^' ii.\V ii-i*'^ :L MTIIA NORTGM ^ sO" A'b r J6fi<^ \> — ^k \ . \'.' / l^iyC^ //^, V^- Qass. Book. THE BEQUEST OF DANIEL MURRAY WASHINGTON. D. C. 1925 Luncheons Breakfasts, Simple Dinners and Carving AI,SO Practical Talks to Home-Makers BY H. MYRA NORTON Teacher of Domestic Science in Walden University, Nashville, Tenn. ^'- >'nu\. N. h I. SOHOOt WITH TWO HUNDRED OF HER BEST RECEIPTS awi.. .zvn.LE,vA> t \ Thk Cumbkri^and Prkss Nashvii,i,e, T^nn. The bequest of Daniel Murray, Washington, D, C. 1925. THE PREFACE. (J Purpose.— This book is intended to be of use to a large body of young women and housekeepers of the colored race. After spending twelve years in the South- land and having studied very carefully the needs of the people— I wish to leave them a fewf thoughts along the lines of domestic science. It has been my custom to note down those points of practical importance in which the masses of the people seem to need instruction. H. Myra Norton. Nashville, Tenn., December, 1905. SUGGESTIONS TO THE READER. This book will not contain any of the subjects that are generally found in cook books on heat, light, etc. But I shall put in some simple and yet practical talks to young people that will be of more use in the homes. And I here say that I hope this book will help and be of use in all homes that it may reach and that the people will accept it in the spirit in which it has been written, and I further trust that God will bless my efforts in trying to help my own people. PRELIMINARIES. MEASURING. Accurate measurement is necessary to insure suc- cess in cooking". All dry materials should be sifted before measur- ing. A cupful is all a cup will hold without running it over, full to the brim. A scant cupful is within a quarter of an inch of thj top. A tablespoonful of flour, sugar, or butter is a rounded spoonful. A teaspoonful of salt, soda, pepper, or spice is a level spoonful. A heaped spoonful is all the spoon will hold. Half a sipoonful is measured by dividing through the middle lengthwise. CARVING. Everyone should know how; to carve. While the but- ler does the carving in the present a la Russe style of dinner, yet there are many informal and family dinners, picnics, and sO' on, where butlers are not present for service, and as much of the pleasure of a good dinner depends on the carving it is a desirable accomplishment for all. In England there were regular schools where this art was taught, and at one time the duty of carving devolved on the lady of the house. 5 Lady Mary Wortley Montagu took lessons three times a week, and then she dined an hour or so in advance of the others so that she might perform this office at her father's table, and other ladies did the same in those days. I shall offer a few suggestions on the art which may be helpful to some of my read- ers. To carve the knife must be sharp, which should be attended to before going tO' the table, and it should be made of the best steel. The fork should be fur- nished with a guard, and be long and strong. Carving Ham — I think the best way to carve a ham is to begin in the middle of the ham and cut across it. The knife should be sharp, and thin, even slices should be cut, always cutting clear to the bone. A more economical way, and one which is often practiced, is to begin at large end and work down. In carving a sirloin of beef it will be found a great advantage if the knife is inserted just above the bone, at the bottom of the meat, and run sharply along be- tween the bone and meat. The underside, or tenderloin part, should be cut thin, lengthwise, and a little of the soft fat given with each piece. As the underside is usually considered the choicest part a little should be given with each plate, or else ask the guest whether the outside or underside is preferred. It requires little skill to carve a round of beef. Cut a thick slice off the top to leave the surface smooth, and then thin, even slices should be cut across the round, parallel with the top. Ribs of the beef are carved mxuch the same as the sirloin before described. 6 A fillet of veal is cut in the same manner as a round of beef. Have the slices thin and even. A little of the stuffing, and a little of the fat should be given with each plate. As the brown outside is preferred "by some people, an honored guest may be asked if he prefers it. A leg of mutton is carved by beginning In the mid- dle, instead of either end, and cutting across the leg. Have the knife sharp, and cut thin, deep slices, and give each one a little of the fat and some of the brown outside. A saddle of mutton is carved in thin, even slices, running from the tail tO' the end, beginning to carve close to the backbone. Cut each piece quite down to the bone, and give some fat from the sides on each plate. A haunch of mutton is carved in thin, even slices, running from tail tO' end, beginning to carve close to the backbone. Cut each piece quite down to the bone on the knuckle (or small) end, then slices are cut the whole length of the haunch, much the same as in the saddle of mutton. In carving a fore-quarter of lamb, the shoulder should be first cut away from the breast and ribs by passing the knife under and around the shoulder, be- ing careful not tO' cut away toO' much meat with it. Then cut the ribs from the brisket or gristly part, and the guests may be helped from the shoulder, brisket or ribs as they prefer. A roast pig should be cut in half before it is sent to the table. In carving, the shoulder is first cut from the carcass by passing the knife around it. 7 The leg- is then cut off in the same w^y. The ribs are then separated, as some prefer one part and some another; the tastes of the different guests should be consulted in serving them. Poultry — In carving a goose, first cut thin, even slices, from the breast. A hole should then be cut with the knife in the *'apron," and some of the stuffing given with each plate. The fork is placed inside the leg, and it is gently forced away from the body, and this enables the carver to readily find the joint and cut through it, when he wishes to cut away the leg. The wings, side bones, and neck are then cut off. Skillful carving consists in getting as many slices as possible from the breast, and it is singular how many more a good carver will provide than a poor one. Carving a turkey is much the same as carving a goose. The carver begins by cutting thin slices from the breast, cutting down towards the breast bone. Serve guests with the part they prefer, but gravy should never be poured over white meat as it spoils its delicate appearance. In carving a fowl or chicken, first cut the legs from the body, next take off the wings, and then carve the breast. Small game (birds) are usually carved by simply cutting them from the neck to the tail. If very small they are often served whole. There are many ways of carving a rabbit. One way is to pass the knife along both sides of the backbone 8 from head to tail. Then divide the sides cross-ways and nearly in the center, and then cut off the legs and shoulders. A tongue is first cut in the middle and across the tongue, and good slices, not too' thin, are cut out until the best portions of the tongue are served. The fat lies near the roof of the tongue and a little can be served tO' those who like it. Fish — Now is the time to exercise care in carving to keep fish in perfect flakes, as to break them destroys the beauty of the fish. Never use steel knives in carving fish, they exercise a very disagreeable flavor to fish ; use silver or plated fish knives. In carving large fish the knife should first be run down close to the backbone and the whole length of the fish, thus cutting it in two. Then cut regular slices across the fish for the guests. Small fish like brook trout are, of course, served whole. LUNCHEONS, BREAKFASTS AND SIMPLE DINNERS. Dinner parties are now; beginning to be a thing of the past because they are such ceremonious affairs, in- volving so much trouble and expense that people hesi- tate about giving them, and there are many less formal ways of entertaining. But let us remember that an invitation tO' a dinner is considered a great elegance and to entertain our friends in any wlay manifests the spirit of hospitality. In all ages and among all nations, savage as well as civilized, to entertain another was a peculiar evidence of good will, which would cement friendship and heal animosities. 9 LUNCHEONS. Luncheon is a meal of a more recent date than din- ners and is a very nice way to entertain and may be a dinner in everything but the name. Any meal taken between or after the regular meals is called a luncheon. The invitations to a luncheon may be given verbally or written, or for very formal occasions engraved. To a formal invitation prompt answier should be sent, and if unable to attend after having accepted, the hostess should be promptly notified. Many who dread the pomp and ceremony of a ''din- ner" take refuge in a luncheon, and entertain their friends in a sort of formal-informal way. A colored table cloth, which a strict and elegant taste would forbid for a dinner, may be allowed at a luncheon, but even here the white are the handsomest cloths. In many informal affairs the table cloth is dispensed with altogether, and the lunch is served on the mahogany table, but this is unusual. One who has elegant china has a great advantage over those who do not in entertaining, but if we have not fine china let us keep well washed what we have and the simplest meal can be made pleasant. People who have elegant dresses never wear them at luncheons, unless it is a very formal affair. Some- times an elegant reception dress is worn, and again a tailor-miade street costume, and all varieties of dress are at times permissible. Hats and bonnets need not be removed by ladies, but gloves should be pulled off before taking a seat at the table. Gentlemen may wear the morning dress, or even lawn tennis suits, at a watering place. Guests go to 10 the dining" room separately, instead of arm-in-arm, but the ladies go first. It* is immaterial where they sit. Guests may help themselves and wait on, one another and the gentlemen may wait on the ladies. In America, most hostesses prefer to have one servant remain during the whole meal, but in England the servants usually leave the dining room after serving the first courses. THE USUAL ARRANGEMENT OF TABLES. This is left entirely tO' the hostess ; one prefers one arrangement of a table, and one another, but I shall give some general rules. First have wfell-laundered linen, glass, silver, and china perfectly clean. Napkins are not folded in fancy shapes in homes ; it is thought by fashionable people to be too much on the hotel order. At an elaborate lunch there may be three knives and forks, and a fork for oysters at each place. Table mats are not used at either dinner or lunch — they are out of date — but each dish must be wiped before put- ting it on the table. Menu cards are never used at a luncheon. At luncheon the bill of fare may be varied, but some hot dishes or soup are usually desired by most people. Cold meats and salads are always in order. Fish croquettes, chops, and vegetables may be served. For dessert, the plainer loaf cakes, puddings, ice cream, mints, blancmange, jellies, and tarts are ap- propriate. Chocolate is nice, also. 11 BREAKFASTS. "A French breakfast," is a mieal served a little ear- lier than the lunch. In some circles it is quite a fash- ion ; many people entertain that way instead of a lunch. There is little difference except the hour at which they are held as the breakfast may be at twelve o'clock, while a lunch would come at one or later. Any fruit that may be in season is usually offered for the first course, and eggs, cooked in various ways, are quite generally served. This is a better way to enter- tain than tO' give a luncheon because it calls for simple dress. The bill of fare should be of the best and taste- fully served, but nothing elaborate is attempted. SUPPER PARTIES. Supper parties given late in the evening are another nice way to entertain. Some physicians have objected tO' late suppers, while others, equally eminent, assert that they are conducive of balmy sleep, so that it is an open cjuestion whether they are really injurious, and each individual must be a "law to himself." SIMPLE DINNERS. Many people who are endowed with all the qualifi- cations for giving and receiving social enjoyment, are deterred from giving dinners by the feeling that they must adorn their tables with all the extravagant ac- cessories of the luxurious dinner givers, if they enter- tain at all. This feeling is foolish ; some of the least expensive dinners are the most charming and pleasurable. They who are able to entertain but do not, deprive both 12 themselves and their friends of much enjoyment, and society is a g-reat loser thereby. An invitation to dinner is an evidence of good will, but the eating- should promote instead of retard social intercourse. The hostess should wlrite her own invi- tations, and but a few things are really necessary for a good dinner. A clean, white table cloth, equally fresh napkins, china, glass and cutlery that are spotless, a few flowers to ornament the table, a comfortable room, well-cooked food, and a light dessert served in good taste — these are all that are needed. Much tact is necessary in selecting the guests for an informal din- ner or any informal affair. As the intercourse is free and social in informal affairs the important dishes are put on the table, and the hostess can dish out the soup and the host can carve. A French roll or a small slice of bread should be folded in each napkin. If there are servants have them well trained beforehand, so no awjkward mis- takes will be made. The plates should be hot; any meal will be spoiled if the meat is put on cold plates. And the servant should have a napkin around her thumb, as even simple dinners are marred by any lack of neatness. Before serving the dessert the table should be cleared of everything but ' the fruit and flowers, and crumbs brushed on a tray with a brush or crumb scraper. The latter is the best because it is the neatest. Then bring on your dessert dishes. The dinner should not last more than an hour. THE FAMILY TABLE. Perfect ease at the table comes only from constant practice. 