The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-29
ideas tor dWn1mem.

AiLCtAR " ILL
ence are found as efficient as man walt
ers in many houses Sometimes she
gives even more satisfaction. h per-
forms Almost the same routine of work,
She is expected to take charge of the
of the rooms on the first floor of the
house. to answer the front door and the
upstairs bells, to lay the table for meals,
to walt on the family and occasional
guests at table, to are for the silver and
render a faithful account Of each piece:
to keep the china unbroken and we'll
washed; in short, everything connected
with pantry and diaing-room is under
her charge.
1t is her province to arrange that all
the plates, glasses. silver n small ar
ticles needed for the meal are either on
the table or on the sideboard or small
side table. SO that there shall be no run
ming in and out of the dining-room for
articles she has forgotten. She must see
to it that the plates are hot and not
lukewarm. She must be all activity; yet
without any hustle or appearance of max
ing haste. The parlor maid must know
how to lay the damask cloth smoothly
on the under covering Of baize or canton
ann or feiting. She must see that the
little pot of ferns is in the centre of the.
table and that the carafes or water bot
ties and the salt cellars n pepper cas-
tors are correctly distributed about the
table; also that by the napkin the proper
number of forks, knives and spoons are
laid. One must be careful to discard all
flowers that are beginning to fade. Moth
ing is more dolorous than a centrepiece
nr uaSp Of Humans tx-h3ab hos eo1. hot<ar
days-to put it mildly.
"
In waiting at table it is, of course,
necessary that all dishes should be pre-
sented at the left hand, so tina the right
can be used to help ones self. The only
exception to this rule of the Medes and
Persians is the water or apollinaris or
wine, which equally, of course, must be
offered at the right hand, where the
drinking glasses are grouped. The tum-
blers are filed one-third full of cracked
ice before the meal is ~noun
When the family is alone at dinner, the
sour tureen is usually placed before the
mistress, who serves it out in half-ladle
portions into the soup plates. The par
lor maid meanwhile stands beside and
slightly behind her mistress and removes
each plate as 1t is filled, passing it to
the ladies first, to the older married
women present, then to the daughters of
the house, then to the master and lastly
to the sons. The fish is always placed be-
fore the master of the house, and also
the roast of meat AT family dinners the
vegetables are diligently handed around
the table. When the master of the
house does the carving on the table, it
simplifies the labor of the maid. When
guests come in, or on occasions of cere-
mony the carving of fish and meat, as
well as the serving of soup, is carried on
from a side table. OF course all plates,
knives and forks, used in one course must
be completely removed before the next
part of the meal is brought in sight. The
dishes are handed or a tray and the
smart maid usually has her fresh nap
kin ready in handing dishes.
The maid who waits must not by word
invite a guest to partake of another
help, but simply present and represent
the dish. After it has once been declined
it should not be offered again. The maid
must know how to offer two dishes at
once, if they are Intended to be eaten
together. For example, she may offer
a help of fish in the right hand and the
gravy boat of fish sauce with the left. If
she remembers to do this she gets around
the table much faster than If she under
took a separate journey with each dish.
In the same way the gravy or currant
jelly should accompany the help of meat,
two vegetables should make the grand
rounds together. just as crackers and
cheese should be offered with a salad and
the appropriate sauce keep pace with the
pudding.
Before dessert is placed on the table
the cloth is swept clear of crumbs, and
nothing is left upon it but the drinking
tumbler or glasses and any dishes of fruit
or flowers. Sometimes instead Of a made
dessert the table will display a fleet of
small silver or cut-glass dishes contain
ing each some different dainty-a few
figs, raisins, almonds, sailed peanuts,
dates or cream chocolates. The guests
then help themselves from these. 1t is
q matter of choice whether coffee be
served at the table or not. 1t is called,
however, 'after-dinner COFFEE" and in
some households is served in parlor or
library, wherever the family repairs after
dinner. In any case, the inger-bowls are
the final articles needed at the table.
49,
"If you wish to be a good companion
to your husband study to make each
Good morning that you say to him an
incentive to a better life" is Ruth Ash
more's advice to young women, whom
she addresses supon 9sThe Profession OF
Marriage in ghe April Ladies' Home
Journal" Learn to make each Good
night a benediction of love for the
days work, the days loving and the
days sympathy. Look for his good quail
tiles. He is like you in having faults;
with very little trouble you can find these
faults, and by talking about them and
reminding him of them you can make
your married life uncomfortable. You can
bring about heart-burnings, you can cause
strife, and before you know It hatred
may take the place of love. Look for
his virtues, and. seeking always for
goodness, you will grow better every day
just as certainly as you would grow bad
If you looked only for that which was
wicked. Remember there is much that
Will have to be forgiven in you, and
you feel inclined to remind
Tom of a weakness read the book in
which is set down your foibles and your
follies. A woman who, even after her
marriage, carefully studies her profession
ran make her husband what she wishes