COOK- BOO With Chapters x Domestic Servan f J. X v^ J[ Bgp^pppK|i|ji!£HB ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges OF Agriculture and Home Economics at Cornell University Cornell University Library TX 715.S45 Mrs. Seely's cook book; a manual of Frenc 3 1924 001 447 956 ™ Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924001447956 MRS. SEELY'S COOK BOOK •Thg)^o. MRS. SEELY'S COOK BOOK A MANUAL OF FRENCH AND AMERICAN COOKERY WITH CHAPTERS ON DOMESTIC SERVANTS THEIK RIGHTS AND DUTIES AND MANY OTHER DETAILS OF HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT j BY , MRS. L. SEELY WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS Nefo ff otk THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., Ltd. 1902 All rights reserved 321772 Copyright, 1902, By THE MACMHXAN COMPANY. Nortonot $ttsss J. S. Cushing & Co.— Berwick & Smith Norwood Mass. U.S.A. CONTENTS PART I RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS PAGE Pat Table, from One Day to One Month 1 CHAPTER I General Relation of Employees and Servants 3 CHAPTER II Generally Recognized Duties or Each Servant .... 8 CHAPTER III Generally Recognized Duties in the Average Well-appointed Household op Six Servants 28 CHAPTER IV Duties of Servants under Other Conditions and Smaller House- holds 32 CHAPTER V Don'ts for Employer 33 CHAPTER VI Don'ts for Servants 35 vii Vlll CONTENTS CHAPTER VII PAGE The Servants' Hall. The Storeroom 37 CHAPTER VIII Household Receipts 40 PART II CHAPTER I Dinners and Dinner-giving. Wines, Decanting, Warming, Cooling, and Serving 46 CHAPTER II Selection of Pish. Selection op Meats. To judge the Age of Poultry and Game. Time-table por Cooking. Boiling. Rules for boiling Meat. Baking and Roasting. Rules for roasting Meat. Broiling. To broil Meat well. Frying. Steaming . 65 CHAPTER III Table of Measures. Table of Proportions. Weights and Meas- ures. Proportions. Read this Advice 70 CHAPTER IV Soups 73 CHAPTER V Fish, Oysters, Lobsters, Terrapin 101 CHAPTER VI Meats 143 CONTENTS IX CHAPTER VII PAGE Poultry and Game 180 CHAPTER VIII Salads, Sauces, and Aspics 207 CHAPTER IX Vegetables and Farinaceous Poods 232 CHAPTER X Sandwiches, Egg and Cheese Dishes, and Forcemeats . . . 261 CHAPTER XI Hot Puddings, Custards, Souffles, etc. 284 CHAPTER XII Cold Puddings, Creams, Meringues, and Ices 306 CHAPTER XIII Cakes, Fillings, and Icings 336 CHAPTER XIV Breads, Pastes, and Pies 360 CHAPTER XV Candies, Preserves, and Pickles 380 CHAPTER XVI Beverages 393 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Dining Room. General View Frontispiece FACING PAGE Housekeeper 8 Lady's Maid, in Street Costume 11 Lady's Maid, in House Livery 11 Butler, in Full Dress 12 Valet 12 First Footman 14 First Footman, in Breeches and Silk Stockings, or Court Livery . . 14 First Footman, in Breeches and Silk Stockings, or Court Livery . . 16 First Footman, in Breeches and Silk Stockings, or Court Livery . 16 Page Boy 16 "Waitress, in Afternoon Livery 17 Waitress, in Morning Livery 17 Parlormaid, in Morning Livery 18 Parlormaid, in Afternoon Livery 18 Chambermaid, in Morning Livery 20 Chambermaid, in Afternoon Livery 20 Model Kitchen. Cook and Second Cook 22 Chef and Mortar 24 Another Part of Model Kitchen. Scullery Maid washing Servants' Dishes 25 Carriage Footman 26 Coachman 26 Coachman, in Mourning Livery 28 Carriage Footman, in Mourning Livery 28 Laundress 30 Another Part of Model Laundry. Laundry Stove with Boiler connected 30 Model Laundry 32 Servants' Dining Hall 36 Dinner Table 48 Detail of One Cover 60 Lunch Table, Twelve Covers 58 zi xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE Baked Codfish 104 Fish Mousse 110 Mould for a Mousse of Fish 110 Lobster Cutlets 140 Moulds for Lobster Cutlets 140 Fillet of Beef 146 Kidneys on Skewers 146 Boned Ham 174 Small Moulds for Ham or Chicken Mousse 174 Ham Mousseline 176 Mousse Mould 176 Boned Chicken 184 Chicken Timbale 184 Chicken Timbale 192 Timbale and Mousse Moulds 192 Boned Turkey 196 Trussed Turkey 196 Larded Quail 202 Game Pate 202 Cream Cheese Ball Salad 224 Tomato Salad 224 Timbale Mould 232 Artichoke Bottoms filled with French Beans. Mayonnaise Dressing . 