Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-30
THE INvALiD'S TRAY.
flow to Tempt Capricious Appetite In
the Sick Room.
written for the Dispatch)

flow to Tempt n CaprIcious Appetite In
the sick-Room.
written for the Dispatch)
Quite as important as the dainty cook
| ing needed to tempt the feeble appetite
| OF an invalid is tine dainty serving Of the
food after 1t is prepared. Many an ANA
teur nurse. filed with tender ZEAL has
brought with pride some delicate dish
OF her own making TO the bedside of her
beloved sick. only 10 have 1t fretfuiiy
rejected, because the weary eyes OF the
sufferer found il appearance uninviting.
a little more attractiveness OF surround
ings and instead of wounded patience
Oh one side and petulant unreasonable
ness on the other. there would have been
pleasure and benefit given and received.
1t must be remembered that what to
the vigorous digestion OF health seemed
very inviting may be perfectly revolving
10 the squeamish and uncertain appetite
of one in pain, and that in Sickness all
the natural egotism of humanity is driven
to the surface, and nothing so soothes
the morbid constituencies Of suffering as
the visible proof that its desires have
been the subject of careful forethought
and discriminating labor.
A large tray is a mistake IT Is cum
bersome to handle and heavy to hold,
and in the clustering OF glasses ana
dishes something is liable to be knocked
over. 1t Is far better to use two. Upon
one the service may be laid, on the other
the food may be brought 10 the bedroom,
set on a sidc-table, and one dish placed
at a time on the service tray sas 1t Is
needed. When finished with. these empty
plates or cups can be transferred back
TO the dish tray. Silver, of course. Is
prettiest, and if one has a pretty salVer
of this metal II should be used. Spread
over II a dainty piece of linen. Every
linen closet nowadays contains little en-
broldered. frnged, or open-worked saver
covers. This should be perfectly crisp
and fresh and laid straight and smooth.
IL water is allowed fill a pretty tumbier
or thin glass and add lump OF ice.
A goblet is more apt TO be upset, and
care should be taken not TO fill the glass
too full. as nothing can ne more uninvlt-
ing than splashed and sloppy tray
Law the knives. forks. and spoons tnat
will be needed with careful regularity on
either side of the plate-and be careful
10 have a sufficiency of these. so that no
dish may grow cold and uninviting while
one goes down stairs to repair an omis-
sion. Lay a fresh. large napkin between
the knives and forks. If tea Is 10 be
drunk. set a pretty, dainty cup BESIDE
the plate. and add a very small sugar
dish and cream-juS.
NOTHING MORE.
Next supply salt and pepper. small
butter-plate with a neatlyrolled ball of
butter and a small plate OF prettily- ar
ranged fruit, if this is allowed In the
patents menu Nothing more should 20
upon the tray except flowers. They should
always be present, If posSible-a little
cluster of Violets, single perfect rose
a handful of gay sweet peas. or rev
sprays Of valley lilies. according TO sea-
son. No great quantity is desirable. ana
the few bios SONS needed TO make the tray
lovely can be procured by almost any one.
A nice thing to have in this connection is
one of the little roses, no bigger than
ones thumb, either in silver or crystal.
which holds single flower or Few
sprays very charmingly.
If one has not a silver salver the next
best thing for n service tray is one OF
those to be had at the oriental shops,
made Of lacquered papier mache. ana
turned up all round the edges. These are
inexpensive. very light TO handle, ana
always look pretty and inviting.
Upon the dish-tray, which need not be
set down within the patients range Of
vision at all, there should be such fresh
relays of plates. cups, knives. and forks
as may be needed, and there ought by all
means to be a good-sized empty bowl.
and a pitcher of boiling water. With
these appliances and clean glass, towel.
plates. cupe, and saucers can be warmed
with ease.
Before the tea is poured the cup should
be rinsed with hot water, as nothing so
spells the flavor OF tea as being poured
into a cold cup Likewise If soft-boiled
! eggs are used, the glass into which they
are broken should first be warmed, but
| in this case the glass must be dried again.
| 1t is better to serve eggs TO an Invalid III
| a glass. as his hand may be too tremu-
| lous to cope successfully with an egg IN
an egg-cup. a chatting is an ex-
cellent thing to have for the dish-tray
with its hot-water dish. over which any
! thing can be heated or kept at the desired
| temperature II chop. bit of steak
| or morsel Of chicken is served few
sprigs of fresh water-cress laid about the
meat makes its look more dainty and in
wiling.
SERVED IN GLASS.
Jelly should be served in glass. II pos
sible, which adds much TO its attractive
ness. Any fruit should be arranged with
| a few green leaves TO make IT look fresh
and pretty, and the supply OF fringed
doilics and napkins should be liberal.
baked potato should be tucked into the
pocket of a fringed napkin, folded corner
wise, and toast should appear in the same
way. And toast, 1t may be observed, Is
much more inviting to uncertain appe-
t.tes when it Is served in sippets-that
is TO say. the bread before toastng Is
cut into oblongs one inch wide by four
long and not more than quarter or
an inch thick. These require careful
handling to make them brown and crisp
without breaking, but they are infinitely
more inviting and dainty Another nice
way of serving bread TO invalids Is 10
tear flakes about 3 inches long and two In
thickness from the inside of fresh LOAF.
Set them in a slow oven. and let them
dry out thoroughly. Then toast them
light brown before the Goals.
Never leave upon the service tray dish
after II Is once emptied; remove 1t at once
out OF sight to the dish tray. and while
one course is being eaten the next one
should be preparing and ready TO be
served, so that there may be no long
waits between. The act of eating stimu-
lates the appetite. and If 1t is allowed to
nag between courses, 1t may fall alto
gether
When everything Is done be sure TO
have a finger-bowl at hand, half filled
with luke-warm water, and, II possible.
geranium leaf or ticy spray Of mint
floating in it. If neither of these is pro-
durable a thin slice Of lemon removes
from the fingers any smell Of food, and
leaves them with a pleasant. clean odor.
The instant the meal Is done every trace
OF ii should be removed from the sick
chamber. MARIN DEEMS.
English View of Christian Reunion.-
Westminster GaZette)