But especially
does it seem inappropriate for an as
semblage of ladies' who, if they were
in their own homes, would not go be-
yond glass of claret, and who, for the
most part, are content with the bottled
waters of their favorite spring.
Tea drinking at luncheon, once so
| popular, has been elbowed out of place
by the universal cup of tea at five
o'clock. Women, unlike their prede-
cessors of the Brick Lane association,
who could partake of the cheering bev-
erage till detec ted in the act of swell
ing wisibly before the VERY eye,"
have now founo out that the philosophy
of drinking tea consists in limiting ones
self to one cup per diem. Chocolate as
an accompaniment to food is found to
be too heavy. Water, the beverage OF
Eden, and during so many years since
respectfully in vogue with a large por-
ton of the civilized creation, has re-
Gently been pronounced fattening when
absorbed with meals What, in the
eyes of many of our sisterhood, could
be more condemnatory of any drink?
In connection with this question
may be cited the experience of a young
American girl on her first visit to an
English castle, who, at luncheon, feel
ing thirsty, looked about her for some
thing she could drink. Her host, next
to whom she had the honor to be
placed, demanded her need, and was
informed that she would be glad of a
grass OF WdUcr WIN puZZcu lace he
referred the matter to his wife, the
servants being absent from the dining.
room. "Water?" said the surprised
lady, won't she have beer or claret?''
The American girl, rather depressed at
this public notice, yet stoutly persisted
in her demand. A bell was rung, the
majestic butler entered, and on hear
ing what was required paused for a
moment to collect his scattered facul
ties, bowed and retired. Some time
later footman, carrying upon a silver
tray a small glass of fluid that looked
as if it had been dipped from the castle
moat, appeared at the lady's elbow.
After this she made prompt resolve to
renounce her national beverage until
again on her native heath.
What then poor dear women are tc
drink at luncheon must, it appears, be
decided by climate, custom, health and
individual bias AS it is becoming
clear that on these occasions little
wine is actually used, perhaps host
esses will some day wake up to the
wisdom of suppressing the show O.
glasses which lends to the ladies
luncheon its chief reproach from out
siders. Mrs. Burton Harrison, II
| TodiaS, Horna Iournal