13 The rules of etiquette should be strictly observed at home, and then there will be nO' fear of appearing awkward when in society. At meal time all the members of the family should meet together around a common table, and a pleasant conversation take place. Even in families of moderate circumstances, the table should be made as tasteful and attractive as pos- sible. A few flowiers and spotless linen will be an excellent appetizer, and few families are too poor to afford these. Among the people of means there has been a marked increase in the elegance of their table appointments in the last few years. To greet those in the room when you arrive with a "good morning," or "good evening," is a mark of politeness. To wear gloves at any meal, is "bad form," and they are never worn at formal meals. BREAKFAST TABLE. At the breakfast table, a tinted cloth and napkins may be used. The breakfast napkins are not quite as large as those used at dinner. Fruit should be regularly served at breakfast. In our own family we always had fruit for breakfast; the old adage that "fruit is gold in the morning," was generally believed by us all. Raw apples are as nice as any other fruit for break- fast and perhaps as cheap. More freedom is allowed at breakfast than any other meal. 14 The morning paper, correspondence, or books, may be glanced over, which is not allowable at other meals, and any member of the family may leave the. table, as business dictates, without waiting for the others. Gentlemen, howlever, should never come to the table in their morning gowns. They should wear their morning suits, and the toilet of a lady should be care- fully made. Any approach to slovenliness is always vulgar. LUNCHEONS. In all cities it is becoming the custom to have a luncheon in the middle of the day, while dinner is reserved until evening, as the gentlemen of the family are away during the day at their places of business. But the children and all ladies of the family should enjoy the luncheon together. A tinted cloth and napkins are allowlable for lunch, the same as breakfast, yet for any meal nothing is more elegant than white napery. The food is all put on the table for an informal lunch. DINNER. Always use a snowy white table cloth for dinner. A heavy canton flannel undercloth will protect the table and make the cloth lie smooth. In homes of the wealthy the same napkin is never used twice without being washed, sO' that napkin rings are out of style. Those in moderate circumstances cannot afford this prodigality ; but napkins should be changed often. Napkins should be provided for fruit and should be fruit napkins. Paper napkins are also nice. As fruit stains napkins, the fruit napkins may be brought in with the dessert plates, laid beside or on the finger bowl. 15 Individual salt and pepper stands have taken the place of old-fashioned casters, which formerly stood in the center of the table. The caster is out of style. Oil and vinegar are put on the table in pretty little glass bottles or jugs. At very formal meals the mustard, oil, vinegar, etc., are not permitted on the table. They are kept on the sideboard as they are seldom needed, the proper seasoning being provided for each dish. The old-fashioned spoon holder is also out of style. On tables of the polite it is now rarely seen. Tea spoons are supplied like the knives and forks. Small bread and butter plates should be provided for each person. Some people have the butter put on the sideboard and passed around when needed. Should individual salt cellars be used, the salt should be changed after each meal. Cheerfulness at the table aids digestion ; the utmost sociability and good feeling should prevail at the table. Cares should be laid aside for the time being; all should look forward to the meal time as being pleasant and restful. In families where dinner is served at night it should be looked forward to, with the idea that it is the social reunion of the day. TEA OR SUPPER. In the country and in small cities, the dinner is usually served in the middle of the day, which is the principal meal, and at night comes the tea or supper, and is much like that of a luncheon. The gentlemen have returned from business, and cheerful conversa- tion and little formality are the rule. But at all meals show a refined taste. 16 SOUPS. Note on Soup Making — You may use ham bones or any other rough pieces of meat, so they are clean and good to make the stock. Then make any soup you wish, using your judgment. For a summer soup, take the receipt for vegetable, only boil the vegetables in water until done, season with butter, then add the amount desired in equal quantities of milk and cream. This is a most excel- lent soup and country people find it very convenient. Beef Soup — Six pounds of lean beef or a good soup bone, cover with cold water, boil slowly three hours, add a little cold water to stop the boil, then skim off the top. Do this three times. Then add one onion, two potatoes, one carrot, one turnip, and a little parsley. Boil one hour more, then take out the meat and strain the vegetables into another vessel. Beat three eggs well in the soup tureen, stir soup and add gradually — the eggs will not curdle. Then add your vegetables. This is an excellent soup. Rice and pearl barley may be used if you desire, also use salt and pepper to taste. Bouillon Soup — Three pounds of beef and bones. Break up the bones, three quarts of water, salt and pepper to taste, three carrots, one onion, three cloves, one head of celery, one turnip, one parsnip. Simmer five hours, strain and serve clear. % 17 Bouillon is sometimes made from beef extract. One can will make three quarts ; use boiling water, and not use any vegetables. This is called Bouillon (Beef Tea), and is often served with fancy sandwiches for in- formal evening parties. Chicken Soup — To two quarts of liquor add one- half teacup of rice, two teacups of milk. Season with parsley or celery, thicken slightly, use salt and pepper to taste. Chicken soup may be made from the giblets, feet, necks, or boil a hen partly done then stuff and roast the hen. Use the liquor for soup. Clam Soup — Twenty-five clams, hard or soft. Boil in a pint of water one hour. Take out, chop fine, add to the clam broth one pint of rich cream, a little salt and pepper; be careful about salt and pepper because clams require little salt. Thicken slightly and boil all together two minutes. Served with toasted bread or crackers. This same receipt is excellent for lobster soup or fish cream soup, the only difference being the lobster and fish will only need boiling fifteen minutes. Fresh fish may take one-half hour. Cream Tomato Soup — Let one can of tomatoes get hot, add a bit of soda. Have hot one quart of fresh milk, rub the tomatoes through a sieve and add the liquid to the milk. Be sure they are both hot but neither must boil or they will curdle. Use a large piece of butter, and salt and white pepper to taste. Thicken slightly and serve with crackers or corntons. This is delicate and a most excellent soup. 18 Oyster Soup— Put two quarts of milk on in a double-boiler, when hot add butter the size of an egg, one teaspoonful of sugar, salt and pepper tor taste. Take one quart of oysters with their juice, skim the oysters out of their juice, put them into a hot dish, let the juice boil, then pour it over the oysters and let stand one minute covered tight. Then pour the boil- ing milk ov6r the oysters and serve in hot plates or bowlls with oyster crackers. Potato Soup — Boil one dozen potatoes done, mash through a colander. Add one quart of fresh milk. Butter, salt and pepper to taste. Brown three table- SDOonfuls of flour in one of butter, stir in the soup, season with parsley or celery. Last of all add two well-beaten eggs. Serve hot. Eggs may be left out or boiled hard and cut in slices and put in the soup. Tomato Soup— Make according to any other soup made of stock, only, instead of a number of vegetables, you use tomatoes for the principal vegetable. To two quarts of stock add one can of tomatoes or six whole ones, let boil one hour, rub through a sieve, return to the fire and thicken a little. Season to taste; serve with crotons. Vegetable Soup— Boil your soup bone four to five hours. Add hot water if needed to make sufficient quantity of soup. Cut fine one-half cabbage, three potatoes, one turnip, one onion, one carrot, one head of celery, three tomatoes, three ears of corn. Season with salt, pepper, parsley, and cook one hour longer. Canned corn or tomatoes may be used, but must not be added until ten minutes before serving. 19 GUMBOS. Gumbos — Gumbos come between the stews and soups. The thickening is furnished by okra, also a preparation of dried sassafras leaves, with a small quantity of pulverized bay leaves. In New Orleans the people utilize the remains of cold roasted chicken, turkeys, game and other meats to make gumbos. They also add oysters, crabs, and shrimps. Old Southern Gumbo Soup — Two large chick- ens, one pint of green okra pods, one quart of water, pepper and salt to taste. Cut the chicken in small pieces, roll in flour, fry brown. Take out the chicken, add the gumbos (sliced okra pods) and brown that in the fat. Add to this a tablespoonful of flour and stir until brown ; then add two pints of water slowly, stirring until smooth. Put in the meat of the chicken and simmer slowly for two hours. Serve with boiled rice. Should you use oysters in your gumbo scald their liquor, season to taste, pour in the soup, let boil five minutes, add the oysters last of all and let boil up once. 20 OYSTERS. Oysters — Oysters are used and liked by most peo- ple so much, we thought we would give space in our book for some excellent tried receipts. Never plunge oysters in hot fat to increase the size ; it spoils the flavor. Note — Never use oysters out of season. People who live on the coast often keep oysters from two to three weeks. This is done by spreading them on the cellar floor, wdth the rounding part of the shell down, and sprinkling with salt and Indian meal. Then cover with old carpet or blanket, keep wet with cold water. Repeat sprinkling and wetting of the carpet every day. Oysters Stewed with Celery — Put two cups of good beef soup stock in a stew pan, add one pint of rich milk or a pint of cream, one cup of celery chopped fine. Cook five minutes, then thicken slightly, add one-half cup of powdered cracker dust. Have ready in a hot tureen, twenty-five large oysters, parboiled in their own juice. Last of all season tO' taste with salt, pepper and butter if needed. Pour your sauce over the oysters and serve immediately. Oysters on Toast — Take one quart of oysters, re- move the pieces of shell, put the liquor back on them. Put in a stew pan with butter the size of an tgg, salt and pepper to taste. When hot add a cup of milk, 21 thicken a little. Have ready a platter of toasted bread. Pour the mixture over and serve at once. This is a delicious dish. Scalloped Oysters — Butter a pudding dish, put in a layer of bread crumbs with bits of butter, then a layer of oysters, season with salt and pepper. Repeat this until the dish is full; leave layer of bread crumbs on top. Mix the oyster liquor with half the amount of cream and milk and a beaten egg. Pour over the top. Bake until a light brown. It usually takes twenty-five minutes. Many people don't like them cooked much, and they heat a shovel hot and hold over the top until the scalloped is brown. Oysters shell-scalloped are fixed the same way, only instead of cooking them in one dish they are baked in shells. The shells are placed in a dripping pan. When done serve directly from the shell. The flavor is much better when cooked this way. Scalloped Oysters with Hard Boiled Eggs — Thesie are made the same as above, only chop fine hard boiled eggs and mix with the bread crumbs. 22 fish; Fresh Fish — We have only one test which we apply to all varieties of fish. If fresh, the eyes will be full, the body full, the flesh firm and thick, the fins stifif, the skin and scales bright; any drooping of the tail shows that the fish is not in a prime condition. Salmon, if good, always has red flesh and gills; fresh salmon is improved by keeping a day or two. It is claimed, by good authority, that no other fish is. We might say a great deal on the subject of fish, but as we mean for our book tO' be practical, we are trying to make our receipts plain so every one can understand them. Before cooking fish, always wash it well in cold water. Many people sprinkle salt inside of fish ; this will destroy any muddy taste. But if you wish to fry or broil fish it is better to sprinkle pepper inside of the fish, as salt prevents fish from browning nicely. Vinegar is much better than salt to preserve fish. Cover the fish with the vinegar. In frying fish use lard ; some people like fish fried in equal quantities of lard and butter, but this is nothing but extravagance. Before frying fish, after it has been cleaned and washed, roll it in a cloth to absorb the moisture. Boiling Fish — Place fish in cold, salted water for boiling. Never use hot water, because the outside will be cooked before the inside. Put a little vinegar 23 in the water, it always adds to the flavor of the fish as much as salt. Boil fish gently until you can draw out one of the fins. Most fish will be done in thirty or forty minutes. Cheese and Cod Fish — Prepare the fish as for balls. Have a nice dish greased with butter, put in a layer of fish first, then a layer of grated cheese with bits of butter, salt and pepper alternately, until the dish is full. Put over the top one-half cup of cream or milk, and bake about twenty minutes or until brown. Cod Fish Balls — Take an even quantity of shredded cod fish and mashed potatoes or more potatoes mashed together well, add one egg, moisten with a little sweet milk, roll in flour and fry in lard. Always cook the fish first. ^^* tg?