The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-20
DINNER In 4 CHAFING DISH.
[From the New York SUM-

LFTOm the New \ DIRK SUM-
What dear, cosey little home you
havei" said the girl who lived in
boarding house to the bachelor girl fiat
ter.
girl fatter, with an injured look 1t
sounds as though there were japanese
umbrellas and peacocks' feathers around.
and purpOsely avoided artistic effects
But, OH it is so much nicer than q
dreary boarding house roOm, said the
girl boarder. You have no idea how
fascinating it seems to me! Thinking OF
having dining room all ones own and
a kitchen and dear little gas range!'
''Humphi" said the girl fiatter. For
the first month that kitchen and gas
range dazzled me so that had to live
on left-overs for three weeks"
How was that?" asked the girl
boarder with interest.
why, I forgot that I was the only
one in the family and cooked dinners big
enough for three or four people I
couldn't get used to marketing for one
person. It's one of the most difficult
lessons to learn and one of the most
important. The only way to master the
one-girl menu is to live in a chating
dish"
Live in a chatting dish?'
Yes you see a chafing dish is small
and you can not possibly cook any large
amounts in it at one time. This gets
you accustomed to miniature menus for
one"
1T must be quite problem acqui-
esced the girl boarder. 4 hadn't thought
of that
Catering for one is a serious ques-
ton said the girl fatter earnestly
''Roasts are barred; steaks as well, for
you can not get good steaks small
enough: in fact the list narrows down
to a chafing dish basis.''
why don't You get maid who will
help you eat the things?" asked the girl
boarder. They say they all have SPLEEN
did appetites.
Have you any idea how much a maid
adds to the monthly expenditure of
lrr.r hold I'll Dat
"Why, you can get them for SIS or SO
a month" said the girl boarder.
THAT is the amount paid them in
money" admitted the girl fiatter; but
when you add the amount of food that
is ordered when a maid is one Of the
household you can safely average her
at $50 a month"
1T doesn't seem possible said the
girl boarder.
1T is. though; for I tried to figure it
out myself and then I talked it over
with old hOusekeeperS and they agreed
that $50 a month was about the figure
You see, maids invariably waste quanti-
ties of groceries, meat and vegetables.
Then, as you say, they have large ap-
petites and despise economy, so that they
represent this amount additional in each
months expenditure and it is folly for
s Ses E''' Aio"e 70 nave one 10" you
But one can do anything with a
chatting dish nowadays" said the girl
| boarder. Il should think it would be
great fun: just like camping out And
then, one girl menus must be so cum
ming"
.'The breakfasts are somewhat anus
| ing" said the girl fatter. referring to a
little book bound in red leather that
looked like a golf score. For instance,
this morning it was: One bunch grapes,
| one dab oatmeal and cream, one chop,
| drilled sweet potatoes, coffee and cream,
| one roll"
What funl" said the girl boarder.
do you always write them out?''
tsOn SUNDAYS T the xvpaI< -
said the girl fiatter 4 usually think up
/ the menus when L am at church and
| They seem inspired somehow Then
make them sound as nice as possible
| and put the same thing under different
names, so I won't feel ass though 1 am
| having a warmed-over."
That's a good idea" said the girl
boarder- AT our house it's always
chops and steak and fried potatoes They
never treat US to a French name"
4 have 'em in French and Russian
| and German said the girl fatter 1T
is twice as interesting. For instance
chicken is a chicken only the first day
| After that it is a pate, a goulash, or
| croquette."
1t must be lovely" said the girl
| boarder longingly. Why, we always
know just exactly the things we are go
! ing to have each night in the week, and
/ it is so stupid
"Ah, yes" said the girl hatter; but
| you have society,"
Society? Well, I like that. You must
| be joking. I think that boarding house
| table conversation is about the dreariest
/ most annoying, most commonplace of all
| talk. I get out of it all by agreeing to
| the most impossible things
I felt that way once upon time"
said the girl hatter; but when you come
| to think of it, dining alone is really
worse. Breakfasting isn't so bad, be-
cause one is not tuned up o talk and
| it's nice to be able to read ones letters
] without apologizing; but dinner alone
is an empty joy; everything tastes like
ashes.''
The girl f1atter spoke so bitterly that
the girl who boarded said: why don't
you ask your friends in once in a while
and let everybody cook something? Don't
you know at blazer parties how every
one longs to preside at the chatting dish?''
Whom could I ask?" said the girl
fatter, drearily.
Me, for instance" rejoined the girl
who boarded.
That's a fact" said the girl fatter;
suppose we see just what kind of din
ner we can get in a chatting dish? One
girl menus are always enough for two"
Splendid" said the girl who boarded.
Can you lend me an apron?
First" said the girl fatter, 1--WE will
set this little round green oak table with
doylies. When you cook in a chatting
dish you must learn to have it right on
the table, you know. But have one in
the kitchen that I cook the unpicturesque
things in. Then we place everything
handy. This sort of cookery is ruined
by delays. Now we will compose our bill
of fare. Let me see? Do you like pea
nut sandwfches?''
Never heard of Them" said the girl
bOarder
They are nice to have first, like
caviare or anchovy toast. They are very
tiny and delicate and just lovely for one
girl menus" said the girl fatter She
took out the little red book while the
girl boarder looked on delightedIy. Then
we shall have cold muskmelon and con-
somme in cups"
But we can never make consomme in
chafing- dish," said the girl who
boarded.
1--WE can. but We WON'T, said the girl