St. Tammany farmer., 1906-03-10
SERVING THE INVALID.
6athe Hands and Face Before Bring
ing In Tray-Give Dainty
Surprise in Cookery.

through an illness will readily under
stand whaI difference it makes at
meal time i; the food is well cooked
and dainttly served, 50 that it is invit-
ing enough to create an appetite even
when there is little desire to eat. One
OF the first suggestions would like to
make is: Never ask the patient what
he or she would like to eat. The
chances are that such a question will
spoil the appetite altogether. A little
delicacy nicely cooked, daintily served
and kept profound secret until un-
covered by the bedside, will be received
with favor and thoroughly enjoyed. AL
ways serve hot food hot and cold food
as cold as you can make 1t.
To make tray look attractive is al
most as important as having the food
properly cooked. Cover 1t with snowy
napkin, and choose the prettiest and
daintiest china, glass and silverware
in the house. Never crowd tray with
dishes or food, but serve everything In
small quantities. Large pieces of meat
swimming in greasy gravy, a plate
piled with large pieces of bread and
butter cut anyway, are enough to take
away any patients appetite. Serve
your egg, fish, meat, ETC., on a very hot
plate with sprig of parsley, or leaf
from the heart of lettuce; OF even q
carrot leaf, and cover with another
hot plate. l have heard people say
they always had the greatest curiosity
to know what was under the plate.
Toast cut in lady fingers" and also
baked potatoes, look very inviting
peeping from the folds of white nap
kin. Cut the bread thin, in some fancy
shape, have the butter very fresh and
firm, and make into fancy ball or cut
into an even square and stick a little
sprig of parsley on it.
Jellies are much prettier ii made in
small moulds and served in dainty
glass dish; fruits are best served IN
their own leaves, and salads are mucn
more appetizing if served in an orange
cup or in a red apple or tomato or
banana or cucumber boat.
An individual teapot, sugar bowl
and cream pitcher are very dainty. and
give the patient q little occupation in
pouring out her own tea and adding
enough sugar and cream to taste.
A glass of ice water must never be
forgotten, also pepper and salt. II q
few flowers are put in a vase or laid
loosely on the tray they add to the at
tractiveness of it.
Before serving the meal wipe the pa
tient's hands and face with q damp
cloth and she will be more ready to ap-
preciate her food. II the patient IL
able to sit up support the back with a
bed-rest and pillows. Throw shawl
over her shoulders, and pile books on
each side of her to rest the tray on. II
you are not fortunate enough to have
an invalid's table. Unless you have
something jolly and interesting to say
take up a book and read some bright
little extract. Take the dishes away
Immediately the meal is ended, brush
all crumbs from the bed, allow your
patient to lie quietly while you get
your own meal, and the chances are
that on your return you will find her
sleeping comfortably.
Above all, common sense, tact, kind
ness and love are our best guides, and
we have 10 learn in the school OF ex-
perience. AS George Eliot says, "a SUI
preme love, motive that gives a sub
lime rythm to woman's life, and ex-
alts habit into nartnershiD with the
souls highest needs is not to be had
where and how she wills; to know that
high initiation she must tread where 1t
is hard to tread and feel the chill air
and watch through darkness. It Is not
true that love makes all things easy; 1t
makes us choose what is difficult. -
Mabel Sanderson Brantford, in report
of the Farmers Institute OF Province
of Ontario.