The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-06

chicken salad as specified and show tnem-
selves glad to do it, but they go further,
for they cheerfnlly devote two hours to
decking themselves for the fray.
This note we'll If you please, is a wo-
mans idea of pleasure--of ecstatic bliss
and the more the salad and the busier
the curling iron the merrer. And there
tis still another end to the game. Here
tofore we have considered only the eater
OF the embalmed bird and the mental
and physical impressions of tho recipient
of this grewsome picked diet.
But reflect also on the emotions OF the
artlficer of the chicken salad-she who
acts as hostess of the occasion. In the
course of the day, when she Is preparing
for that state socially known as being
"at home" she undergoes changes far
more wondrous than those of an insect
alternating from the pupal, larval or
chrysalid condition to the final butterfly
status.
Early in the morning some one fetches
her the fowl in the featners-the live bird
ION the hoof" that is to be slaughtered
for the fray. After the victim goes to
glory by the French Revolution route and
prospective hostess has incarcerated her
capillary substance in curl papers, the
chicken is hurled into a cauldron, thera
l Il
tenderness and recherche Wilderness,
This process completed. the culinary
autopsy begins and the fowl is reduced
to that shape which precludes all hope
of his ever participating in joyous
resurrection. Only the carcass remains,
and the birds own mother would not
recognize that. but it must not be in
ferred that this CHASTITY souvenir is
thrown recklessly into the garbage bar
rel.
Quite the contrary, IL the hostess be
a good and trusty housewife.
1t is transformed into n stew or hash,
and served up that day at dinner to the
brute who, though paying the freight. is
distinctly not Eat home" on tho evening
of the frilled and furbelowed orgy--to
wit, the husband.
Yes he is allowed to gnaw the carcass,
for all such things are tried on the dog
on Fido. the faithful mealticket.
Along about the time that the sun
| (being a male thing) gets too sFittish to
| show his face, the fair at-homeist begins
| to plant her batteries In the buffers pam
| try. Her heaviest ordnance is the chicken.
| of course for with this she must keep
up steady. enfilading fire on the as
sembled gibble- gabbers, but she also has
| other weapons of defense and offense.
! For instance, several battalions of pink
and green cakes and two regiments of
sandwiches are arranged to charge in
| echeon, while ut the psychological mo-
| ment immense damage must be done by
the mortars which constantly drop burnt
| almonds and stuffed olives into the camp
| of the enemy.
| From Il dense growth OF woods alias
| trailing cedar and holly. the light in
| fantry, In tho form of spiked Lemonade.
1 makes repeated attacks on the invaders,
| who march up to it again and again,
| undaunted by the terrible slaughter on
| both sides.
| Through all the dark and fearful fray.
| which results in such frigntful destruction
| and leaves so many manned for life, the
| participants are buoyed up by one sweetly
| solemn and inspiring thought-the
possibility OF their capturing tho greatest
Of all the banners--the superb red. green
and white tricolor of the pistacha Ice
| cream.
Not until the day is nearly DER do
they know whether or not this prize will
be within reach, 70: some hostesses who
set widely separated from their base of
supplies are not able to furnish this de-
sideratum.
| Although n constant rain OF grapesnot
falls in tho form of bonbons. there are
| times when 1t is absolutely necessary for
| tho Red Cross Society-all society gets
moro or less red and cross in these af-
| fairs--to cool the parched threats of the
| wounded and the dying with cream pep
I PERMITS and r-dinner coffee. After
| the curtain falls on the bloody arena,
beaten biscuit may be seen on every
side. while many of the fair amazons
carry the marks of the cnicken salad all
the rest Of their lives.
1 But as Somebody said Somewhere after
4 n most successful killing, there is glory
i enough for all. Even tho beaten biscuit,
1 the dsmanteled crockery and the torn
/ aud frazzled napery are proud in defeat,
\ while the deceased fowl, II he could pull
himself together and reconVena his feath-
ers, would flap his wings With delight.
True 1t is that the hostess falls swoon-
ing on a borrowed candelabrn after her
last sweet guest has melted into tho dusk
with the cheering words, Perfectly
lovely time, but all the same she IS
ready ~ rally at tho next trump and tc
make another plunge when somebody else
is running the heavy ordnance IN the
pantry,
Il A seasoned veteran who does not Vince
under fire has been known to partici-
pate in as many as three OF ttsase trays
in one evening, and then get homo III
1880 T.. M. In time to soothe her tratt
spouse by sitting down to the table Will
him and pretending TO join him In his
supper.
N "A "a, ,,,,-