Evening star., 1902-08-22
TEACH COOKING.
The Mother of Every Girl Should See
That She Can Prepare Food
From the Scotsman.

From the Scotsman.
A rather pathetic incident came under my
notice few months ago. A young woman
who had married the man OF her choice
made the discovery, when too late. that she
was totally untitled for the duties she
would have to- perform In her new position.
She had no experience in cooking anything
besides frying bacon and making tea. Even
porridge was failure when she attempted
to make it. THE reason Of all this?" you
ask. Well, her mother was so accustomed
to cook for her family that she was unwill-
ing to hand over the reins to her daughter,
although the latter was quite ready to
learn.
band was extremely fastidious regard
ing his meals. and she feared domestic dis
turbance II they were not prepared in the
way he had hitherto enjoyed. No doubt the
woman meant well, but I think that not
only was her husband a selfish man, but
she was very unwise woman not to con-
slider her daughters future happiness, and
1 feel sure that every right-minded reader
will agree with me. So much comfort and
domestic peace depends upon the skill Of
the middle-class wife cook and house
keeper that l wonder at any mother ex-
pressing her unwillngness to teach her
girl every branch of household work. /
have heard that hungry man is an angry
man. and especially is this true when he
comes home from work and finds before
him a meal prepared in such way as to
render it unenjoyable-if not uneatable
The poor young wife may have done her
best. but disappointed, tired man will not
recognize the fact; what he wants is the
knowledge that his earnings are spent
judiciously, his food cooked in a nice tempt
Ing manner and served on neatly ar
ranged table.
If your daughter is at home all day, let
her take the dinner entirely In hand two
days week. To make 1t clear give her a
certain sum in the morning, or the evening
before, II more convenient, and let her go
out and purchase the necessary things for
the days dinner; then let her cook the
meal If she fails, as she may do, the first
few times, Is 1t not better for you to be
with her and to show here where she goes
wrong, than for her to hear the reproaches
II not worse, of an impatient husband? No
doubt she will be less careful with butter,
sugar, eggs, ETC., than you are, but a little
patience on your part, and willingness to
improve on hers. will soon teach her those
little economies in the Kitchen" which are
SO necessary IL you wish to make both ends
meet. with limited income. 1 heard
mother say one day, Il can't bear to see my
daughter cooking. She burns as much coal
for little stew and vegetable as would
be wanted for big roast OF course, that
item has to be watched, and if the meat is
put on to stew very early in the morning,
small fire sufflces to cook it. A mother is
the only one who can teach the girl all
these little things. for she can do it in her
own quiet manner without impatience or
reproaches.
There Is another side to the picture. A
man. while praising his wife's skill as a
housekeeper, naturally looks with gratitude
on the girls mother who has trained her
80 we'll; and in this case the mother-in-law
Is not the despised creature that writer's Of
fiction would have US believe.