* c^* POULTRY. Ducks — Ducks have supple feet, otherwise, the same tests should be applied to them as fowls. Geese — ^Young geese have feet and bills yellow in color; when old, the feet are red. If the windpipe breaks easily, they are young ; if it rolls, you had better not trust the bird. Turkeys — Turkeys, when young, have smooth, black legs ; when rough and red the turkey is old. For roasting, do not select a turkey over ten or twelve pounds. The meat should be firm, end of the breast bone easily bent. The same tests are used in buying chickens, only remember the young fowl will have smooth legs and comb. 24 MEATS. Note — The way to roast all meats is to heat the bake pan first, then put in the roast and let it brown. Turn over when brown and dredge well with flour (this method retains the juices in the meat) then put back in the oven and cook done, basting as necessary. If cooked in this manner the inside will be pink and juicy in beef. All other meats should be cooked well done. Do not wtaste money in buying poor meats. We can live and have good health by eating meat once a day ; too much meat is not good for any person. But when it is eaten it should be good and well cooked. Few people know howl to cook meats well. Beef — This is the best and most economical for general use. When buying beef notice if it is bright red in color, firm in touch, also if the fat is straw color. If these rules are followed you will always be able to pick beef. If meat is eaten when it is first killed it will be tender, because the muscles are relaxed then. In a short time they stiffen, then the flesh will be hard, afterwards they will again relax and the meat become tender as at first. The loin, rump, fillet or tenderloin, these are the best cuts in the beef and they are all found in the hind quarter. Mutton — Most colored people are prejudiced to mutton, and it is the most nutritious meat in use. 25 Doctors will order mutton for invalids. Good mut- ton is dark red in color. Mutton should be kept in a cool place a longer time after killing than beef. It will then be tender and the taste of the wool will be gone. A saddle of the mutton is the two loins joined. The saddle and shoulder are the best for roasting; unless tender it is better to boil them some before roasting. Roast Beef — To have a nice roast get a large one ; from eight to ten pounds is a good size. Have the pan hot, that you put it into, also the oven. Do not add water. Let remain twenty minutes then dredge with flour, add a little water if needed, season with salt and pepper. When done take out, put on a hot dish, add water and make the gravy. Always take off some of the fat before making the gravy. Baked Beefsteak — Take the bone out of a round steak, make a dressing of potatoes and bread, season with parsley, onion or celery, salt and pepper to taste, spread over the steak and roll up and tie, roast forty minutes, make a nice gravy and serve hot. Oyster sauce is very nice with baked steak. This is made by adding juice of the oysters to the brown gravy of the steak. Serve baked potatoes with your steak, also garnish with sliced lemon, if you want a fancy dish. Beef Heart Stuffed — Boil the heart until tender, cut out the portion of the heart on the inside, fill with dressing. Put the heart in pan in oven and pour the gravy over it that it was cooked in, season nicely and bake twenty-five minutes then take it out of the pan. Chop up the rest of the heart in fine pieces, stir 26 into the liquor in the pan and thicken a Httle with brown flour. Serve separately. This is cheap and delicious. It is very nice served cold ; slice thin and g-arnish the dish with lemon or lettuce or any pretty garnish. Stewed Beef — Cut the meat up fine, boil tender, season wiith salt and pepper, add chopped onion or parsley. Cook potatoes with the stew if you desire them. You may make nice stew by cutting the meat fine and lining a baking dish with sliced potatoes, and put a layer of potatoes on top. Put in the oven and bake forty-five minutes. Boiled Ham — Soak your ham as for baking. Boil for four or five hours. When done, take out and draw) off the skin. If you wish, you may fix the same as for baking, and put in the oven and let brown. If you just want a plain boiled ham always let it cool in the water it was cooked in. If you follow out cooking ham this way you will never have that dryness in cold ham. Cooking Beef Steak — A sirloin is best broiled. Have a clear fire, if the fire is not bright sprinkle a handful of salt over the fire. Butter the broiler to prevent the meat from sticking. Sear the steak on both sides. This is done to keep the juices in the steak. While cooking, turn frequently. Never stick a fork in steak; this allows the gravy to escape. Nor salt until done, because salt draws out the juice. A steak will cook well done in fifteen minutes. When you take the steak off of the broiler put on a hot dish, pour drawn butter over it. Salt and pepper. 27 Beef Loaf — Two pounds of beef chopped fine, one-half pound of salt pork, salt and pepper to taste, one teacup of rolled crackers, one-half cup of fresh milk, three eggs well beaten ; mix altogether, form in a loaf in a pudding dish. Pour over two cups of water and bake one hour and a half; let cool and cut in slices. All fresh meat can be used in this manner. A Roast Pig — Take a small pig, make a dressing of potatoes, season with sage, a little chopped apple, salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the pig and sew up. Always rub the outside over with lard or butter to keep it from blistering. Roast three hours, basting often. Many baste at last with melted butter. Serve the pig whole, stand him on the table whole. Put an apple or a piece of celery in his mouth. Always garnish the dish with some green lettuce, or parsley is nice. Baked Ham — Soak a ham for twenty-four hours then wash nicely. Make a thick paste of flour and wiater, cover the ham over with the paste. Put in the oven and bake slowly five hours, or until the fork will go through easily. Take out and remove the skin, rub over the top two well beaten eggs, then sprinkle a little sugar over the top, after which stick the top full of whole cloves. Sprinkle some fine bread crumbs over the top, return to the oven for fifteen minutes or until the ham is brown on top. This is the most delicious way of fixing ham. Roast Mutton — Put the roast of mutton in the pan with the bone turned down to the fire. Rub some butter over it, dredge with flour, put in the oven when 28 the flour forms a paste on the meat. Add a little water. Baste frequently. Allow fifteen minutes to the pound. Serve with mint sauce, or any acid jelly melted. Stewed Kidneys — Parboil the kidneys and cover- ing with cold water, season w|ith salt and pepper — be sure to cut off all the fat first; when they begin to boil skim as often as necessary. When done add a head of celery chopped fine, one onion chopped, six potatoes sliced, and one-half cup of butter. When done, thicken the stew with brown flour. If you want the stew real brown, always fry the kidneys in a little butter before stew;ing them. Pork — Pork should be eaten in small quantities and not very often. Fresh pork, if good, has a firm, clear, white skin, pale red lean, and pure white fat. Butch- ers make good money out of pork because every part of the hog is made us of. The feed under the guise of souse, is the most digestible portion of the animal. Deviled Meats — Take cold boiled meats, chop very fine, season well with red pepper and dry mustard, add a little vinegar tO' moisten, press solid and slice it thin if you want it sliced. All deviled meats are made in this way. The word ''deviled" means "very hot" or "highly seasoned." Fried Liver — Cut the liver in thin slices, pour boil- ing water over it and let stand until cool, then pull off the edges, roll in flour, fry some breakfast bacon first and then fry the liver in the bacon fat. Lay the bacon around the liver on the dish. Lard can be used for frying instead of bacon. 29 Boiled Beef Tongue — Wash the tongue well, put in cold water and let boil from five to six hours. Then take off the skin. Serve hot with oyster sauce or slice cold. Should the tongue be corned or smoked, soak twenty-four hours before boiling. Rolled Beef — Take a piece of beef, make a dress- ing as for chicken. Spread over the beef, roll tightly and tie. Fold in a thin cloth, boil tender. Take up, drain and press under a weight, slice cold. Serve with pickles. Corn beef is delicious this way. Lamb — An Irishman buying lamb asked the butcher to please tell him the difference between the sheep, mutton, and the lamb. We wish to say lamb is only in season from May to September. The bones are a little reddish in color, and the fat is firm and white. Veal — Veal is a meat that is quite a favorite, but it requires a lot of discrimination in its selection. It also requires very thorough cooking; even then it is indigestible. Many do not think veal a wholesome meat. In buying veal notice the color ; if it is very white the calf has been bled, and this spoils the flavor. Veal, when good, has a firm, white fat, and lean with a pinkish tinge. Veal is unfit tO' eat if killed before it is six weeks old. If veal is too young for use it is bluish in color. The fillet is the part used for roasting ; it may be stuffed or roasted plain. The fillet is the solid piece of meat from the upper leg. Roast Lamb — Put the roast in the pan, dredge with flour, put salt and pepper over it ; if the lamb is lean pour a little melted butter over it. When it cooks a little add a little water and baste often. Allow twfenty- 30 five minutes to the pound. When done take out the pan, pour off the fat, add one cup of milk or cream, let come to the boil, then add tablespoonful of lemon juice and some chopped parsley, thicken slightly and serve separately. Serve with green peas. Roast Pork — Put a roast on to cook in a hot pan. Score the skin, strips or diamonds, rub with salt, pep- per and sage. Some cooks make deep gashes in the roast. Never take pork out until it is well done ; allow thirty minutes to the pound. When done, take out and make a nice gravy with brown flour. Always pour off the fat and add a little lemon juice. vServe with pork, mashed potatoes, turnips, parsnips and car- rots. How TO Cook Poor Beef — Many people cannot afford to buy the best beef, so we shall give you some receipts or simple w'^ys to cook poor beef to make it good. Shoulder Roast — Tie it carefully with twine and brown on both sides in braising pan in which there have been fixed four slices of fat pork; any fat will do. Dredge the meat well with flour. When it is brown sprinkle it with salt and pepper. When well browned on both sides add some water; you must use your judg- ment about the water. Put it in the oven and roast slowly, basting often. When done remove from the pan and serve ; thicken the gravy in the pan with flour rubbed smooth in cold water, let boil up and serve separately. 31 VEGETABLES. Potatoes are the simple vegetable and yet how few people know! how to cook them well. Potatoes and all fresh vegetables are better for standing in cold water a little while before cooking, then put on to cook in boiling water with a little salt. After potatoes are done drain them at once and let them stand a minute with the cover off for the steam to escape. Creamed Potatoes — Mash the potatoes until every lump is out, then add a little butter and one-half a cup of cream or milk, stir in well and then beat with a spoon until white and creamy. Keep hot and serve hot. Do not put pepper in potatoes or in any other vegetables that it wlill be seen in. Use white pepper if you use any. Stewed Potatoes — Cut the potatoes up in small pieces, boil tender. When done drain off the water, cover with milk or cream, add a piece of butter, a little chopped parsley, season and thicken a little. Serve hot. Baked Potatoes — For baking, select small ones, wash and wipe well, cut off the ends to let the steam out and bake done. Scalloped Potatoes — Slice the potatoes thin, put in layers in a pudding dish with butter, salt and pep- 32 per. When the dish is full, cover the potatoes vi\[h sweet milk and bake until done. You may use grated cheese, cracker or bread crumbs, if you wish, in scal- loping potatoes. Boiled Potatoes — Always put them on in boiliiig water with a little salt in it. Cook potatoes in plenty of water. When done, drain, remove the cover and set on the back of the stove to dry. Stuffed Potatoes — Bake the potatoes first. When done take out the inside, mash well, add a little grated cheese, butter, a beaten egg, season with salt to taste. Beat light, fill the skins .of the potatoes, return them to the oven and let brown. Serve hot. Saratoga Potatoes — Slice the potatoes with a potato knife, drain the potatoes until there is not one bit of water in them. Drop in boiling fat, and fry brown. They are as nice cold as they are hot. String Beans — String, cut in small pieces, wash, put on to cook in boiling water. Add a little soda, let cook about fifteen minutes, then skim out and put in the pot where the meat is cooking, and finish cook- ing. Some like string beans fixed with cream like peas. If cooked that way, have another pot of boiling water ready. Green Peas — Cook in a little water and when done add salt, pepper and butter and a cup of cream or milk; thicken slightly. Turnips, Beets, Carrots, Parsnips— Are all put on to cook in boiling water, never stick a fork in beets, it makes them bleed and spoils the color. ^ 33 Boiled Cabbage — Cook the same as string beans in two wiaters. Put the red pepper in the pot with the meat, as a rule, more salt is needed than is in the meat. Mushrooms — Fix like peas. If served with steak, cook dry and season with butter and pepper. (^* c^^ c^* BREAD-MAKING. Milk Bread — Take one quart of milk, butter or lard the size of an egg, two tablespoons of sugar. Put on the stove, let boil one minute, then take off the stove and let cool. When cool, have in an earthen dish two quarts of flour, stir in the milk, beat hard five to ten minutes, then add your yeast and let stand in a place where it will be warm and have an even tempera- ture. When light, stir in flour enough to make a stiff dough, knead one-half hour then put back in the dish and let rise until light, then knead again and make into loaves, put in bread pans and let rise nearly to the top, and bake one hour. Graham or whole wheat bread is made the same w|ay, using white flour for the sponge. Salt Rising Bread — Put one quart of warm water in a three-quart pail. Do this soon in the morning. Add a little salt and sugar, a pinch of soda, one cupful of sweet milk ; if you have no milk use four tablespoon- fuls of corn meal. Set your vessel in a kettle of warm water and keep an even temperature. Stir often until it foams and rises, then do not disturb or jar it. If 34 water ri^es over the yeast standing awhile stir in a Httle more flour. When the yeast rises to the top of the pail it is ready to use. Have two quarts of flour spread in a pan so as to leave a large cavity in the center and put in a piece of lard the size of an egg. Pour over this one pint of warm water and add the rising. Mix and work in loaves, put in bread tins, rub butter over the top, let rise. When light, bake forty minutes or more. Baking Powder Biscuits — One quart of flour, but- ter or lard the size of an egg, two teaspoonfuls of bak- ing powder sifted with the flour, a little salt ; use milk or water enough to make a soft dough. Roll out, and cut out with a small cutter and bake in a quick oven. Note — Self-rising flour makes excellent biscuits and nothing but lard and milk is needed in making them. Parker House Rolls — One quart of warm milk, one-half cup of butter, a little sugar, one-half cake of yeast, a little salt. Scald the milk, butter, sugar, to- gether, let cool partly. Have ready two quarts of flour in a mixing bowl, make a hole in the flour, stir in the milk, beat well, add an egg and beat some more. Set to rise; when light, mix in the rest of the flour. Knead and let rise again, roll, cut out, put in the pan and let rise the third time. Bake in a hot oven. Muffins — Beat two eggs light, add two tablespoon- fuls of melted butter, one pint of milk. Beat in one pint of flour in which have been two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, beat hard. Sometimes more flour may be needed. Make stiff batter, bake in a muffln ring twenty minutes. 35 Fine Muffins — Beat two eggs separately, add to the yelks one pint of milk, then half the flour, beat well, then the rest of the flour, a little salt, last of all the whites of the eggs. Bake two- minutes in well greased tins. Corn Meal Muffins — They are made the same; use corn meal for wheat flour. Sally Lunn — Three eggs, white and yelks beaten separately ; add one quart of milk to the yelks, stir in the one quart of flour, then add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a little salt, one-half yeast cake, last of all the whites of the eggs. Beat well. Grease a cake pan, pour in the mixture, let rise until light. Bake one hour; if you want it sweet, add sugar. 