The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-21
Bah on Things 10 Eat
American Most Fortunate People in the WorId--Som
Points in Regard to the American Dinner.

great quantities. She would consider
herself mean if she locked up her gro
ceries. And as for giving out the guam
tity required for every day she would
scof at that as stingy. The wiser wo-
man who elects to buy enough to last
for one week finds but little waste in her
household, for before purchasing she has
discovered just how much Of each viii
last for certain length Of time so
that no impertinent cook can tell her
that she does not know what she is talk
ing about.
She is a poor housekeeper who does
not comprehend the meaning of the or
der which she gives, and it is strange,
but true, that the best housekeepers in
this country are among the very veal
thy The wife of the man who has
$1,000 year who keeps one maid is less
apt to study household economy than
the wife of the millionaire, who has
housekeeper and many servants under
her control You insist upon saying that
where there is only moderate income
there cannot be daintiness Of service, and
| tell you, because / know by personal
experience, that this is not true.
The woman who looks well to the way
OF her household can be economical, can
have a dainty table, can offer appetiZ-
ing dishes to her husband, and yet she
need not be overworked, nor need she
leave her table for one minute during
dinner. Properly trained, the maid who
has cooked dinner can serve it. | do
not advise the house-keeper who has de-
termined to do right to engage as her
one maid an elderly woman who has
what the servants call "set ways" But
instead let her choose a young woman,
one at least younger than herself, who
has lived in this capacity with no one but
her, for then she cannot cite to her
just how Mrs. Brown or Mrs. Black
managed her affairs. The average maid
declines to wear cap, regarding it as
a badge of servitude. or course this is
folly. But in few households where one
maid is kept can she be induced to as
sumo the pretty white headdress that is
SO becoming and SO neat. However, a
good mistress has no trouble in convinc-
ing her maid that for reasons of cleanli-
ness, as well as suitability, it is best for
her to wear her hair perfectly plain
while in the kitchen or the dining room.
Then she will not object to the long.
white apron and, once she finds it be-
coming, to the deep white collar. She
learns-does the willing maid-to care
for the aprons and to have under the
white one the dark Bingham one that
protects her frock while she is away
from the dining room and dishing I'D
her dinner. You look at me with sur
prise when / insist that in a household
where there is only one maid a dinner
can be served in regular courses, and
the lady Of the house need have no nee
essity nor be obliged to give up her posi-
ton as hostess for one minute. Or
course it is impossible to accomplish
this with a large family, but where there
are three or perhaps four in q family it
cam be done. The proof of this pudding
is its eating, and / will cite to you the
three meals in household that goes on
as regular as does the town clock. a
household which consists of three grown
up people and in which none but the
maid and the mistress has anything to do
with the house management. Breakfast
which is served at s o'clock, consists
usually of eggs in some form, of oat-
meal or some other cereal, of coffee made
in the best manner and of toast or hot
bread, always prefaced by fruit. As
lcng as they are in season cantaloupes
are served, but when they are out
grapes, pears, oranges or apples can
always be found as an introduction to
the breakfast.
know your breakfast table. You have
heavy beefsteak-perhaps that abom-
ination of desolation, pork, but certain
~ heavy meat fried potatoes, hot
cakes and maybe something sweet. But,
my friend, this Is not a good breakfast
for workers or for those who are idle.
The man who eats such breakfast ar