232 Baked Asparagus 234 Baked Cauliflower 234 Maccaroni Timbale 244 Potato Roses 244 Potato Balls 252 Nested Eggs 274 Spinach Timbale 274 Chestnut Pudding 286 Baba 296 Moulds for making Baba, Large and Small 296 Charlotte Russe 310 Wine Jelly with Grapes 310 Jelly or Pudding Mould 316 Meringues Shells filled with Pistachio Cream 320 Orange Baskets filled with Jelly 320 Chocolate Mousse 326 Mould for Chocolate Mousse 326 Strawberry Nesselrode 332 Mould for Strawberry Nesselrode 332 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii FACING PACK Angel Cake 338 Birthday Cake 338 Fruit Cake 340 Vanilla Wafers 340 Lemon Cakes 346 Chocolate Eclairs 346 Log Cabin 348 Lady Fingers 348 Fancy Cakes 350 Currant Jelly Cake 350 Boston Brown Bread 360 Homemade French and Graham Bread 360 Crescents 362 French Bolls 362 Cream Biscuits 364 Paper Cases for Cream Biscuits, etc 364 Tin Mould for making Paste, Rice, or Hominy 372 Pate" Shells 372 Pulled Sugar Basket 380 Pastry Cutters 380 PAT TABLE FROM ONE DAY TO ONE MONTH * ■< R $40 $45 $50 $55 $60 $65 $70 $75 $80 $85 $90 $95 $100 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1.33 2.67 4.00 5.33 6.67 8.00 9.33 10.67 12.00 13.33 14.67 16.00 17.33 18.67 20.00 21.33 22.67 24.00 25.33 26.67 28.00 29.33 30.67 32.00 33.33 34.67 36.00 37.33 38.67 1.50 3.00 4.50 6.00 7.50 9.00 10.50 12.00 13.50 15.00 16.50 18.00 19.50 21.00 22.50 24.00 25.50 27.00 28.50 30.00 31.50 33.00 34.50 36.00 37.50 39.00 40.50 42.00 43.50 1.67 3.33 5.00 6.67 8.33 10.00 11.67 13.33 15.00 16.67 18.33 20.00 21.67 23.33 25.00 26.67 28.33 30.00 31.67 33.33 35.00 36.67 38.33 40.00 41.67 43.33 45.00 46.67 48.33 1.83 3.67 5.50 7.33 9.17 11.00 12.83 14.67 16.50 18.33 20.17 22.00 23.83 25.67 27.50 29.33 31.17 33.00 34.83 36.67 38.50 40.33 42.17 44.00 45.83 47.67 49.50 51.33 53.17 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 24.00 26.00 28.00 30.00 32.00 34.00 36.00 38.00 40.00 42.00 44.00 46.00 48.00 50.00 52.00 54.00 56.00 58.00 2.17 4.33 6.50 8.67 10.83 13.00 15.17 17.33 19.50 21.67 23.83 26.00 28.17 30.33 32.50 34.67 36.83 39.00 41.17 43.33 45.50 47.67 49.83 62.00 54.17 56.33 58.50 60.67 62.83 2.33 4.67 7.00 9.33 11.67 14.00 16.33 18.67 21.00 23.33 25.67 28.00 30.33 32.67 35.00 37.33 39.67 42.00 44.33 46.67 49.00 51.33 53.67 56.00 58.33 60.67 63.00 65.33 67.67 2.50 5.00 7.50 10.00 12.50 15.00 17.50 20.00 22.50 25.00 27.50 30.00 32.50 35.00 37.50 40.00 42.50 45.00 47.50 50.00 52.50 55.00 57.50 60.00 62.50 65.00 67.50 70.00 72.50 2.67 5.33 8.00 10.67 13.33 16.00 18.67 21.33 24.00 26.67 29.33 32.00 34.67 37.33 40.00 42.67 45.33 48.00 50.67 53.33 56.00 58.67 61.33 64.00 66.67 69.33 72.00 74.67 77.33 2.83 5.67 8.50 11.33 14.17 17.00 19.83 22.67 25.50 28.33 31.17 34.00 36.83 39.67 42.50 45.33 48.17 51.00 53.83 56.67 59.50 62.33 65.17 68.00 70.83 73.67 76.50 79.33 82.17 3.00 6.00 9.00 12.00 15.00 18.00 21.00 24.00 27.00 30.00 33.00 36.00 39.00 42.00 45.00 48.00 51.00 54.00 57.00 60.00 63.00 66.00 69.00 72.00 75.00 78.00 81.00 84.00 87.00 3.17 6.33 9.50 12.67 15.83 19.00 22.17 25.33 28.50 31.67 34.83 38.00 41.17 44.33 47.50 50.67 53.83 57.00 60.17 63.33 66.50 69.67 72.83 76.00 79.17 82.33 85.50 88.67 91.83 3.33 6.67 10.00 13.33 16.67 20.00 23.33 26.67 30.00 33.33 36.67 40.00 43.33 46.67 50.00 53.33 56.67 60.00 63.33 66.67 70.00 73.33 76.67 80.00 83.33 86.67 90.00 93.33 96.67 Mo. $40 $45 $50 $55 $60 $65 $70 $75 $80 $85 $90 $95 $100 PART I RIQHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS PAET I RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS o*«o CHAPTER I GENERAL RELATIONS OF EMPLOYERS AND SERVANTS IN THE HOME AND BEFORE THE LAW Befobb the law of this country servants of various kinds stand upon the same footing. The term of service is to be determined by the agreement between employer and employee, between master and man, between mistress and maid. The usual engagement is for a week's trial ; if both are suited, the arrangement is to go on by the month. If the contract is for a term longer than a year, it should be put in writing or it will be invalid. Importance of Clear Understanding between Employer and Employed at the Time of Engagement A clear understanding between master and servant at the time of the engagement is most important. A servant has a right to ask questions about the place in a respectful manner, and he should gain all the information he legitimately can about the character and demands of the house- hold to which he thinks of going. Masters cannot expect efficient servants to be indifferent to the duties they are under- taking, and to their surroundings while performing those duties. 