36 PASTRY. Hints About Making Pie Crust — For custard or fruit pies, always bake the bottom crust a little before putting the fruit or custard on or brush the bottom over with a little beaten egg. If you wish the crust to be very delicate in color, use the white of the egg only. This is put on the crust before filling with the mixture tO' prevent the juices from soaking in the crust. Fancy tarts may be ornamentally glazed, by taking out of the oven when nearly cooked, brushing over with a little beaten tgg, then covering over thickly with powdered sugar. Sprinkle a few drops of water over the top, return to the oven and finish cooking. Pie plant, fruit juices, etc., may be prevented from boiling out of the crust by taking the amount of sugar you would use to sweeten the pie, and putting it in a bowl, add a little water and stir in a large tablespoon of flour. Many cooks use corn starch, but we use flour. Pour this mixture over the pie, plant, or fruit, put the top crust on and bake. Some cooks dust a little flour on the bottom of the pie crust before filling. But mixing it with the fruit is better. Pastry is better for being kept on ice before using. Alwlays use cold water for making pastry. A marble slab board should be used for rolling pie crust on, 37 or a glass top table. The glass or marble keeps the paste cool. Roll the pie crust dough the one way, that is the direction from you. Turn the pie crust each time and roll. Make the under crust a little thicker than the top. You may take the top crust and roll it out ; add more butter or lard, roll up and roll out again. This can always be done in making pastry. If you wish the crust rich and flaky, it will always give you two grades of pastry. If wanted very rich, repeat the process. In making pastry use as little water as possible, the crust Will be much nicer. We do not give any set length of time for cooking pies ; some take longer than others, but nearly any pie will cook in forty minutes, such as apple, pumpkin, but rich custards and lemon pies will not take half the time. How TO Make Pastry — Never touch the paste with the hands until ready to roll out. Rub the shortening and flour together with a knife, fork or spoon. Have the lard or butter cold. When rubbed together add the water slowly until the whole is in form. Plain Pie Crust — One quart of flour, one large cup of lard or butter, one teaspoonful of salt. Follow the directions for making pie crust. Should you use butter you do not need the salt. Puff Paste — This is made pound for pound. Use one pound of flour and the same of butter ; if you use lard, it will take one-quarter of a pound less. Mix half the butter or lard in the flour, using a very little water. Roll out, cut part of the remaining butter or lard into bits on the paste, dredge with flour, fold 38 over, roll lightly together and set aside in a cool place for one-half hour. Take out, roll again, put on butter as before. Repeat this until the butter or lard is all gone. This paste is only for the top crust, and will keep a week on ice. , Country Pie Crusti — Many country people use sour cream with just a bit of soda for making pies. If this is done, you need no shortening. They also use one-third corn meal to two-thirds flour. Both ways are very nice. Lemon Pie — Three lemons and the grated yellow rind, two cups of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one large tablespoon of corn meal, yelks of four eggs, one pint of sweet milk. Beat the lemon, sugar and butter together for fifteen minutes, then add the corn meal, the milk, last of all the eggs. Beat well. When per- fectly light, add the beaten whites of two eggs. Pour in a deep pie pan lined with paste and bake. When done, have the other two whites \yhipped light with a little sugar, spread over top, return to the oven, brown slightly. Note — This is a delicious lemon pie. Orange Pie — Use the same receipt as for lemon pie, only use oranges instead of lemons. Lemon-Potato Pie — This is made the same as lemon pie, only grate twO' white potatoes into the mixture instead of using corn meal. Get small pota- toes. Water can be substituted for milk. Pie Plant Pie — Peal the stalks and cut up thin. Line deep pie pans with crust, dredge the bottom 39 with flour. Then put a layer of fruit and one of sugar. Sprinkle bits of butter over the top, also a little flour. Cover with a top crust. Alwlays make holes in the top crust of any pie, to let the steam escape. Custard Pies — (Excellent) — Take six eggs, beat tliem separately. Add to the yolks, sugar to taste, one quart oi milk, one teaspoon of vanilla, last of all the beaten whites. Line deep pie pans, fill with mixture, put. in the oven to cook, watch closely. When it be- gins to cook and looks firm, stick a knife point down into the center; if nothing sticks to the knife, it is done. Be sure not tO' let it cook too long, or it will be spoiled. This custard is delicious cooked in cups, or pudding dish, plain or in flavor with chocolate. Set the dish or cups in a pan of hot water, and put them in the o\en to cook. Be careful not to add too much Water so it will boil over in the custard. CocoANUT Pie — Make the same as custard pie only use half the number of eggs and add one cup of grated cocoanut. Should you not have fresh cocoanut always soak the other in milk over night. Washington Pie — Make a plain cake, bake in three layers. When cold, fill with whipped cream, also put on the top. Flavor the cream with vanilla and sweeten to taste. This is delicious. You may use jelly, jams or apple sauce for fillings, or make the follow- ing filling : Let one cup of milk come to the boil, then add one-half cup of sugar beaten with two eggs, stir when thick, take off and let cool, then add the juice of one lemon. Fill your cake and put frosting on top, if you wish, 40 Ripe Tomato Pie — This is nice. Make the same as green apple pie. Do not let the tomatoes be too ripe. Grape, Currant and Gooseberry Pies — These are also nice. Scald them before putting in pies and do not use themi too ripe for pies. Many people mix raspberries with currants for pies. Note — Country people find all these receipts con- venient. Mince Pies — One pound of beef chopped fine, two pounds of apples chopped fine, one pound of currants, one pound of chopped raisins, one-half pound of citron the same of candied oranges, the grated rind and juice of two lemons, one pound of sugar, one quart of boiled cider, one-half ounce of cloves, allspice, nut- meg, and one pound of beef suet chopped. Mix all together, put over the fire and cook twenty minutes. Put in a jar to keep, let stand some days before using. Always stir when yoii take any out to use, and warm before making pies. Thin a little if needed. Cream Pies — One pint of cream, the beaten whites of two eggs, one small tablespoon of corn starch, sweeten to taste. Flavor with vanilla. Bake in one crust. Always mix the Qgg and corn starch together and then pour on the cream. You may whip the white of an Qgg and put on top if you desire. Then run in the oven and brown slightly. Pumpkin Pies — Cook the pumpkin tender, mash it through a colander. Add butter the size of an ^gg, the juice of one lemon. Then to each pint of pumpkin add one quart of milk, four eggs well beaten ; season 41 with ginger, and use a little salt. Cook slowly and well done. Another way to make pumpkin pies is to use no eggs, only make the custard thicker and pour the milk on boiling hot. Squash pies are made the same as pumpkin pies. Always sweeten to taste, all pies. Sweet Potato Pies — Boil the potatoes soft, mash through a colander. Have a pie pan lined with paste. Make the custard. To one cup of sw'eet potatoes add nearly a quart of milk, a little melted butter, four eggs beaten separately ; sweeten to taste, flavor with nutmeg. Fill the pie pans and bake. Dried Fruit Pies — Always soak the fruit over night, cook until soft, sweeten to taste and bake with two crusts. Fresh Fruit Pies — Make the same as pie plant pies. Another excellent dessert is to take any kind of fresh or canned fruit, put in a deep pudding pan, fix the same as any other pie. Then put on a rich top crust, and bake. These pies made with one crust are very nice desserts, and are liked by most people be- cause you can always use more fruit in them. English Apple Pies — Slice apples thin in a deep pudding pan, sprinkle sugar over the apples to make the pie the desired sweetness. Then add a sliced lemon and one cup of raisins and currants mixed. Put bits of butter on top and bake. Served cold with whipped cream. Berry Pies — These pies should be baked in deep tins, lined with paste. Notice the receipts for the fresh fruit pies. 42 Cherry Pies — Pit the cherries and make the same as berry pies. Banana Pie — Fill a pan with rich crust, bake first. Slice bananas thin over the crust in layers with powdered sugar. Cook only a few minutes. When cool, cover with whipped cream. Cobblers — Make a rich biscuit dough, line a deep pan with dough, fill with peaches, apples, or any ripe fruit desired, sweeten to taste and put bits of butter, also nutmeg or any spice desired, pour a cup of hot water over the fruit. Cover with a top crust in which several slits have been made in the top. Cook well done, serve hot, with sauce or cream and sugar. Southern Fried Pies — Use the same dough as for the cobbler, roll out the size of a saucer, put peach or apple sauce on one side and turn over. Pinch the edges close together and fry in hot lard. Cream Jelly Pies — Four eggs beaten wiell, one- half cup of sugar, one and one-half cups of good cream, one small glass of bright jelly, a little melted butter, the juice of a half lemon. Bake with under- crust. Very fine and attractive if light colored jelly is used. Tart Pies — Line the pans with good pie crust, fill with cranberry, strawberry or preserves of any kind, or jellies. Then cut strips of paste and arrange across the top and bake. Tarts — Make puff paste, line small tins or patty- pans, prick with a fork to prevent blistering. Bake and fill as needed. 43 Fillings for Tarts — Orange Filling — the juice and grated yellow rind of three oranges, one-half cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon, one large tablespoon of butter, two wlell beaten eggs. Beat well together. Have hot one pint of milk. Stir in the mixture and keep stirring until thick, then take off and cool. Chocolate Tarts — Make the same as orange, only add one-half cake of grated chocolate. Cream Tarts — Fill the tarts with whipped cream and put a little piece of jelly in the center. Set in a cool place. Cream Puffs — Two cups of hot water, one cup of butter. Boil together and while boiling, stir in two cups of sifted flour, dry. Take from' the stove and beat twenty minutes. After this cools, stir in six eggs, one at a time (unbeaten) beat again ten minutes. Drop in tablespoons on a greased tin and bake in a quick oven thirty minutes. Be careful that they do not touch each other, and also not to open the oven door often. When done, take out, let cool, then open the side with a sharp knife and fill with whipped cream or the following filling: Have hot two cups of milk, stir in one cupful of sugar, two eggs, two tablespoons of flour, well beaten together, stir until it thickens. Let it cool before filling the puffs. Flavor with vanilla. Cheese Cake — Slice some bread thin, pour over two large cups of boiling cream. Let stand until per- fectly soft, then beat fine. Add six eggs, one-half pound of butter, a little nutmeg, one-half pound of currants, a little rose water. Beat well together and 44 bake in patty-pans or small tins lined with rich paste. wSonie cooks use rice instead of bread, and use sugar also. Strawberry Short Cake^ — Make a biscuit dough, cut in three equal parts, place each layer in a tin and spread melted butter between. When cooked, the layer will separate easily. Then lay strawberries on each layer and sprinkle sugar on the berries. Many like butter as w^ell. Put on the top also, and pour all juice over it. Serve with plain or whipped cream, if you can. Any kind of fruits can be used in the same manner, or preserves. PUDDINGS AND CUSTARDS. Baked Apple Dumplings — Make a rich biscuit paste. Quarter tart apples, peal and take out the core, put together in shape of a cup. Roll out the paste, cut in strips and wrap around the apples. Stand up in the pan. When the pan is full put bits of butter on top, sugar, grated nutmeg. Sprinkle flour on top, add some hot water and cook slowly until well done. If you wish them steamed, wrap the apples entirely up in the paste, making an opening with a fork to let the steam escape. Cover tightly and steam forty minutes. Serve with sauce. RoLY Poly — Take any paste, roll o\t. thin, spread with berries, preserves or fruit of any kind, roll up and bake or steam. Serve with cream or sauce. Brown Betty — Fill a pudding dish with sliced ap- ples and bread crumbs, layer for layer, with apple on top. Butter and sugar tO' taste, last of all add one cup of hot water, cover and bake slowly three quarters of an hour. 45 Fine Peach Pudding — Fill a pudding dish full of sliced peaches, sugar to taste. Pour a plain cake bat- ter over the top. Steam or bake one hour. Serve with hard sauce, or any sauce you like. Apples or any fruit may be used in this manner. English Brown — One pound of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of brown sugar, one pound of beef suet chopped fine, one pound of chopped nuts, one-half pound of candied orange and lemon peel, one- half pound of citron, a little nutmeg and cloves, five eggs, two pounds of self-rising flour. Put all the fruit and suet in a bowl, next beat the eggs light in the mixing bowl. Then add one quart of sweet milk, a little rose water, then beat in nearly all the flour. Hour the fruit with the rest of the flour and stir in the batter. If the pudding seems too stiff add a little more milk, if it seems a little thin add a little more flour. But, as a rule, it will be just right. Steam from five to six hours. Note — Rice pudding may be made without eggs. Cook longer and slower. Rice is nice plain boiled in milk or water ; drop a few raisins in the rice when cooked. Serve with cream and sugar or sauce. Rice can be cooked with peaches, apples or any fruit. Put a layer of fruit and a layer of rice alternately until the dish is full, with rice on top. Bake thirty minutes. Serve with sauce. Many cooks use no sugar in baking rice wfith fruit, but we advise you to sprinkle sugar on each layer. Always cook the rice first. Bread Pudding — Make the same as rice pudding, adding a little melted butter, and using grated bread crumbs. Another nice way is to butter slices of bread. Then make the custard with eggs and milk as for rice 46 pudding and pour over the bread in a pudding dish. Bake Hke rice pudding. Serve cold. Many cooks put a meringue on top, or whipped cream. Grated bread crumbs may be used with fruit Hke rice, and in every case will take the place of cracker crumbs. Dry all pieces of bread in the oven. Roll fine, then put in jars or bags to use when needed. Tapioca Pudding — Soak a cup full of tapioca one hour, then simmer one hour ; use milk, not water. It wiill take a quart. When soft pour in a pudding dish. Add one cup of sugar, a little butter and three eggs well beaten, but always beat separately. A little cocoa- nut improves; flavor with lemon. Bake the same as rice pudding. Corn Meal Pudding — Stir in a quart of boihng milk nearly a pint of corn meal. Let cool, then add a little wheat flour, moisten with milk. Beat well. Then beat four eggs, or two will do. Sweeten to taste. Put in spice, if liked, grease the pudding pan and bake three hours. This pudding of this receipt may be baked in cups, set in a pan in the oven. Dip the cups in cold water before filling. Batter Puddings — Make a plain cake batter. Stir in any fruit liked, steam from three to four hours or bake until done. It never takes as long to bake as it does tO' steam. Corn Pudding — Take one can of corn or a pint of green corn chopped fine. Add one pint of milk, some melted butter, a little salt, three eggs well beaten. Pour in a pudding dish and cook thirty-five minutes or less. If cooked toO' long it will whey. 47 Apple and Tapioca — Soak in water over two hours. Fill a pudding dish with apples pared and cored. Set the dish on the stove with a little water, let cook soft. Then fill up the holes in the apples wjith sugar. Grate some nutmeg over the top. Pour over the tapioca and bake about an hour. Peaches or any fruit may be used in the same way. Apple Custard — Pare and slice some apples, cook and rub through a colander. Add some butter while the apples are hot. Let cool, stir in one cup of sugar, three well beaten eggs, the juice of one lemon, the grated rind and juice of an orange. Pour in a pud- ding dish and bake one hour. Serve cold, with whip- ped cream. Many like the pudding plain. Some put icing on top and run it in oven a few minutes to harden. Baked Chocolate Pudding — Use this same receipt only less corn starch and chocolate, and one quarter of a cup of bread crumbs, and four well beaten eggs. Flavor with rose w'ater or vanilla. Bake nearly an hour. Chocolate Cups — To one quart of boiling milk use five small tablespoons of corn starch, one cup of sugar, one-half cup of grated chocolate. Dissolve the corn starch in cold milk with the chocolate. Put the sugar in the milk, first a little salt. Then stir in the corn starch and chocolate. Stir until thick. Pour in cups that have been rinsed out with cold water. Let cool. Turn out of the cups into a glass bowl. Pour boiled custard around them, and put whipped cream on top if you want the dish very rich and pretty. 48 Sago Pudding — This pudding is made the same as tapioca. Apple sagO' pudding is very nice; follow the receipt for apple and tapioca. Orange Pudding — Take some oranges, slice in a glass dish and sprinkle a little sugar over them. Make a rich boiled custard, let cool. Pour over the oranges. Whip the Wihites of two eggs with a little sugar and put over the top. Snow Pudding — Prepare gelatine as if you were going to make jelly, and when nearly cold, to one quart beat in whites of three eggs that have been whipped light. Beat until the whole is thick and white. Put on ice to cool. Serve with custard or cream. Lemon Cracker Pudding — One cup of butter and sugar creamed together, three lemons, grated lemon rind and juice, ten crackers soaked in one pint of milk, beat w!ell together then stir in four eggs well beaten and cook thirty-five minutes. You make a meringue and put over the top, or serve with sauce or cream. Fig Pudding — Make a nice cake batter, put in a pound of figs chopped fine, pour in a pudding pan, steam three hours, serve with a nice sauce. How TO Cook Steam Puddings — Take any good can or bucket that has a top, grease and pour the bat- ter in, cover tight. Set in a pot of boiling water ; put a tin top in the bottom of the kettle to prevent burning the pudding. Put a cover over the top and set an iron on top the cover to keep the steam in. Keep a tea kettle of boiling water and add as it is needed in the pot ; never let the pot stop boiling, This is a fine way to cook puddings. * 49 PUDDING SAUCES. How TO Make Them — Always cream the butter and sugar together, and do not use tin spoons. Plain Sauce — One cup of sugar, one tablespoon of flour, and one of butter, rub all together smooth, then beat in one egg. Last of all pour on boiling water enough to make the required thickness. Flavor to taste. Hard Sauce — One cup of butter creamed, add two cups of sugar creamed well, then beat in one tgg. Flavor, shape and grate nutmeg on the top. Keep cool. White Hard Sauce — Make the same as above only add the beaten whites of two eggs. If you wish it gold use the yelks of the Qgg. White Liquid Sauce — Make the same as plain sauce, using the whites of two eggs well beaten. If you wish gold use the yolks. We use no wine in our cooking, and we think all cooking as good without. Many drunkards have their tastes cultivated in their own homes. Parents need to guard against such things. 50 CAKES. General Rules for Cake-Making — Before you begin to make cake, get all the ingredients around you on the table. Use an earthen bowl and a wooden spoon. Never use tin pans or tin spoons in making cake. Watch the oven carefully and be sure not to let the cake brown before it rises. There are three periods in baking cake. The first one is, when the cake is heating and rising, the second the cake should con- tinue to rise and brown all over. The last period, the cake should settle a little brown in the cracks and shrink from the pan. Always have the eggs fresh and cool, use good flour and baking powder. If self-rising flour is used no baking powder is needed, and is best for cake. This can be purchased in five cent packages ; a five cent package will make a large cake. Lard or cottolene can be used in making any cake, only use half the amount you would use of butter. That is, if it calls for a cup of butter use half a cup of lard or cottolene. Cream butter and sugar with the hand, then beat the cake with a spoon. Fruit cake is better for being beaten with the hand. Cream butter first, then add the sugar. If the butter is hard, heat the bowi by putting boiling water in, pour out and wipe the bowl out. Snow Cake — One cup of butter, two of sugar, whites of six eggs, one cup of milk, three and one-half 51 cups of self-rising flour. Notice general rules for cake making, the only difference being in adding the flour. Add the flour a little at the time; when one cup is added then have the whites beaten, not too stiff, and beat in a little of the white of the egg and a little of the flour ; so on until all the egg and flour is used up. Flavor with almond, and bake in a moderate oven. Hermits Cake — Cream two cups of brown sugar, one of butter, together, one cup of raisins chopped fine, a little mixed spice, four eggs, flour enough to roll w'ell. Cut out and bake. Wafers — Eight eggs beaten separately, two table- spoons of melted butter, two cupfuls of sugar, cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs, flavor to suit the taste, flour enough to roll out as for cookies, r@ll as thin as possible. Bake in a quick oven. Sponge Cake — Six eggs, two cups of sugar, a little salt, flavor to taste. Beat the yolks light in sugar, a little at a time. Add flavoring. Then add the beaten white. Last of all add the flour. This is a fine receipt for sponge cake. The reason most people fail on sponge cake is because they beat after the flour is added. This must not be done in sponge cake. Beautiful Cake — Use the receipt as for snow cake. Bake in three shallow pans, frost with pink and white, frosting each layer. Make the middle layer pink. Frost the top with white. Frost and sprinkle grated cocoanut on top. Corn Starch Cake — Make the same as snow cake, Vising one cup of corn starch instead of all flour. 52 Wafers No. 2 — Make as above, using only flour enough to make a thin batter, drop from the spoon into a baking pan, greased ; flavor with vanilla. Bake in hot oven. Note — If self-rising flour is not used, use baking powder — one teaspoonful mixed in the flour. Ribbon Cake — One cup of milk, three and one-half cups of flour, one cup of butter, two of sugar, whites of six eggs. Have long, shallow pan^, of equal size. Divide the batter intO' three parts. Bake two parts nlain. Color the other part with pink fruit coloring. Bake and put in between the other two layers. Use white icing tO' stick the cakes together, and put pink icing on top. Many people put fruit in the third layer instead of coloring. Roll Jelly Cake — Four eggs well beaten. Beat separately, then together. Add one cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one cup of flour ; spread on a long, thin bake pan. Bake in a moderate oven ; spread with jelly while warm, trim the edges and roll up. Fruit Cake — Two and one-half pounds of raisins, twb and one-half pounds of currants, one-half pound of citron, one-half pound of nuts, one pound of brown sugar, one pound of butter, one pound of eggs, one teaspoonful of cloves, allspice and cinnamon, one pound oi flour, one small glass of rose water. Cream butter and sugar together, beat in eggs, add rose water. Then beat in part of the flour. Put all the fruit in a dish, flour it with the rest of the flour, beat well and bake in three pans in a slow oven. This cake will take good three hours of careful cooking'. 53 Coffee Cake — Use the receipt for ribbon cake ; in- stead of milk use one cup of coffee. Wedding Cake — One pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one of flour, two of raisins, two of currants, one pound of almonds, one-half pound of citron. Spice the same as for fruit cake, and ten eggs. Make in the same manner as fruit cake. Note — As a rule, these cakes use no baking powder, but unless you use self-rising flour use baking powder, two tea'spoonfuls. Plain Cake — TwO' cups of sugar, one of butter. Cream butter and sugar together, beat in two eggs, one at a time, then add one cup of milk, last of all, three and one-half cups of flour. Flavor, beat well and bake. This makes a nice pudding served with sauce. Orange Cake — Make a nice white cake from any nice cake receipt. Then make an orange filling as fol- lows: Have hot a cup of milk, stir in one cup of sugar and the yolks of two eggs well beaten. The grated rind and juice of two oranges. Stir until it thickens well; let cool and spread between the cakes. Put white icing on top, flavored with orange. Angel Food Cake — One cup of flour mixed with one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and sift five times. Beat the whites of eleven eggs until light and flaky, then add one and one-half cups of sugar, granulated, that has been sifted five times. Flavor and beat again. Then mix in the flour quickly and lightly. Bake in an ungreased tin forty-five minutes. It is always better to use a new tin and keep it just for this cake. 54 One Egg Cake — One-half cup of butter and one cup of sugar, cream together, beat one egg, add one cup of milk and two cups of flour. Bake in long pan. This is a nice cake. Silver Cake — Two cups of sugar, one cup of but- ter, one cup of milk, three cups of flour, whites of six eggs. Cream butter and sugar until it looks like cream. Then stir in the milk. Add a little flour at the time until one cup is used. Then whip the whites of the eggs not too stiff and add a little at the time with the rest of the flour, adding the rest of the flour a little at the time. Flavor tO' your own taste and bake in the kind of a pan you wish. Gold Cake — Make the same as silver cake only use the yolks of the eggs. Walnut Cake — Use the receipt as for gold cake, adding one cup of chopped wialnuts, mixed with part of the flour. Raisin-Walnut Cake — Make the same as walnut cake, only add one-half cup of chopped raisins. Flavor all cake to suit your own taste. Pink and White Cake — Make the same as silver cake, taking a part of the batter and coloring it with pink fruit coloring. Put a layer of white in the bot- tom, pink in the middle, white on top. Lady Orange Cake — Use the receipt for snow cake, making wjhite frosting and using the grated yellow rind and juice of one orange. 55 Lemon Cake — (Delicious) — Make the same as orange, using lemon instead of orange. Note — We shall close our cake receipts here. We wish also to say that every receipt in our book has been tried. We further say these receipts are simple and practical, and in all receipts if you do not use self- rising flour, add two teaspoons of baking powder. Jumbles — One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three eggs, flavor. Mix soft, cut out with a large cake cutter. Then cut a small piece out of the middle with a small cutter. Bake a light brown. Cookies — Delicious — Six eggs, two cups of sugar, one of butter. Cream butter and sugar together, then add the eggs beaten separately. Flavor with lemon or almond. Use flour enough to roll out very thin, cut with a large cutter if you wish them large and with a small one if you wish them small. Bake quick- ly to a light brown. Doughnuts — Cream two cups of sugar and three eggs together, beat well. Then add two cups of sweet milk, also two tablespoons of melted butter or one of melted lard. Flavor to taste. Stir in flour enough to make them stiff enough to roll out, cut with a dough- nut cutter and fry in hot lard. In frying any cake, try a piece of the dough first to see if the fat is the right temperature, and then keep it at an even temperature. White Drops — One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of sweet milk, whites oi six eggs, flavor with almond or any flavor you wish. Drop in small tins and bake in a moderate oven. 56 Lady Fingers — One cup of sugar, yolks of four eggs. Beat smooth. Whip the whites of the eggs and add flavor. Then stir in one cup of flour. Roll out on a board, sprinkle with sugar, cut in narrow strips and bake quickly. Be sure not to make them too large. Soft Ginger Bread — One cup of brown sugar, one of molasses, one of butter, one of sour milk, three eggs, a small teaspoon of soda, three cups of flour, make in the same way as cake, only put the soda in the milk. Use self-rising flour ; or plain flour may be used, stir one teaspoon of baking powder in the flour. Use ginger to your own taste, some people like more ginger than others. Ginger Snaps — Use the receipt as for cookies, only add molasses instead of sugar, and use two eggs. Flavor with ginger. White Icing — To the white of one egg use five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. Flavor with lemon, orange, rose water or vanilla. Mix the sugar and white or an egg together by merely stirring. Spread over the. cake. This mixture is nearly transparent and is very pretty. Yellow Icing — This is made the same as white icing, only use the yolks of twio eggs to the same amount of sugar. If you wish pink icing take some of the white icing and color it pink. This may make it thin ; if so, add more sugar. Boiled Frosting — To the white of one egg use one cupful of white sugar. Boil the sugar with a 57 small amount of water until it will string in dropping from the spoon. Have the white of an tgg beaten stiff. Stir into the boiled sugar briskly and beat until it is thick and cool. Spread over the cake, and let sit in the oven a few minutes until it is dry. Chocolate Frosting — Make the same as boiled icing, only use one-half of a cup of grated chocolate. Fillings for Layer Cake — Use boiled icing, mak- ing double quantity. If you wish nut filling have the nuts chopped fine and pour some of the icing over the nuts, spread betwieen the layers. Put icing on the top. Banana filling is made the same way. Frosting — In frosting cake dip the knife in cold water before frosting the cake and do so frequently while frosting the cake. A little lemon juice will keep frosting from crumbling. Some cooks use a little alum or gelatine dissolved in a tablespoon of warm water. Always let the cake get cold before frost- ing. If the gelatine be used in frosting brush the top of the cake with it before frosting. If you want the frosting pink use a little cochineal coloring. Part of the cake batter may be colored and baked in layers. This is very pretty. 