Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-08

which to great extent has disap-
peared in other European countries
at any rate to such a marked De-
gree The Dutch home is orderly,
simple in it's arrangements and meals,
and thorough in it's cleanliness.
Whether it be a wealthy home. with,
staff of servants. or the ordinary
home. with its one domestic, the work
is carried on with strict regularity
both as to time and appointment OF
duties
In nearly all homes the mistress
prepares the breakfast herself. the
china and the glass are her special
care, and 1t is seldom, IL ever. that
she allows any one but herself to
dust or wash 1t. For this purposes
in somewhat secluded corner of tho
room. Is dainty towel horse. where
the glass cloth hangs ready to hand,e
for her exclusive use. The meals are
as a rule simple, the breakfast cons
sisting chiefly of bread and butter.
cheese and rye bread or honey cake
and little cold meat. Ash or eggs
and cheese and fruit for lunch. Din
ner is partaken of late in the alters
noon at any time between 5 and I
to have a quiet time to rest in the
evening. s
clever housekeeper, the Dutch
woman is also very often well edu-
Gated. She. can speak two languages
as rule. German and French, and
sometimes English; she can play tho
violin or piano. sometimes paints, has
knowledge of dressmaking and can
keep accounts most accurately. Her
time. however. is much taken up by
household affairs. In the morning she
helps in the polishing of her dearly
loved pieces of furniture. often hand
some family herlooms. Choice china
and old and rare furniture are fea-
lures of the Dutch home but were IL
not for the housewives care lavished
upon these they would not be handed
down in such perfect condition from
one generation to another
Another feature of the Dutch house
is the linen. White as snow folded
% perfection, it is placed in piles I'M
the linen cupboard as even as reams
of notepaper, and the most wonderful,
darns are made when necessary, to
accord with the weaving of the pat
tern In the damask. The linen cup
board, as we'll as the china cupboard.
Is the pride OF the Dutch housewife.
The care of the linen Is sometimes
carried to such an excess that on one
occasion the lady of the house cruri-
Piled up and sent away again to thu
laundry the whole of a three months'
washing because the piles would not
suit her in their evenness
The neatness of a Dutch home Is
often al the expense of its comfort
and. though the servants are consids
eratelv treated. yet they are seldom
allowed free hard in anything.
There is another phase of Dutch fonie
lie which il eliminated would add
| much to the comfort of the visitor as
! we'll as tn the Dutch people Them
| selves. and that is the tipping habit.
| which seems to thrive in it's worst
| form.
Anniversaries are made much of in
! q Dutch home. flowers and gifts being
| sent in on these occasions by friends
and relatives. but even this custom
| is not without its drawback. for every
present is carefully counted and an
exact return on a similar occasions
| expected. The Dutch people them
| selves rebel against this state of
things, SO that it cannot be long be-
| fore these blots on an otherwise hap
Ply home life will have disappeared :
Christian Science Monitor.
l