3 4 MBS. SEELT'S COOK BOOK A servant should tell what he or she expects as a part of his place — to help and not to hinder him in the performance of his duties. For instance, a lady's maid has a right to a sewing room, and a valet to a room where he may press his master's clothes, free from the possible interference of other servants. In arranging for a place and its duties these matters should all be forecast, considered, and definitely settled. But a servant should not have a right to dictate what he or she will or will not do. The employer has the right of naming duties. Servants are at liberty to accept them or not, as they wish. Liability of a Servant to discharge under Differing Circumstances The servant may be lawfully discharged before the expira- tion of his or her term for immoral conduct, wilful disobedience of orders, gross incompetence to perform his duty, etc. Intoxi- cation, for example, is a sufficient cause for dismissal. In such cases the servant is paid wages for the period he or she has served, and not for the entire month. If the servant is discharged unjustly, and without sufficient cause, before the expiration of his or her term, he or she is entitled to a week's or a month's wages. In other words, if a master or mistress, without just cause, discharges a servant before his or her month expires, the servant is entitled to wages in full for the week or month, as the arrangement for service and wages may be. If, on the other hand, an employer has occasion to speak to a servant for neglect of duty, and the ser- vant says he or she will leave at once, the employer has a perfect right to withhold all wages for the week or month. A servant should give the employer proper notice before leaving. If the servant is employed by the month, at least one week's notice is necessary, and if by the week, not less than two or three RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS 5 If a servant leaves without proper notice and before his month expires, unless through sickness or because of some acci- dent, he forfeits his wages for the month. Wages which may be claimed in Case of Abrupt Dismissal or Voluntary Leaving If a servant employed in a family hears of another situation and, without the employer's consent, leaves at once, or on the following day, he or she forfeits claim to wages of his or her week or month. In many cases servants are influenced by friends in such precipitate action, and should realize they do an I injustice to themselves as well as to their employer. An employer may engage a servant on one week's trial and, at the end of the week, both may be satisfied. But if later, per- haps in the second or third week, the servant becomes careless, neglects duties, and when reproved replies impertinently, the employer may discharge him or her with wages to date. The Question of References As a general rule a master is not obliged to give a reference, and statements in regard to the character of servants, to those who intend to employ them, are generally regarded as privileged communications. In other words, a master or mistress is not bound to give a servant a character or letter of recommendation. If such is given, it should be truthful. If the servant is not a good one, care must be used in the wording of the reference. Penalty for forging a Reference by Self or Proxy A reference made by a person with malicious intent and con- taining false statements calculated to injure and harm the servant would be libelous and not privileged. A servant obtaining employment by any false or forged letter or certificate of recommendation is guilty of a misdemeanor. A 6 MRS. SEELY'S COOK BOOK misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary, or county jail, for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both. Penalty for personating an Employer Any individual who personates a master or mistress and gives a servant a character is liable to punishment. A servant altering a written character, or offering a false one from a person representing a master or mistress, is also liable. Right to Pare to Place of Engagement If servants are going a distance, it should be understood that if they leave before the master is ready to return, they must pay their own fare back. If the servant remains during the period for which he or she is engaged, his fare is paid both ways. Heads of a House must indorse Management The heads of a household must indorse any one to whom they depute the management of their establishment. Too much stress cannot be laid upon this necessity. The responsibilities of the housekeeper rest heavily upon her, and the heads of the house should never give ear to the complaint of a disaffected or malicious servant. Such reports should always be sent to the one whom they chiefly concern. For the heads of the house to listen is to give credence at least in part, to disintegrate authority, and to take it from hands in which it is frankly placed. It is the beginning of disorder. And in housekeeping order is a first law. To guard Exactions