58 MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. Country people, before science had the place in the world it has now, packed eggs in some way we know not how, but the eggs w'ere kept through the winter just the same. One way of preserving eggs is to dip them in brine and pack them with the small end down in a wooden box. Always set the box upon sticks so as to allow a free circulation of air. Bees- wax and sweet oil are excellent to- preserve eggs. Use about one-third the amount of beeswax that you do of oil. The brine is made in the following way : Put twlo cups of slacked lime in twO' gallons of water, three teacups of salt, one-third of a pound of cream tartar. Dip the egg in grease first, then in the brine. In packing eggs be careful not to put new ones in with old ones, because they will heat and spoil the others. Poached Eggs — Fill a pan half full of hot water, add a little vinegar and teaspoon of salt. Break one ^gg in at the time, cook three to five minutes. Serve on toast. Deviled Eggs — Hard boiled eggs, remove the shells, take out the yolk. Mash well, season with mustard, pepper, melted butter and a little vinegar. Many peo- ple use salad dressing. When the yolk is perfectly smooth, fill in the cavities left by the yolk. Serve on a lettuce leaf. 59 Pickled Eggs — Put hard boiled eggs in a jar, cover with boiUng hot vinegar, let stand over night. Spiced Eggs — These are made the same as pickled eggs, only whole cloves of allspice and stick cinnamon are used. Fill the jar full, cover tight and let stand six weeks. Eggs spiced are excellent with cold meats. Potato Yeast — Peal and grate four large potatoes, grate on a cup of salt to keep them from turning dark. Pour on one quart of boiling water, stirring all the time. Add a cup of sugar, let cool. Then put a cup of yeast or cake in. Let rise, then put in a jug. Make fresh every week, taking some of the old yeast to start the new. One-half cup will make a large batch of bread. This is as nice yeast as can be made. Keep the yeast jug clean. Fritters — Beat twO' eggs light. Add one pint of sweet milk, a little salt and sugar, flour enough to make a batter, drop a spoonful in hot lard and fry like doughnuts. If served wlith fried chicken, put the chicken in the center of the dish and the fritters around the chicken. If eaten with syrup, roll in powdered sugar. Corn Fritters, Oysters, Apple, Banana, Peach, Pineapple^ Rice Fritters, are all made and cooked the same way. Just add the corn or whatever you want. Peppermint Drops — Two cups of sugar, one-half cup of water. Boil five minutes. Flavor with pep- permint. Stir until thick. Drop on white paper (con- fectionary or oiled paper). 60 Caramels — Three cups of sugar, one and a half cupful sweet milk, boil until it will harden. Choco- late cream dropS' — one-half cupful of cream, two cup- fuls of sugar. Boil together five minutes, then set the , dish in another of cold water. Stir until hard enough toi make into balls. Flavor and roll the balls in melted chocolate. Put on paper. Boiled Custard — Put a quart of milk on. When hot, have ready well, beaten together, one cup of sugar and six eggs. Stir in gradually. Then stir all the time until it comes to a boil or thickens well, and no longer, or it will curdle. When cold, flavor to taste. Many people boil peach leaves or lemon rind, orange peels in the milk, then remove, adding the egg and sugar. Always add a little salt. Strawberry Preserves — To every pound of fruit use one and one-fourth of a pound of sugar. Put in a preserving kettle, fruit in the bottom, sugar on top. Set the kettle over a slow fire until the sugar melts, then boil rapidly a few minutes. Pour on large plat- ters and set in the svm every day for five days*, then seal up air tight. If this receipt is followed correctly the berries will look whole, red and fresh. Raspberry Preserves — Make the same as straw- berry preserves, above. Note — Cherries and all small fruit are put up the same way. A cheaper way is to use half the quantity of the sugar that you do of the fruit. Boil one-half hour, and seal boiling hot. Have the jars hot and stand in hot water while filling. In preserving peaches and pears, put the sugar on with a little water and let boil a few minutes. Have the peaches pared and cut 61 in halves, drop in the syrup, boil until a silver fork will go through them easily, then skim' out the peaches, let the syrup boil a little longer. Then put the peaches in the jars and pour the syrup on top. Seal up at once. Jelly — Fruit to make good jelly should be picked before it is too ripe. In making jelly scald the fruit and mash it well, then strain through a coarse bag, let drip; do not squeeze or the jelly will be cloudy. Never let jelly stop boiling until done. And it is al- ways better not to cook jellv in large quantities. Never use a brass kettle for boiling jelly. Set the glasses in a damp towel or put a silver spoon in the glasses to keep the glasses from breaking while filling them. Many people strain jelly through a flannel bag into the glasses; this makes the jelly a beautiful color, but must be dene near the stove or it will jell before it runs through. In making jelly use equal quantities of juice and sugar. Always heat the sugar first. Boil about twenty minutes or until it jells. Be careful not to cook toO' long or it will be dark. Set the glasses in the sun a few days before sealing. Always put a small piece of paper over the top of the jelly before putting on the top. Put a little white of egg on the paper. Ice Cream — (Delicious) — If you want a whole gal- lon of cream take nearly a gallon of pure cream, whip it, swieeten to taste, flavor with vanilla. Dissolve one large tablespoonful of gelatine in warm water and add or get the real ice cream powder. Freeze. Chocolate Ice Cream — Make the same as above only grate one-quarter of a* cup of chocolate and dis- solve it in hot milk. 62 Fruit Ice Cream — Make the same way, only put sugar on the fruit, let stand a while, then mash it through a sieve and then add to the cream. In all these creams you can use half milk. In adding milk use the whites of three eggs to the gallon. When the cream is half frozen open the freezer and add the beaten whites, stir down from the sides and finish freezing. Frozen Fruit — Make a plain cream. When nearly frozen, add chopped fruit, candy, citron, raisins and figs. Finish freezing. Serve with whipped cream. (This is a delicious dish.) Sherbets — To one can of pineapple use one quart of water, one tablespoonful of gelatine and one lemon. Sweeten to taste, strain and freeze. When half frozen add the beaten whites of two eggs. Many use some cream as well as wiater, but we do' not. Note — All fruit sherbets are made the same way. In making lemon sherbets use three lemons to one quart of water, letting the rinds stand in the water a short while. Tea and Coffee — Always use boiling water for both. Allow one teaspoonful of tea for each person and one to the pot. A French dripper should be used for cofifee. If you use a common pot, use ^gg shells or the white of an tgg to settle the coffee. Note — Always use fresh boiling water for coffee and tea. Be sure to wash and rinse the tea kettle every morning, and do not let the water boil over a minute for the tea or coffee. When water boils too long it becomes flat and spoils the flavor of the tea and coffee. 63 Mayonnaise Dressing — Put the yolks of three eggs in a soup plate. Have olive oil cold, beat in drop at a. time with a silver fork. When nearly a cup of oil has been used or beaten in add a little salt, a little red pepper and one-half teaspoon of mustard, twO' table- spoons of vinegar. Beat well and add a little lemon juice. This dressing will keep a long time on ice. The yolks of hard boiled eggs can be used instead of raw eggs. Mash them fine before mixing with the oil. Boiled Dressing for Salads — One cup of vinegar, butter half the size of an Ggg, yolks of three eggs, one teaspoonful of mustard, one of salt, one-half of red pepper. Mix well, put on the fire and let boil a few minutes, take off and let cool. When cold, stir in one- half cup of rich cream and add one tablespoon of sugar. Many beat in some olive oil. This dressing is excellent and can be used for salads. For slaw and potato salad it is very nice. Chicken Salad — Boil the chicken tender and cut up in fine pieces. Then cut up the celery into small pieces. Chopped cabbage will do if you have no celery. Use one-third chicken and two-thirds celery or cab- bage. Mix well and add the dressing. Mayonnaise is the best for chicken salad, but many people do not like olive oil. Serve on lettuce, or you may garnish with hard boiled eggs. Lobster salad or veal salad is made the same as chicken salad. Lettuce and Raw Tomatoes — Put the lettuce on a flat dish after it has been well washed. Put the tomatoes in hot water so as to remove the skins easily, 64 but do not let them stand in the water. Shce the tomatoes on the lettuce and put dressing on top. Serve in a course with bread and butter. Meat Balls — Take pieces of cold meat, grind or chop fine. Use one-third potatoes to two-thirds meat, season to taste. Make out in small cakes, roll in flour and fry. Dry Hash — Make the same as meat balls, only cook in one lot. Charlotte Russe — Sweeten one pint of whipped cream to taste, flavor wlith vanilla. Line a glass dish with sponge cake, put the whipped cream on top. Bits of jelly on top of the cream adds to the appearance. 65 MISS NORTON^S IDEA OF HOW A HOUSE SHOULD BE KEPT. Any woman who is too lazy to keep a house clean and in order does not deserve the blessings of having a good home. The kitchen should be the cleanest place in the whole house. Polish the stove, keep utensils clean. The house in general must be clean for comfort. Take the toilet water out of the rooms before break- fast. Open beds, let air one hour before making up, or longer if convenient. Every house must be well cleaned once a week, then light cleaning during the week. As a rule every other week will do for window washing. In washing windows never put soap in the water. A little coal oil is good. Washing Dishes — Always use plenty of good hot water and soap for washing dishes. Then rinse well in warm water. Wash glass and silver first. Never throw the silver in a pan all together, the forks scratch the knives and spoons. Keep clean dish cloths and towels. TABLE CLOTLIS AND NAPKINS. The napery of a table does more to make a meal attractive than anything we may cook and serve. The fashion of using table cloths and napkins is very old and widespread. The Japanese and Chinese mag- nates use elegantly embroidered and fringed silk nap- 66 kins, which by some process unknown to us, they wash and restore to their original beauty. The early Italians had elegant lace-worked napkins, which cannot be rivaled to-day. The best m^al will be ruined by soiled and wrinkled linen, and the plainest and simplest meal will gain a certain attractiveness from smooth and spotless table cloth and napkins. Colored fruit napkins, placed beside the finger bowls on the dessert plates, are brought in with the fruit, the other napkins having been removed by the waiters with the dinner dishes. These fruit napkins are taken from the plate, spread across the knee, or laid at the right hand ready for use. Never use little doylies which are brought in at the same time ; they may be admired but should never be used. They are for orna- ment merely. Table linen which is not being used should be care- fully folded and laid awiay in a drawer or chest. But if left long at a time should be washed and aired to keep it from becoming yellow. A good bleaching on the grass is an excellent idea. When the table linen is stained with cofifee, tea, or fruit always pour boiling water on the stains before putting in soapsuds. The best way tO' remove the stain is to place the part stained over a bowl or pan, and slowly pour a stream of boiling wlater on the spot until it disappears. Table linen should not be washed with other cloths, and should not be boiled ; rub in clean, warm water. Shave soap in thin strips and strew over it, cover with boiling water, let cool, then rinse thoroughly in plenty of wlater and hang up tO' dry. When thoroughly dry put into a tub of water slightly warmed, and with a 67 few lumps of starch dissolved in it, then wring again and allow to get about two-thirds dry. Then it should be snapped well, folded straight and pressed with hot, heavy irons. This will keep linens looking well all the time. 68 RULES OF ETIQUETTE. ETIQUETTE OF DANCING PARTIES. A large number of the Colored race is conscien- tiously opposed to this form of amusement, but I am not. It is no part of my purpose to discuss the ethics of dancing. I may say, however, that the prejudice against this form of amusement is passing away. The people who do^ not believe in dancing are not to be sneered at but should be respected ; none but ill-bred people will ridicule them because every one has a right to think as he pleases. My advice to young ladies is never tO' attend mixed dancing parties, nor go to balls unless they are given with great care. And in dancing with youijg gentlemen hold yourself at a re- spectable distance. The round dance of the day is in my mind vulgar. Dancing, like all other amusements, if managed in a proper manner, I am not prepared to say is harmful. Invitations to dancing parties should be sent from ten days to three weeks in advance. The idea of the mixed dance is the dance where all classes of people are likely to attend. ETIQUETTE OF PUBLIC PLACES. All well-bred people should be polite at all times and in all places ; this includes both equals and in- feriors. We cannot of course touch on all the little 69 points which arise in the daily contact of individuals ; we will endeavor to mention the more important of those well-established customs of good society which should be observed in public places. STREET ETIQUETTE. When a funeral procession is passing, do not at- tempt to cross the street between the carriages. This is disrespectful. When walking on the street keep to the right. A gentleman walking alone, however, should give preference, when it would be acceptable, to ladies, elderly gentlemen or any one heavily bur- dened. A lady does, not take the arms of two gentle- men at the same time. When two gentlemen walk with a lady one should gO' on each side. If it is rain- ing and the party has only one umbrella the gentle- man should give the umbrella to the lady. ACQUAINTANCE. On meeting acquaintances on the street, bow the in- stant the eyes meet. A bow necessitates no- further ac- quaintance, and a cut direct should not be given with- out good reason. It is not considered good form to introduce your companion tO' every acquaintance you meet when walking, or in the street cars or elsewhere. These indiscriminate introductions serve no good end, so they are needless. Introductions should be desired before they are given. In country districts the custom of bowing to the strangers you meet in passing along the road is very polite, and strangers are pleased with such a courtesy. 