Year: 1872

A humorous writer thus explains xhs'
has for ages been deemed by the uninitia
ted difficult domestic science:


The subject Of carving is so old. and ha.
been treated so often by those who rack
their brains to devise some means of fill.
ing up the household" columns of the
family newspapers, and that it is like at
tempting to find slice of white mea. on
a turkey three days after Thanksgiving
dinner. to try and discover anything tha.
viii be new or Of interest to those who
. from theirs ,nsni1iep. d The head oi
ef. the fsrsl!y L. M freanently called
upon to WELD she knife and fork in man
ner at once graceful and effective. The
subject is one that concerns many indi-
vidusls; young men are constantly en-
tcring that state of double-trouble where
it behooves them to know drum stick"
from opinion = single men at board
ing houses arc often BY the absence Of the
lsndlady, compelled to dispense justice or
tough meat 10 the feliow-sufferers, and it
is To those that we dedicate the few hiuts
on carving which may be Of assistance to
them.


! To carve gracefully and without any
modification TO yourself. the best plan is
to cultivate an intimacy with the cook. Cif
your wife or the lat,er's husband is not
jealous and when you have become suf-
6ciently acquainted. ask her to let YOU
practice on the fowls that are to be served
for dinner while they are il the kitchen
You can then manage them to your hearts
satisfaction. and if the guests manifes. any
surprise At the condition in which they arc
served, a remark they were killed with
, nitro o-glycerine. or have been run over By
the cars. will be sufficient explanation.
If your wife or cook insists that the tur-
key. goose, or whatever it may be. shall
be placed upon the table whole, YOU must
sharpen your knife. procure two or three
extra hanikerchicfs to remove the perspi-
ration that will accumulate on your brow,
place your trust in Providence or New
port. and buckle in.


No matter If you Lave 4 razor edge on
your carver. always touch i, up on the
steel before commencing, and while 50 do
ing get of some joke to the lady nearest
your right hand this will make the guests
think you are an old turkey slasher, and
arc perfectly at home in such work. Take
graceful stab with the fork, (Which
should be in the left hand. unless you are
''right-handed,' and pin the fowl to the
plate, at the same time give muffled war
whoop to call attention to yourself. while
with your right hand you cut off the out
erj"ints Of the wing. After cutting Off
the wing look and see If the head and feet
arc of, if not they should be ampu;a,cd at
once. To show your dcx;eriiy change
hands and balance yourself on your stom-
ach across the back Of your chair. while
you shave the white meat from ,hc breast.


II you wish to make a sure thing of the
fowl, it would be we'll to have hand
saw. Ratchet, draw-knife and cleaver w.
ing near the chair. whore YOU can use
them to chop away the tou CHER portions
Of the bird. If you cannot obtain suf
ficient purchase on the fowl with your fork
to keep it steady. you can put one foot on
, the same while YOU cut of the drums,ck,
the second joint, and hagsle eff sufficient
dark meat to go around.


After you have pretty we'll cleaned Oh
one side Of the fowl, change ends with i,
by throwing i. in the air with the fork.
and catching it as it falls. This will make
sensation among your guests. especially
those who. not knowing your skill. failed
to provide themselves with oil cloth suits
1t also allays their hunger for few mo-
men,s and gives you chance to recover
Your wind


Take of The other wing and leg in :tc
same manner you did the first. only swing
your knife and fork more carelessly as you
gain confidence in yourself After taking
of the dressing and stacking it up on the
floor where you can reach it wi,hou. ,rou-
bic. employ yourself in picking out all the
little "titbi,s' and extra pieces Of white
meat that everybody likes and concealinp
them on the lee side of n soup .ureen
where you can eat them Yourself after you
get through carving. When the fowl has
dcciminated sufficiently begin attcndin q
to the guests, always giving toughest por-
tions TO those with poor teeth. or none a,
all. Ask everybody which they prefer,
dark or white meat, and give them the
opposite color from what they called for.
A little study of these sample rules will
render any man capable of earring. any.
thing. and in style not excclled by an
Esquimaux or Heather Chinee."