The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1910-06-23
Eugenia EstiIl.

century became SUCH? Did she at
tend cooking school equipped with
an electric stove and the latest in
cooking utensils, Or learn it in the
fat of the young couple? Her an
'cestors of the eighteenth century an
sWer mo"
In the seventeenth century and
later, when the Dutch, the English,
and later still the American mer-
chant persuaded CD some of the
royal families of the Congo and
Niger to emigrate to this side of the
Atlantic, did they find them with
washing machines and cooked starch
laundering the tribes regalia? Did
they find even the pot hanging in the
fireplace, and the Dutch oven sending
forth appetizing odors Of fresh bread
and meat stew? Was there seen a
bright 'smaumer" bustling between a
well filled pantry and an up-to-date
kitchen of the eighteenth century,
her hands white with the -four which
would soon develop into the crisp
crust of Virginia apple pie?
Now look on the real picture: A
number of black savages, the chill
dren without a scrap of clothing,
coaxed or driven, were made prison
ers and huddled together into the
bottom of the ship. Many died from
impure air, fever, bad food, and
fright. Many also were beaten to
death. Remember, they did not know
the language of their captors. Pro-
vided with scanty clothing, the sur
vivors were sold from Massachusetts
to Georgia.
Who now took these ignorant peo-
pie and made them what the best of
them were "before the war;" Who
gave them Christian baptism, with
the scriptural names of Eli Isaac,
Ephraim, Mary, Sarah, and Rebecca?
Or the classical names of Scipio, Cea-
sar, Juno, Venus? Certainly not the
kind of housekeepers of this twen-
tieth century, who, at the most, re-
quire that the outward appearance
of the colored help be neat. and re-
marking that they *'hope the dinner
will be good,' rush to the sewing
machine to finish a dress for their
fifteen-yearold daughter to wear to
"a party where it is intended she
shall eclipse all the other girls, or
she HES herself to a club meeting to
read paper on "The Care of the
Household"
No, these matron ancestors pa
tiently pointed out the different ar
ticles, calling the name of each to her
cook or housemaid, and showing
their use. How did these matrons
know? They had descended from a
long line Of Industrious Dutch, Eng
fish, Scotch, and French homework
ers. 1t was not considered dis
grace to know how to cook, carve,
and see to the needs of relative or
guest.
Do you suppose that fat savage,
who later developed into the lovable
''Maum Dinah," knew intuitively the
proportions by which the sponge
cake was made a success, or the
amount of shortening" necessary for
the f1aky pie-crust? One is led to be-
lieve that she did, by the way most
people speak of the good cooking of
the old-time Southern manner"
These ancestors of ours also taught
these descendants of an African king
and queen to dust the bric-a-brac
without Singing round the dust rag
and making it break-O-break.
And the faithful old nurse who
taught her clumsy hands to minister
to the wants of the heir or heiress
with such tenderness? We often see
in her place twelve-year-old color
ed girl with ONLY one hand tO guide