The Washington herald., 1910-11-13
THE FRUGAL FRENCH NATION
Some Lessons that Europe Has Store for the American
of Sister Republic PrOverbial-Art of Cookery.

| has knack-nOt only knack for COOK
ing, but for anything and everything that
comes his way-for all things that make
life pleasant and agreeable. that sustain
and adorn IT,
Il should like to see said the poetess.
Helen Hunt, the woman who could go
through Paris without buying a gown"
Such an anomaly will never be seen. for
the French dressmal1ers have "knack"
that no other dressmakers In the world
have ever been able TO attain; nor are the
makers OF other countries successful In
copying the French models. They in
Yariably fail 10 catch that indefnable
touch In which lies the whole style OF
the frock they are attempting to copy.
! once bought a French model in Ber-
lin with the understanding ii would not
ne reproduced. and l watched the shop
where it was purchased TO see that this
agreement was got violated. One day my
vigilance was rewarded by discovering
two OF their enormous show windows
| filled with what were meant to be copies
of my gown. They should have been
called interpretations. rather than copies,
for the whole idea the intention Of
the maker, was lost. His whole point was
missed. / sought out the manager. You
have broken your promise to me-" said
TO that shamefaced person. He stumbled
out an apology. 1t was a mistake, mis-
understanding. and 50 on
II forgive you" / said smiling, for
while you are morally culpable. because
you meant to break our agreement you
have really not broken it. The frocks
you are displaying In no way resemble
mine. Don't YOU see you have missed the
style, the cachet OF the French model;
that your colors are not properly con-
| trasted; that you have buttoned the
jacket up In the back and left OF the
black satin glrdle." He did not see
| The copies did very well. he thought
and so did his customers, for they were
sold as direct importations from Paris
Her children may lament over poor
/ France" but France Is never poor. It's
SOIL cultivated for centuries. is more pro-
ductive to-day than ever before. In
/ stead OF being exhausted by a vicious
| system OF husbandry. its qualities have
| been preserved by careful nursing. and she
| feeds a population OF some 100000 on a
| territory much smaller than Texas. The
/ great grandchildren OF the small
| French farmer OF to-day viii enjoy the
| benefit OF their ancestors frugality and
! foresight not only in the riches that he
has acquired from the soil, but from the
riches he has put into Il.
| The commercial success OF the French
| is due to the talent they possess for
taking Infinite pains. They believe, col
| lectively and individually. that thing
| that Is worth doing at all is worth do
| ing well. To do everything well, small
| things. seemingly insignificant things, Is
passion with the French. A French
man will spend fifteen minutes to half
hour over the mixing OF a salad that one
OF our cooks would throw together I'm
| three minutes. To watch a French cook
prepare and cook ordinary vegetables,
such as carrots, turnips, spinach, which
/ our cooks toss into a pot Of water with
no concern as TO whether II Is boiling or
| only tepld, and serve with salt, pepper.
and dab OF butter when they are done.
| is 30 watch an interesting and wonderful
process. A half dozen things go into the
| spinach pot TO give it that delightful fla
vor which only spinach cooked by a
Frenehman has. and just as much care is
taken with other things.
Washing Fine Art.
II Is interesting 20 see a Frenchman az
work. 30 matter what he has In hand. for
he Is so def and clever with his hands.
Laundering with US means the washing
Of thing clean. starehing Il. and ironing
the wrinkles out. a French woman
makes washing a fine art Every plait
and fold and -ufle is pulled in place by
her experienced and clever fingers. and
when a bit OF lingerie comes from her
hands it looks as though IL might have
come fresh from the shop. So with every
| thing.
1t is amusing TO any one who has lived