The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

IA MONG my letters l received one a
~ while ago from a pronounced
- vegetarian. She took me to task
for giving recipes on the cookery
of meat and calling for it in the
menus l supply.
wonder at you who term yourself
Christian woman!" she concluded
For my own part, thank God every
night as lay myself down to sleep that
nothing has died that day that I might
live!"
The sentiment sounded SO impressive
that felt trifie ashamed of myself at
my amused recollection of the time hon
ored tiff between Margaret Fuller and
Mrs. Horace Greeley. The former
touched with a look of disgust the kid
gloves worn by the latter and said,
frowningly: Skin of a beastl Skin
of beast! To which the other replied,
with smile. laying her hand on Miss
F'uller's silk gown: Entrails of q
worm! Entrails of worm! "
1t has always been question In my
mind which had the better Of the argu-
menti
So wonder IL my self-righteous cor
respondent could show a clean bill of
moral health in other lines of life be-
sides eating. Does she never wear silk
for which worms have died, or kid
gloves, or furs, or leather shoes? When
one makes as sweeping a statement as
hers, her audience will naturally be
aroused to Quesdonings which may
prove embarrassing 1t would be inter-
esting to hear how those of the constit-
uency who are opposed to meat eating
on humanitarian grounds meet this
problem. May we not hope to hear
from some of them on the subject?
When 1t comes to other objections to
onering meat as an article of diet, I
feel there is much to be said. Nearly
all of US have had the matter forced
upon our painful attention of late by
the rise in the price of ali meats, and
the merits of a vegetarian bill of fare
have bulked larger to us than ever be-
fore. Is it not possible that in our eff
forts to escape the tyranny of the ex-
cessive meat bills we have devised ex-
pedients which will be of service to
other Cornerites?
Here, for instance, is a testimonial
which comes to me from a housekeeper
who has usually employed maids but
has been forced by circumstances this
summer to do the cookin. and most of
the homework for herself and her hus-
band. Her letter is so interesting and
suggestive that I venture to quote from
it rather freely.
Not since was q young housekeep-
'er have had such an experience" she
writes. With the children away. NV
husband and have come down to first
principles, so to speak, and we have
lived Just as we chose, without having to
consider the maids or any one but our
selves. 1t has been an illuminating epi-
sode in a variety of ways.
- In the first place, we made I'D our
minds VIC would go light on meat,
not only because it costs so much but
also on account of our health. We
felt we would both be better with q.
lighter diet and yet I wished to have
something appetizing and savory.
Would you care to know what were
some Of our bills Of fare?
Breakfast consisted Of fruit, toast.
coffee. cereal, and sometimes a bit of
bacon or an egg. although when we
had had good dish of cereal with
peaches. or berries. or bananas, or baked
apples, or stewed prunes. glass of
milk apiece or cup of coffee-I am
the only coffee drnker-and plate of
hot buttered toast, we did not crave
anything more. My lunch I had alone
and it was usually fruit or salad or
cheese. toast or bread and putter and
no. or iced tea, according as the weather
decreed.
ION our evening meal I spread my
self and had such fun planning for