of Servants, One of Another The exactions of servants toward one another is another point which should be carefully guarded against. In any group of persons, even if there are only three or four, there is com- BIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SEBVANT8 7 monly some more dominating and masterful — not to say lazy — character than the others. Mistress or housekeeper should guard carefully the more yielding and kindlier dispositions, and see that they are not put upon by their colleagues. Such a domestic as "the man of all work" is especially apt to be loaded with duties by other servants unless he is protected. CHAPTER II GENERALLY RECOGNIZED DUTIES Duties of Housekeeper A managing housekeeper should be possessed of thorough executive ability. Necessarily she is well bred and well educated. To her duties she often in our country brings a knowledge of refined housekeeping gained in her own home, a knowledge of life and its conventions, and the tact to direct those serving her which is commonly given alone to those bred in early years to gentle living. She is, under the mistress, head of the house. She hires and discharges all servants. She sees personally that all work is thoroughly and properly done. She is, with constant kindness in her heart for human frailty, on the watch to detect and correct any wrongdoing on the part of any servant. She should never spy, never go quietly to detect errors. Her ap- proach should always be known. She should gain the good will and affection of those she directs by unfailing good order and kindly interest in each of them. Let her have few rules, but those few most effectively kept. If she has the con- fidence and respect of those under her, she has their support. The heads of the house must fully indorse her in every detail of her administration. The housekeeper is sometimes also secretary to the mistress of the house. But at all times she takes entire charge of the house ; in fact, is what her name denotes, — a keeper of the house. She oversees the closing of the town house and the opening 8 Facing page 8. HOUSEKEEPER. BIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS 9 of the country house, she sees that all carpets are sent to be cleaned, that all blankets are put away in good order, that heavy curtains are taken down, and the furniture slip-covers put on early in May. She sends lace curtains to the cleaner's. She keeps her eyes open for any defects that might damage the property of the householders and reports the need of all repairs to the mistress. Her day is commonly spent in some such wise as this : She should be up early in the morning and see that all under her charge are at work by seven. She has planned their daily work and must see that her directions are carried out with clocklike regularity. Her first duty is to go through the servants' rooms and see that all beds and windows have been left open by the occupants for sweetening and 'freshening in the morning air. Her breakfast, which is commonly served about eight, is brought by the second chambermaid and is served in her own sitting room or office. In some large households the children of the family eat at the housekeeper's table, which is served by a footman. After breakfast the housekeeper goes to the pantry to see what is wanted in the way of supplies — such as brushes, sponges, towels, soap, chamois, and other articles used for clean- ing and washing. If glass or china has been broken, it should be reported to her at once. Plenty of towels are needed in the pantry, and those of good quality are cheaper in the end. Fine glass and silver require soft linen. If the towels furnished are too coarse, the men will be driven to use the expensive table napkins for their polishing. It is well for the housekeeper to look through all drawers and closets in the pantry, and also into the ice-box, to see that all things are kept clean and that no stale fruit or food is by chance left behind. If servants see that the housekeeper is interested in keeping all such places in order, they themselves are more neat and careful. 