Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-30
Afternoon Tea

Do you remember Cowper's pic
ture of the winter evening, and the
loud hissin' urn?" I have had
number of letters asking about after
noon tea, and this is an appropriate
occasion to talk to you about tea,
and some of the foreign customs that
it has been my lot to have to accus-
tom myself to their observances.
My six years in Japan threw me,
not only with the natives OF that
country and it's customs, but with
foreigners of many lands. have
been called "a good mixer" and that
is, I think, another way to say that
l did not think the American way
the only one, though / never hest
tated to do things our way and let
others also keep their own habits.
In Russia we used the samovar
and had tea in tall glasses, in the
home of my Scandinavian friends we
drank coffee in the afternoon and
ate all sorts of goodies that ] have
forgotten how to make, or lost the
recipes. For six years l ate one
dinner at Christmas time with some
English friends, and the English
plum pudding that was sent from
England to those two ladies was a
delectable creation that / have never
seen eXcelled.
Once | entertained a young woman
from Australia, and in after years
had a friend of hers for a neighbor.
Both made good tea and tea cakes.
All this is to tell you that Wa
Americans are the only nation who
do not break the afternoon with
some sort of refreshments. / know
that among the leisure class there
is more tea drinking than many
realize, but it is as much a rule
among most foreign people as our
breakfast is with us. In the bust
ness offices, in England there is a
lull for the tea basket to be brought
in. But it is the social sic that I
am going to write about today. In
Japan the girls are taught to make
and serve tea, and as much stress
is put on that as we, of this coun-
try. put on music and literature in
our girls schools. | have heard
many parents inquire about the "eti-
quette" teacher, but I never heard
one ask where the other teachers
were educated. 1t is not only in the
afternoon, but whenever a guest
goes in the Japanese home that tea
is served. And there is ceremony
about it that is charming. Dainty
cakes are put before one, and will
caution you right now, don't eat
them. 1t is the custom to nibble, to
praise the cups and drink the tea,
then when you start home the little
rake, and CONNECTIONS are sllillfully
put in a dainty paper napkin, or
crepe square, according to the
rank of your entertainers, and YOU
take them home with you. Many
times that helps one out of quite a
dilemma, for these beautiful Gre
atoms are, as a rule, insipid. But
when I went to see my English
friends I was sure of the incest sort
Of tea. 1t was made strong and had
cream and sugar in it. The strength
did not seem to bite your tongue,
on the contrary there vas a velvety
softness about it that made it very
tempting. And woe be it unto your
nights rest if you yielded to the Sec
Ond cup. The English tea is always
made by the host at the table, as
also is the Japanese, and the English
tea is made very hot and kept so by
a tea cozy" that is Quilted silk
affair that fits over the teapot.
There is always swinging kettle, I
have seen them in some of the
wealthy homes made of hammered
silver, and copper that shone like
gold. The English are sturdy
wholesome nation and good plain
bread and butter is the universal az.
compartment. However, there are
all sorts of varyings. There is where
fruit cake is seen oftener than on
the average American table. And