The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27
Stories of Washington
Tale of the Late John Chamberlin-
Passing of Family Breakfast

instead Of being all used up in digestiug
the first meal So the strenuous life of
to-day leaves no room FOR the family
breakfast, not 70 mention family prayers
Ihere is no longer any tender rite or
I ceremony attendant upon the first meal
The rapid pace at which one lives fur
nishes one OF the many causes attributed
10 the change. Again. the variety Of
ready-cooked foods which enterprising
manufacturers have placed upon the mar
het simplifies things. and where il re-
CURED TWO hours 20 prepare q breakfast
the same meal can now be- made in twenty
minutes, or even less time
Increased individuality is perhaps an
other cause One no longer does things
because his ancestors did them. nor do
We believe because they did so believe.
ne children Of to-day are permitted TO
sleep because sleep is good for children
while the other Is not disturbed because
her social duties are such that wear her
out. hence she is in no wise a--.a,.-.l
nor is she 20 blame that she doe. not AZ
tend her husband at breakfast and secure
ms comfort for the working hours. such
conditions have al last made il impossibIa
TOT the family 10 assemble at an early
given hour
To-day so-called coffee is prepared "a
cereal ITuL and toast These are served
10 Ihe Struggling members Of the modern
ldhliy as they make their appearance
ms custom combined with the no
breakfast f1d'-and there are many who
follow twill before very long effectively
ana fatally eliminate the last glimmer Of
lEe ume-honored picture. that of the
happy, smiling wife who appeared behind
the brightest of coffee urns" syveer1v
satisfying the appetites of the no less
tidy looking little ones around the family
board. Equally impossible has il become
10 point moral with that of the sloven
ly wife. who used to appear with her
otherwise pretty tresses done I'D In the
eFer-hated curl papers, and surrounded
by her indinerenuy dressed offspring.
Alas. We have no breakfast table,
Yet there remains one bright side 10 the
picture The family jars, the exchange
OF opinions, which are usually vented m
the first meal when one is apt to be n
trifle less auiable than usual, either from
cold, heat, or loss of sleep. So il is that
dinner EN- famille has become the panacea
tor all our ills. and likewise the cause of
many of them.
In remote part of Washington can be
found little, old. grimy studio where the
water seldom runs and the window glass
is always dusty. The young artist who
occupies the abode had just completed
his masterpiece. "a pastel. whose color
scheme he devised in a moment Of in
spiration, born, as it was. at the sight Of
forlorn old Italian woman. who wore
upon her head an old and wonderouSly
faded shabby scarf
artist man. upon beholding her. come
into my studio and take anything. every
thing, / have, all is yoUrs-only give me
the scarf"
And the woman, who seldom disposes Of
her apples and pies in this quarter. fed.
believing that at last the long threatening
wolf had completed his task and rendered
the artist insane
Then the artist FASTENED to his studio.
and, with the memory of that weather
beaten scarf in his artistic SOUL dashed
off the inspired pasteI-his masterpiece.
he was sure.
He placed the picture in some soft-col-
oTed hangings. which plainly told of a
more prosperous day. but even now. midst
all the want. their Old-rose tints seemed
TO send back an answering glow, and to
the artist the whole world seemed better
and brighter for the presence Of the little
pastel
I have made progress" said this ar
fist Behold milestone, l shall keep
1t as mark by which all else shall be
judged. I am on the road to fame.
And it was only the rude knock upon
the door which opened into all this glory.
that aroused him and brought him back
to earth long enough 10 shout;
Come i'm
Dead broke" sighed the soulful man.
whose face now indicated that he had
been reminded Of the sterner realities.
But Abraham. the secondhand clothing /
man, who knows the ways and means OF /
a surprisingly large number of artists. |
urged in way known only to a man of /
his business that the time was winter /
and very cold winter at that, that he !