70 ETIQUETTE FOR GENTLEMEN. A gentleman walking- with a lady offers her his right arm. There was an old custom oi offering the left arm which arose in the days when a gentleman kept his sword arm free to protect himself, or the lady he escorted. The passing now, however, is all tO' the right. It is no longer the custom for a lady to change from one side to the other in crossing the street, unless she would be better shielded by so' doing. The custom of giving the "wall" or "inside" to a lady, arose in olden times when sidewalks w^ere un- known, and such a custom was needed to shield the lady, but it is out of date now. Try tO' keep step when walking wlith another. A gentleman walking with a lady offers her his arm in the evening. A gentleman does not offer a lady his arm in the day time, as any public parade of attention is bad form. A gentleman precedes a lady in going through a crowd, thus opening a path for her. On entering a door a gentleman holds it open while the lady enters first, and this is true even if he is not acquainted with the lady. In going up stairs the gentleman goes first ; in going down stairs the lady takes precedence. When a gentleman walks with a lady, the lady has the privilege of selecting the route. When a gentle- man meets a lady on the street with whom he wishes toi converse he should turn and walk with her, in- stead of standing on the sidewalk and obstructing the passage for others. 71 He should bow and lift his hat when he leaves her. It is ill-bred to refuse to return the bow of a lady who salutes you. If she is a stranger she may have mistaken you for some one you closely resemble, and to return the bow relieves her of embarrassment. A young man returns the salute of an elderly gentle- man. Always respect age. A gentleman always re- turns a bowl made to a lady he is escorting, whether acquainted or not, with the one who bows. When entering stores gentlemen do not remiove hats, ''but it is good form" to remove them on entering an elevator where there are ladies. Any little acts of politeness that are tendered ladies, such as picking up a package that one has dropped, or other similar acts of courtesy, should be accompanied by lifting the hat. A respect- ful salute gives grace to the attention. A gentleman may assist a lady who is a stranger, with propriety, in crossing a slippery, or muddy street. And he may precede or follow her as most convenient. Gentlemen do not offer to shake hands with ladies on the street. If the hand is offered, let the lady make the first advance. And it is not necessary to take off the glove, nor make any apology for not doing so, such as, "excuse my glove." This is out of date. No gentleman will stand on the street corner, or in any public place and gaze at ladies, nor will they turn and stare at a lady. Should you stop another gentleman to speak to him, step to the side of the walk, out of the way of passers-by. A gentleman w/ho is smoking removes the cigar from his mouth before saluting a lady. No true gen- 72 tleman will smoke in any place where it will be offensive to others ; to puff* smoke in the faces of oth- ers is very rude. A refined gentleman will not smoke when walking on crowded streets; neither will 'a gen- tleman haw]k and spit on the streets, and never when walking with ladies ; if he must spit, he goes to the edge of the sidewalk and spits in the gutter. Gentlemen should not chew gum on the street, it looks ill-bred and idiotic. Fruit eating in public places is not much better. Do not carry an umbrella, or cane under the arm horizontally, or in any way that will endanger the eyes and comfort of others. Al- ways apologize if you run against others. Avoid annoying others in any way, at any time. Gentlemen should always be considerate of ladies and carry their packages, help them adjust their wraps, or assist them in any other way they can. Gentlemen should not dispute with hack drivers in the presence of ladies ; to do so is very rude. Take their numbers and report them to the proper authori- ties. This is the better way to do at any time. Gentlemen do not cross in front of ladies on the street, nor join them to walk with them unless they first ascertain that it will be agreeable. ETIQUETTE FOR LADIES. Xo true lady will seek to attract the attention of the other sex on the street, or form their acquaintance there in any wiay. To do so would forfeit all claims of a lady, and would justify a suspicion of her virtue. Neither should she render herself conspicuous. To wear showv dresses, or brilliant colors, on the street 73 is not good form. The tendency is toward quiet and simple attire for street wear. Public flirtations are both rude and vulgar, and thev are also dangerous. The ladies in America are allowed great liberty, but they should avoid even the appearance of evil. Xo lady should ever venture out in the business streets of large cities alone after dark. ^lore freedom may be used about such things in small towns and suburbs. A lady can easily inquire and find what the local rules of society are. It is always better to be careful in such matters rather than be looked on as being bold. Xo lady has a right to demand the services, or at- tention of friends : when voluntarily tendered they are courteous, to be graciously acknowledged with thanks. It is rude in any one to shout, or call, across the street, but ladies should never do so. Walk up to the person and say what you have to say. A lady has a perfect right to refuse to answer a gentleman who calls to her on the street. This can be done with perfect propriety, and it is no mark of refinement to call to people anywhere. For a lady to run across the street in front of a carriage is danger- ous and undignified. It is very ill-bred to chew gum on the streets, or in public places. Young ladies always return the bow of an elderly lady ; respect for age is one of the first marks of good breeding. In meeting older ladies in a doorway al- ways allow them to pass in first. 74 CONDUCT AT CHURCH. We are very much inclined to express ourselves too freely on the subject of church conduct. Churches are dedicated by those who build them to the worship of God. The congregation attends with devout and reverent spirit, and those who entertain a different faith, or who regard all religion with indiff'erence, should carefully refrain from doing anything to wound the sensibilities of the worshippers. Any kind of bad conduct betrays a nature utterly coarse and ill-bred. Strangers takins: a vacant pew should go to the further end, to allow room for others who may come later. A gentleman does not now step into the aisle to allow ladies who are strangers to enter the pew, but he re- tains his seat beside the lady he escorts, moving along to make room for newcomers. The place for a gentleman's hat is under the seat, when there is room for it in that place, and, as a rule, there is. But I say to the ladies do not hold a gentle- man's hat. Complv as far as possible with the ceremonies ob- served bv the congregation. If anything strikes you as being grotesque or funny, do not smile to indicate your feelings to others while in church. Always maintain a quiet and decorous manner while in the place of worship. Do not turn around to stare at others, or watch the choir, or appear anxious to see who is coming in. Do not scrutinize the clothes of others nor be diverted bv anv little noise. Books and fans should be passed quietly, and accepted, or declined by simple gesture of the head. Courteously see that a stranger is pro- vided with a seat; you may invite him to enter your 75 pew if you have room. Ladies do not remove gloves in church unless for some good reason. Except in case of necessity, do not leave church until the services are over, nor begin preparing to leave until after the benediction is pronounced. Then leave the room quietly without stopping in the aisle to converse with acquaintances. Those who visit a church merely to see it should go when no services are being held. SCHOOLROOM ETIQUETTE. During childhood a large part of the time is spent in the schoolroom, under the direction of the teacher. The characters and habits of the children are forming at this period, and many of those in the public schools have very little instruction in politeness at home. We, as teachers, have powerful influence over them, bv taking pains to teach the pupils the common rules of politeness which will be a benefit in after life. All teachers should be polite and kind to pupils ; this does not mean that we should not be sharp at times for nearly any pupil will need a sharp talk at some time during a school year. When pupils never get angry at the teacher it will be no question with wtell-thinking people that he or she is not much of a teacher. Pupils should be taught to come to school with clean hands and faces, hair combed, nails and teeth clean, and clothes as neat as possible. The schoolroom should be kept as neat and attractive as possible, and require the children to wipe their feet before entering the room. Also teach them to open and shut the door without needless noise and to enter and cross the room quietly. 76 We must all be patient and pray for Divine Grace in working with pupils. We must study them and we will find by careful study that the same method of managing one pupil will be an utter failure with an- other. Kindness and gentleness, as a rule, will manage nearly all pupils. Teachers should be Christ-like in all their work w*ith pupils. Christ forgave; he was loving. He came to save the world and so we are to save every pupil we can. We must teach them not to make use of slang, falsehoods, selfishness, profanity, vulgarity, egotism; but only the things that will make noble men and women are to be thought of or practiced. This means thought and work, but God wjill bless all good work. Our pay comes from God and God alone. It is he who knows our hearts. ETIQUETTE OF THE HOME. Of all the civilizing influences at work marriage is the most powerful and important. Take away the refining and elevating influence of the home, and men would soon relapse into barbarism. Marry for love and love alone and let your marriage be a life- long companionship, based on mutual confidence and respect. Let there be nothing but perfect fidelity to each other. This will make the cords of love strong, but any attempts at deception will, just as sure as the world stands, weaken the ties of affection, and before you are aware of it the foundation of wedded happi- ness will be gone. Look on anyone who' comes to you with any complaint about your lifetime compan- ion as being an enemy. The writer cannot speak from any personal knowledge on the subject of marriage. 77 She will write on the subject of marriage as she feels in her own heart and as she has thought it out in her mind. Secure a home of your own and then make it the best place to you on earth. This can be done by being neat and clean in your own appearance, by having the home spotlessly clean, with good cook- ing, and prompt about meals. The wife should be economical and prudent. A man struggling for a start in life will be handi- capped if he has a wasteful and extravagant wife, who cares for nothing but dress and runs about, rather than staying in the home trying tO' be a real helpmate, encouraging and sustaining him in his struggle. The reader will please pardon this personal refer- ence. I remember seeing my father come home raging over something that happened in the business world. My mother took his arm, walked to a room, sat him down in a chair. Then she went and made him a cup of tea, and said, "Here, dear, drink this and you will feel better." Just such women as my mother was, have helped to make the w)orld what it is to-day, and it lies within the power of the coming generation to make it what it will be in the future. The husband has his part to do also. By giving his wife his confidence and arousing within her a sense of responsibility at the outset of married life, he can help to develop her character and fit her for her work. Do not interfere with her in her own domain. Praise her when she looks neat and acts wisely, and like most women, she will take pride in doing her best. In governing and training the children there must be perfect harmony betwieen the parents. Any clash of authority or allowing children to appeal from one 78 to the other will destroy all government and be a seri- ous detriment to the children. Parents should demand perfect obedience but a uni- form and pleasant manner should be maintained that will allow their exuberant spirits much liberty with- out running over the line with them. Children are quick to notice and they can read you quicker than a grown person can. The best way for parents to do is to set them a good example ; that will do more than words. 