10 MRS. SMELT'S COOK BOOK In smaller establishments the housekeeper now makes up her lists for the grocer and her menus for lunch and dinner. When these have been examined by the mistress of the house, she goes to market and sends in all that is necessary for the day's meals. She then returns home to see that what she has ordered has been sent. In larger establishments she first pays her regular visit to the kitchen, at which time the chef, or cook, asks for anything needed other than the marketing. In such establishments the menu arranged by the chef or cook is approved by the mistress of the house, or if not by her, then by the housekeeper. The same duty and the unswerving vigilance with which she began the day lead her to go through all rooms of the house, to be sure that her aids have done their work properly. She sees that the bath-rooms are in perfect order, the bath-tubs clean, soap-dishes and racks wiped, glasses on the basin in order, and all waterclosets scoured and flushed. If guests are expected, she helps to welcome them to the house by seeing that towels are in plenty, fresh soap is in the dish, fresh ink in the inkstand, fresh pen in the holder, and that stationery is at hand, and the pin-cushion well supplied with pins. Candles and matches on the stand by the bedside, whether in a house where electric lights are used or not, do not miss her over- sight. She sees to it also that the drawers of closet and bureau are empty, and that, if sachets. are not supplied, smooth white paper is spread in them. After luncheon there is often at times a little mending need- ful in the table linen, and this mending sometimes falls to the housekeeper. It should be done before sending away to the laundry. A linen book is well kept in the pantry. In this book the pantry maid should make a list of all table linen before it is sent to the wash. This linen, as well as all other soiled linen, should be taken to the laundry Friday afternoons, so that the laundress may sort it for washing Saturday. The fc H &9 & hi BIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS 11 housekeeper checks off the linen when it comes from the laundry, and directs the putting away of it. A well-trained housemaid may assist, but the housekeeper herself should look after it personally. The housekeeper has charge of the linen closet, and sees that the supply is increased when necessary. It is she also in many houses who gives out the daily supply of linen, orders the flowers, and sees that they are properly arranged by the butler. In fact, the housekeeper often gives the butler a helping hand with the flowers, especially when no parlor maid is kept and the butler and second man have charge of the parlors. The housekeeper orders all coal, wood, etc., and in some houses she has entire charge of the wine closet, giving out daily to the butler the wines he requires, and handing to the mistress a weekly list of the contents of the wine closet. In the evening the housekeeper usually makes up the accounts and goes over the books of the different tradespeople, for she pays all bills and sees that in items and as a whole they are correct. Duties of Lady's Maid A lady's maid should be a well-mannered, respectable-look- ing young woman. She should be a tolerably good dressmaker and a good hairdresser. Her first morning duty is to dress her mistress. About this it is impossible to give directions, since ladies differ much in their toilet arrangements. The housemaid generally takes up the hot water for the mistress. Occasionally the mistress pre- fers to have her own maid do so. The maid draws her mistress's bath, and after the latter has bathed and is dressed, the maid must examine her wardrobe, put away everything left about the room, and shake or iron out tumbled dresses. She then sits in the sewing room, but must be in readiness to answer her mistress's bell, and to dress 12 MBS. SEELY'S COOK BOOK her for a walk, drive, or ride, having everything ready and boots, gloves, etc., in perfect order. During the day, when not in actual attendance, she will have to mend and probably to wash and iron fine lace, hand- kerchiefs, etc. Very little instruction can be given on this point. Different mistresses have different needs and make different demands upon maids. Brushes should be washed in tepid water to which a little ammonia is added, care being taken not to wet the back of the brush. The bristles should be rinsed thoroughly and dried, if possible, in the open air. Once a week the lady's maid will have to send her mistress's linen to the wash. She should look over the clothes and mend everything that requires a stitch before sending it, making also two lists, one in a book for the laundress and one in a book to be kept at home. When the clothes return from the wash, the maid should compare them with the list, examine the marks to see that they have not been changed, sew on any buttons, and set aside any badly washed or ironed garments. For the dinner toilet she should have everything prepared and at hand. As soon as the toilet is made and her mistress has left the