Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-15

quantite negligible when one makes up
accounts with Italy. Nor is this a d.
erosion; for who in America would.
who indeed could. take all that trouble
for six-cent dish Of fruit, time rep
resenting money, and so much more Of
il than here?
In the same way it would not pay us
perhaps in America to keep people
trotting about with little ovens bear
ing two-franc dinners to families-yet
l believe 1t will some day be found to
pay essentially well to send just such
little dinners about in great electric
heated cOnveyances. And, in the
meantime. In Italy the little ovens are
said to pay now. In America we may
get up our courage to order one 25-
cent portion Of soup for two, but In
Italy 1t Is the waiter who suggests that
a four-cent portion is sufficient. and
two portions extravagant. seeing that
you eat ''pOchissimo." The habit of
dividing portions in Italy amounts to
a positive institution-the Italians
themselves subdivide them. l should
not like to say how far have seen a
portion OF dolce (sweets) made to
go. Meanwhile in America we read on
our bills of fare that "One portion or
dered for two will be charged extra"
just as our dairies warn us, mo or
ders received or delivered under"-an
amount to spoil the appetite. One
would think We supported a Society
for the Encouragement of National
Extravaganza"
But all this" says someone, "is not
"a to, L..
| many WORKOUT home mothers and
| fathers grow fat upon it. But if by
| 'home-life," as l have commonly OBJ
| served, is understood the rite of eat
| ing at home, you have but to do one of
two equally simple things to achieve
it in Italy-have your meals cooked at
| home or have them sent in. In either
case the weary hOusekeeper may fold
her hands and purr contentedly In
the first condition you will pay your
servant but fraction of the American
price, and it is characteristic of the
Italian servant, suppOsing you know
how to attach her TO you once for all,
| and promptly, that she assumes the
| whole care for the family dignity-yOu
need have none. That your shoes
should shine, your skirts be spOtless,
your table immaculate. your candles
in the candelabrum impeccable-is a
part of her just pride. speak, of
course, of these modest Bohemian
quarters where there is room for the
personal equation; the heads of great
establishments" tell another tale
their tOrments differ but slightly in
any cline. l see no reason why they
| should; it is for their souls health
they should not, on the contrary. Pic
turesque feminine figureheads may as
well pass their time supervising those
social failures which pass for success
! es as in any other way open to the
parasite. But the req! worker, mother
of many children, or business wO-
man-of such should be the kingdom
of Italy. for here she can find large
measure of earned repOse.
Thus, if she does not even wish to bt
responsible for the undivided time o
a servant, she need but whisper :
word to a nearby cOOk-shop or res
taurant, and exactly calculated to tn
family appetite, hot. savOury. and ridi
, culously cheap, in will come her "hom
dinner at the appointed moment, tn
. remains" taking themselves off there
, after i'm the same noiSeleSS faShion
. leaving not even a residuum of un
washed dishes behind.
The same fine exemption extends I
all departments of the dOmesti
> machinery Are you busy and wan
g your stockings darned? Emilia will q
n it for two cents a pair; or a skirt re
\ bound? She will effect ii on the basl
of the same tariff. Or blouse washe
n or a dozen handkerchiefs ironed? FG
q | what else does she exist. The Signc
II desires his suit pressed, his shoe
g mended in five minutes? What otht
n | pleasure has Emilia in life than to tri
a to the tailor OF the boOtmaker?
e Since we are on the perilOus groun
n of clothes. we are near the pathet
lie subject of the sarta (dressmakef