The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-21
TEA AND ITS LORE.
Facts Curious and Amusing About th
Most Popular of Beverages.

TEA AND ITS LORE.
Facts Curious and Amusing About the
Most Popular of Beverages.
NO tannin in this tea, no iron. this
lea good for the nerves." mechanically
repeated the solid-faced East Indian
time and again as he handed tiny cups
of that beverage to the eager crowd OF
women gathered around his booth at
the recent food show in New York.
His assertion as to its har1nlcssness
brings to mind the thought that when
tea was first carried to England and
advertised it was proclaimed al
excellent drink, recommended and APP
proved by all physicians. The name
came from the Chinese tcha, and tay
and tee were the first words used to
designate that product before the final
Hpelling was settled upon.
The first tea sent to interior Penn
svlvania was cooked and served like
spinach the inha bitants not under
standing the proper mode of using.
More sentiment clusters around Orange
pekoe than around any other brand
Of tea. The reason thereof is unknown
unless It lies IN the manner OF curing, as
orange blossoms, the most sentimen-
tai Of flowers are scattered among the
tea leaves while drying. Some of their
strong fragrance is absorbed by the
tea, hence the name and peculiar fla
ror This tea is more often used to
mix with some other kind than alone,
on account of its strength and taste,
L. A
new kind Of tea is at present being
sold in Paris Il is called Fayham, and
is made Of the fat-dried leaves of a
white orchid
As tea loses a great part Of its flavor
when obliged to cross the ocean, an at
tempt is being made to raise the bush
in America and is proving fairly sue
cessful in Florida and North Carolina.
1t is because the supply is brought di-
rectly overland that Russian tea is re-
nowned for being particularly good.
The list of the different occupations
and accomplishments coming under the
head of arts is elastic enough to add
NIT of even tea making within its linn
its. 1t is very easy to perform this
simple operation in the right way, but
it requires patience and attention. as
all things artistic do. The pots should
be earthcn, and there should be two,
one for the making and one for the
serving The necessary quantity is
placed in one and half the required
measure Of water poured thereon
and allowed to remain for two minutes,
after which the pot is filled and per-
mitted to steep Just three minutes long
er- In the meantime the second pot
has been heated. and at the expiration
of the time for brewing it receives the
amber LIQUID, minus the dregs wherin
Turk al the harm and evil that in all
time have been cast upon this grateful
beverage. The water used should be
freshly boiled. as that which has stood
upon the stove for hours is not adapted
TO the preparatio of good cup of tea.
Until Anglomania began to rage in
France and Italy tea was looked upon
in those countries as medicine good
for putting one in n pcrspiratiOn and
warding off colds. and a native visit
ing a foreigner would accept cup
of tea with about the same feeling
as he would have experienced
had he been invited to sip a decoction
of camomile Out of politeness he
would attempt to swallow little, oil
the time hoping that his hostess would
turn her head so that he could give the
cup to the servant unobserved. Bat
fashion conquereth all things. and the
taste for tea has been acquired as well
ha lat h.pr
adopted in both the aforementioned
countries The French have been
known to follow 50 strictly the original
phrasing shat they have sent out in
vitations to tive o'clock tea at four
o'clock.
Until one has lived with the English
one can form no .dea of the Importance
they set upon their afternoon cup. The
following amusing incident took place
in a continental town: As is the
custom an English woman was
entertaining some friends with
tea and gossip when a man entered
bringing with him a person wholly un-
known to the entire company. Intro
auctions of course took place but the
stranger made not the slightest attempt
to enter into conversation. He accepted
his tea eagerly. drank two cups, then
drawing himself up to his full heighth
something over s>l feet, he saluted the
hostess, saying:
I'm very grateful TO You madame
for your kindness. had il not been fcl
you l should have lost my afternoon
cup"
Had he been saved from immediate
death he could not have been more
humble and sincere in his thanks.-N
Y. World.
\ PROPER houug Han
Paterfamilias-lou Dung man. the time
has come when l must demand an eN-
PLANTATION Why do you pay such at
tention TO my daughter without asking