The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-14

| fairly tale. 1t Is IS the Cinderella among
! the metals. Electricity is the fairy god
mother that has released the princess
from the dust and ashes and clothed her
in shining garments.
Early in the century aluminium was
the sport of the chemist. Thirty years
ago it cost 500 pound. and practically
was worthless. 1t now costs 60 cents a
pound, and It's value is incalculable. 10
women it Is one of those benign IN
1luences that are about to descend and
transform her kingdom.
1t is an interesting fact that at this
moment when there are 80 many anxious
fears about the result of the invasion of
women into the world, that everything
points to a reign of domesticity such as
the world has never before seen. 1t is
also an interesting fact that this is due
neither to the preacher nor the moralist.
nor to any of the people with words
of warning and wisdom. 1t is the
triumph of science, which, having fur
nished electricity for fuel and aluminium
| for pots and pans, has removed the
drudgery OF the kitchen so that cookery
may now indeed become one of the po-
lite arts.
CASE IN POINT.
An illustration is more to the point a
couple of women-a few years ago they
would have been called ladies through
one of those vicissitudes of fortune too
common in this country to require COM
ment, were obliged to alter their manner
OF living. In city rent is the specter
that haunts most homes. These ladies
took three rooms, floor in the usual
w al
bathroom in the place of the hall bed
| room. There was no kitchen. 1t is easy
| enough to prepare modern breakfast on
a bureau or parlor table, but the vaga-
bond habit of dining at restaurants did
J not appeal 10 women accustomed TO the
! privacy of their own table. II was essen
| tial TO their ideas of orderly living to have
| a kitchen. This was what they did:
one corner OF the library and sitting
room was faced with glitteriug while
! enamel tiles. Hot aud cold water were
| introduced above Tiny porcelain sink.
a gas stove was set up on one side, and
/ on the other a set OF pretty shelves. y
/ small kitchen table found room, and
! brass hooks and small brackets made a
! place for everything, and everything was
| in its place. The floor below was laid
with tiles, and small opening connected
| with the drain OF the sink. The entire
space was not over five feet square, and
was inclosed by q tall Japanese screen
that eIectually screened it from view
when glimpse was not begged of go
pretty and dainty corner. Hero every
! culinary act was not only possible but
! performed.
MAIDLESS, BUT HAPPY.
A maid omnipresent would have been
| a serious iDcumb rance, apart from her
wages These women did their own
work. The brief description shows that
there were no hreS 10 build, no ashes to
carry out; that the act OF cooking re-
CURED but the turn of the wrist. But the
| pride of the corner were the aluminium
| pots and pans hanging like polished sill
yer against the shining enamel walls. Nc
! Imagination can illumine, nor any ideal
! ization OF the arts of domesticity ever
make the washing of pots and pans any,
/ thing but the most Odlous drudgery.
I Washing ironing, scrubbing may be
I lifted measurably seen by the poets eye
when in frenzy rolling, but the scullion
| is not only not admitted into verse, but 10
| the com Danionship OF other servants.
AN ORNAMENTAL DUTY.
! on the other hand, there is no novelist
/ who is unwilling 10 allow his heroine To
wash the silver. 1t is considered, indeed
a rather pretty occupation. and allows
4 for the display of well-turned wrist and
attractive costume. The washing of ihese
aluminium pots and pans has as many
| graceful posi- Dilitles as the washing of
! silver. Imagine pudding stick in a
! tlOunce of white Irvine and Jar OF snowy
aIKali. When the dinner was served the
! pans were given dash of hot water and
a crystal OF washing soda. Now, under
! the hot water faucet, they are churned
| with stick and atkali into foam, dashed
| again with hot wafer and dried as oaintily
! as a baby's porrlnger, when 1t is hung
/ again in shining purity on the hook in
I the enamel wall.
! No apology is needed for dwelling on
! the esthetics of such pretty housekeep-
/ ing Women who have struggled with
IN aids -of-all-w experimental with
| restaurants. CROPPED IN darkness and ate
/ lunch by gaslight, have seen the sunlight.
the space, this corner as decorativeiy at
! tractive IN its white and silver TO the
! housewitely mind as drawing-roon
! niche with palms, cushions and piano
lamp, and have gone away reused by an
| inspiring discomfort with their surround
| ings Except for the pots and pans of
aluminium, eli this purity and light of
! the kitchen corner would be indeed only
a vain show. 1t is these that make the
surroundings not only attractive but
practicable.
But ii the ornamental qualities appeal
first 10 the eye, there are more sub stan-
{
az woman assures me, 10 the heart,
holding out al the same time a little
saucepan IN which she boils milk. ut
never scorches when my back is turned !"
she remarks, conclusively. Speaking
seriously of these advantages, she con-
tinued:
FOR HEALTH As WELL AS BEAUTY.
aluminium is SO light-three and a
half times as light a. copper-that l can
: irA l.
one hand. The muscular labor in cook
ing, as you must know, is considerable
under the usual conditions. 1t is no
/ more labor now for me to WELD my
| kitchen battery than to wash the china or
! the bIic-a-brac Another important adj
| vantage is what the scientific people call
! heat receptivIty OF my aluminium pots
/ and pans. | can cook in half the time.
/ This not only is apparent in my gas bills,
which don't pretend TO undervalue, but
/ in the economy OF my time, which Is of
| even more value.
Another considerations an important
one. When one is cooking in a corner
ana space is limited one needs fewer
cooking utensils. For example, since my
! pretty saucepans do not easily scorch |
! do not have TO have double kettles Tor rice
! and porridge, nor bain-maries for other
/ things. The first cost OF my aluminium
po,s and pans is expensive, and naturally
! / do not want to buy more than l need
| The first expense OF the necessary articles
| am more than willing to undergo. In
the first place. to save myself drudgery:
in the second place, because | like to
/ think of my nouiishment coming out of
pots as pure as porcelain; in the third
place, for they are practically indestructi-
| bic, and expect to use them during the
| rest OF my natural existence.