room, she should examine the dress just removed, brush it if it is a tweed, shake and wipe it if it is a silk or any light material. Silk dresses should be wiped with a soft piece of merino or very fine flannel. If anything needs mending, it should be done at once. Everything should be aired, cleaned, and put away — either folded or hung in the wardrobe. The mistress's bedroom must be ready for her at the usual hour of her retiring for the night. It is the maid's duty to undress her mistress, and remain in attendance until she is dismissed. A respectful manner is necessary in a lady's maid. She is not to keep her seat while her mistress is speaking to her, unless she is asked to, and she is to rise when her mistress enters the room. m -5) BIGHTS AND DUTIES OF SERVANTS 13 A good deal of sitting up at night is sometimes required from a lady's maid. She must strive to get what rest she can, and good-temperedly support any inevitable fatigue. A cheerful, kindly performance of her duties, and deference, obe- dience, industry, and strict honesty will be apt to secure for her a friend in her mistress and a happy home under all ordinary circumstances. A sewing room should be set aside for the use of the lady's maid. Duties of Valet The valet's duty is to wait upon his master. In the morn- ing he attends to the lighting of the fire and warming of his master's bedroom. He then cleans his boots and shoes, and brushes his clothing, which he arranges on a table or chair. He prepares the master's bath, and if it is wished, hands gar- ments to him as he dresses. He is sometimes expected to shave his master. Later he puts the dressing room in order, brushes clothes before putting them away, cleans combs and brushes, and is at his master's orders whenever required. Valeting is often done by the butler and footmen or second men. The latter take turns in valeting guests. There should be a room set aside for the valet in which to press, brush, and care for his master's clothes. If a specific room for this use is impossible, he must do the best he can in the laundry or the front basement. Duties of Butler The butler has entire charge of the dining room and of the under menservants or footmen. Both he and his men should be at work by seven in the morning. The butler puts the din- ing room in order, sets the table, and then has his own break- fast at seven-thirty in the servants' hall. When three or more men are kept, he serves his master's breakfast and takes his orders for the day. He sees to setting of trays for any break- 14 MBS. seely's cook book fasts going to bedrooms. He alone waits at breakfast unless guests are in the house, when he is assisted by the second man. After breakfast he sees that all china and glass are carefully- washed and put away, and then cleans the smaller pieces of sil- ver in daily use. He prepares salads required at luncheon — a meal in many houses almost as elaborate as a dinner. In some families the butler and footman are on duty alternate after- noons—attending the bell, seeing to the parlor fires, lighting gas and lamps, serving afternoon tea, which is in special charge of the butler, and setting the dinner table. The butler always takes charge of all wines, and has them properly cooled or warmed, as the need may be. He announces all meals and does all carving. He serves dinner, assisted by the footman. He serves the principal dishes at the table, and is followed by his assistant, who serves the sauces, vegetables, etc. After dinner he carries coffee to the parlor or library, as the custom of the house where he is may be. The silver, wines, flowers, and fruits are commonly in his charge. He puts away the silver in the safe, closes for the night all rooms under his care, and takes alternate evenings with the footman at sitting up awaiting the return of any members of the family who have been at the theatre, etc., and may require refreshments on their return. The butler is always to open the safe and not to allow the combination to be known by the men. The housekeeper should know the combination, in case of his sickness ; the heads of the house also. The butler is to keep the wine closet locked, and he checks off upon his list of wines whatever he takes out. The wine, cigars, etc., of the house are usually bought by the master. The butler, as we have said, looks after the footmen. He sees that they are prompt at their work, respectful in their behavior, and neat in their persons as well as in their work. If in these ways he is not competent, the housekeeper is obliged CO M W O X o IS x w O « 12! B ^ fe o M O ^ H i* tes -x K