79 HELPFUL TALKS WITH THE FAMILY. TALKS TO MOTHERS. Very few mothers fully realize the importance of beginning early in life to train children. The char- acter is then easily moulded. Children, like the young of all animals, are imitative, and if they can only be started right in the journey of life they will be saved much trouble, mortification, and suffering in later years. One writer has said, "The time to begin tO' train a child is before it is born." A mother once asked a clergyman when must she begin to educate her child. ''How old is he?" asked the clergyman. "Three years," replied the mother. "Then you have already lost three years," was the answer. Easy and graceful manners come by having good and refined training early in life. In the colored race there is a great tendency on the part of some mothers to be cross and impatient. When they should take their children into their hearts and listen to their complaints and console them, they drive them away. And you will often hear this, "Go on away. I am tired, I got no time to listen to your foolishness." Children are sharp; as soon as they find their mother will not let them open their hearts to- her they will soon seek some one that will listen to them, but this one thing has caused many a girl tO' fall, boys to wander in the streets and become rascals from per- haps no other reason than this one ; that they were not 80 loved and taken IntO' the hearts of their fathers and mothers. An excellent plan in training children is to listen to them talking and playing among themselves, without their being conscious of your noticing them. By doing this you will find just what the child has in mind, and you will know just where to put your train- ing ; the kind of training they need. Again, you will hear a mother say, ''I have no patience wtith children." How sad for any mother to say she has no patience with her own child. Mothers talk to your girls, teach them to keep noth- ing from you, teach them that anything mother can- not know), no one else has a right toi know. Mothers, do not scold your girls when they tell you wrong things that they have done, but love them, talk gently to them, love them in the wrong as well as in the right. Help them to overcome their weak points. Do not throw their faults before them all the time. Dis- cipline them when they need it, but be sure you do it at the right time and in the right place. Teach them to be neat and to be prompt about meals and any duty they have to perform. The writer has a friend who is grown and married who says she never can forget an unjust punishment, she received from her mother. She says that after her mother found out she had punished her unjustly, she never told her that she was sorry. Parents! need to be careful not to prejudice their own children against themselves for such a thing can be done. The wise men of the world are turning their minds toward the study of girls and boys. They know that they are training men and women who' have to rule the world later on. Any mother or teacher who 81 neg"lects to make a study of the books written by these men, cannot, according to the science oi the times, do justice to their children. They will also find themselves a back number before many years. This age calls for hard study and thought from people who wish to make their mark in the world. Mothers ! make your home pleasant both for your husband and children. Be neat and clean around your family; al- ways be neat when it is time for your husband to come home. Doi not put cares upon him from which he can be relieved. He makes the living for the family ; that is care enough. Let his hours at home be as pleasant and free from care as possible. Mothers should be very careful about the language in the home. The tongue gives much trouble ; we all need to think more and talk less. Many girls become gossipers and tattlers just from hearing their mothers gossiping and talking about people in the home. Do not allow your girls to bring you tales about things that belong to others only. Of all contemptible people in the world, the per- son who tries to harass or make other people's lives sad or difficult is the most contemptible. God will whip them ; they will be beaten with many stripes. Mothers, teach your girls that they will have tO' meet such people in life ; teach them also not to try ''to get even," as the common term goes, but to leave it to God. He will measure to every man justice. He will send blessings for the good we do, and punishments for the wrong. You will find more of the ''pulling down spirit" among the colored race than any other people, but this is not to be wondered at. And it will take years of education and culture to train it out of them. Now 82 we know what our great sin is, and whenever we find ourselves giving way to such things think of this, Where there is union there is strength. The Jndians are not a civihzed race, but they have long ago found out that there was strength in union. Mothers, talk all these things over with your girls and help them to overcome them. Teach them not tO' want certain things because others have them, but tO' be contented with what they have. Teach your girls to be kind and polite to every person, and not to^ look on poorer girls as not being their equals. Keep before them that virtue wjill lead in the long run — that if a girl is pure, even if she is poor, she has a chance to rise, whereas the girl with money, if she is haughty, God may take it all from her some day. It is no mark of culture to pretend you do' not know people when they are respectable; even if they are not in as good cir- cumstances, as you are, they may be your superior by birth and blood. Such things are nearly always done by people who are not very sure of their position in life. Teach your girls not to boast of their own achieve- ments. Teach them early what to do with their hands and how to talk and walk quietly — not to shout and call around the house. Teach your girls that work is honorable, that riches are uncertain, and incompetence is the beginning of crime. If a girl never has to work she needs the training for discipline and development of character. The mother who teaches her girl that wjork is a disgrace is simply laying a foundation for her ruin. If you read the life of some great men and women, you will find they worked, and they were not ashamed to work. A lazy, idle woman is not a woman 83 to be looked up to in any way. They are always selfish, hateful, mean, and gossiping. You study such people — you will find nothing Christ-like about them. Harriet Beecher Stowe has left her imprint on the nation and she was disciplined and developed by labor. Still labor wtill relieve anyone from the certain evils that follow idleness. We wish to say to the mothers : if you have a child who is inclined to be wild, the best cure for that kind of child is labor. We also say to parents : let no child look forth to a life of idleness ; make them think that they have to do something to help themselves. Teach your girls to sew, paint, make fancy work ; these things go tO' make a beautiful home. Our whole life is a school and as the saying goes, ''The early bird catches the worm," so it is with our lives : if begun by work and diligence they will be a success ; spent in efifort for good, w^e can make our fnark in life and men will call us blessed. When your girls are old enough, teach them how to entertain young men, also- how to be dignified and lady-like in the presence of young men; not to allow them to put their hands on them, or hit them with fans, handkerchiefs, etc. Teach your girls not to keep late hours unless in company with an older person, and not to ride late at night with young men alone. There may be no harm in the ride, but these things often bring unjust criticism. Teach your girls to seek the best things in life. Anything that has no good moral is not worth your notice. Teach them never to say unkind wtords about other girls to young men ; this is not only an unkind thing to do, but an intelligent young man will have very little respect for such girls. Teach theiri to 84 converse well ; it is a great accomplishment. Teach them to be nice in all places and at all times, but be careful not to be toO' prim and precise because that does not show gracefulness nor good breeding. In the conclusion in our talks to mothers we hope some good thoughts may be gotten out of them. We further wish to say, girls, and boys, must be early brought to Christ. This will build the founda- tion for all teachings mentioned above. The boy or girl without Christ has no foundation on which to W'Ork; without a foundation all things are uncertain. TALKS TO GIRLS. The girls of the colored race are fast making their mark in the educational, professional, business and domestic world. Yet we who love and take girls into oitr hearts, see many things to which we should call their attention. The first point we shall mention, is the boarding school life. In nearly all colored families who are striving to educate their girls at a very early age, the girls are sent away to boarding schools. The reason of this is, in many cases, both parents work to help toward the education of their children; soniie other parents feel that the girls are better dis- ciplined than they wtould be at home. We wish to say to the girls on entering the boarding school, be careful about the kind of eirls you take for associates, because in all boarding schools you will find girls who are not studious, they are not particular about coming directly under the Christian influence that is found in the universities of the South. We plead with girls who wish to obtain the respect of their teachers, also 85 r. high standing in their classes, to shun such com- panions. You will never know, until it is too late, the harm they can do you. One can always treat people courteously without being at all familiar with them. One great weakness of the girls in colored boarding schools, is to be notoriously jealous of each other. This one thing brings about more trouble than we care to mention. Girls, cultivate yourselves, abhor all things that are degrading, they only help to keep you back in life. Look over the faults of girls, and look down into the heart for some good points ; you will be sure to find them. Girls in boarding schools spend too much money. Learn to economize; you will find you spend money for things you could just as well do without. Work to be the best in your classes ; be polite and lady-like at all times. Think of your op- portunities ; if once lost, they are seldom gotten back. Let your manner be such that the other sex will have the utmost respect for you. Do not neglect the re- ligious part of your life. Respect the girls whose religious views are different from your own. The God-life is the only life for the girl who wants to be of any use in the world. We call the attention of the girls to making young men presents, and receiving presents from young men. Girls, do not make young men costly presents, nor allow them to make you a present of anything more than flowers or books, unless you are engaged or closely related. To offer articles of jewelry or dress is an offense. No modest, dignified young lady would accept them. She should civilly, but firmly, refuse to become their debtors. If an engagement is broken re- turn everything in the way of presents. 86 Girls, do not be in a rush about becoming- engaged and getting married ; be sure you make young men understand that you are not Hke rotten apples, all ready to fall off the tree, but make them think you are up in the tree and you are hard to get. Always treat young men politely, but do not be flip or fast in your manner. Never flirt with any young man ; if you only like him as a friend, let him know that ; if he is in- clined to think more of you than a friend, and you don't w'ish him to do so, withdraw your friendship. It is a very dishonorable, low-down thing, to tamper with a man's heart. Any girl who does such a dirty trick will receive her punishment. There is no harm in accepting little courtesies from young men, but be sure you thank them politely, and let the courtesies stop there. Girls, do' not gossip about each other nor carry tales ; control your tempers. A temper shows force of char- acter when used in the right way; if not used in the right way it shows weakness. Stand for your rights and let no man deceive you. Learn to think for your- selves, and toi think clearly. When ladies you will have positions w^here it will call for hard, careful thinking. Sit down and think your work out for your- selves instead of getting other people's opinions. Your work will be much more successful than if you try to use someone's else brain in your work. Advice is good if given in the right way from people who know more than you do, but, as a rule, careful thought beats any advice. Girls, be polite in shopping. Think of your needs before going intO' the store; buy just the things you wjant and nothing else. Clerks have a way of trying to put things off on colored girls ; 87 they think they have no more will power than to buy as long as they have a cent. This may be true of some of them, but the reason for it is, that many of the mothers and fathers had their wills broken when they were children, and another reason is few fathers and mothers are educated to the point of knowing how to train the will of the children in the right direction. The white race do not all know how to train the will. Training of the will is a new feature in the educational wt)rld. Mothers, study and learn how to train the wills of your children instead of breaking them. Girls, be careful about the company you keep ; never get too friendly with anyone, and you will always have more friends. The reason most colored people are always *'at outs," is because they get too friendly. It is better to hold most people at a distance. Girls, do not argue, avoid heated discussions, never argue religion, never show temper in public places. Do not buy a lot of cheap clothes ; it is better to have one good dress, than a lot of cheap ones. Never buy or wear cheap jewelry. Do not w'ear other people's clothes. Do' not talk about your family or your own business to other people. Never make sharp, satirical remarks. Do not ask other girls questions about their own busi- ness. In conclusion, we wish to say you will meet many hard places in life ; learn tO' walk over them. Make all of yourselves you can and God will bless you. Also keep in mind if no other point in our book be thought of by you, that your virtue is the greatest gift that God has ever given to woman. Therefore, let nO' man rob you of God's great gift. The woman who lives a public, evil life is better than a pretended pure woman. 88 TALK TO FATHERS. We have said many things in our talks to mothers that we intend for the fathers also. The world looks on the girls as being trained by the mothers more than by the fathers. The question arises in our minds whether this is justice to the mother. After a great deal of careful thought we have decided that girls need the love and care of a mother more than boys. Yet we kno'Wl in some cases where the father has done more towjard developing and making noble women out of their daughters than the mother. We think, however, that the reader will agree with us, these are exceptional cases. Fathers, teach your boys not to smoke, chew, swear, or use bad language of any kind. Do this by wford and example. Teach them to take off their hats to girls, ladies and old gentlemen. Teach your boys to respect all girls, and to treat them just as they would want some other boy to treat their sister. Teach your boys to work. Make them under- stand that the world needs useful and good men to fill the places of those who have worked faithfully that the world might be what it is. God has called many of them.tO' their final resting places. And one by one, sooner or later, he will call them all. Boys, you have their places to fill. Pray God that you may fill them as well as they. We trust the world may yet produce another Shakespeare and another Dickens, although the world is inclined to think this will never be. We say to fathers, educate your boys, bring out the best within them. Do not educate the mind only, but the heart, hands and soul ; when all of these faculties are developed you have the man. 89 We do not advise pushing boys through college, if you find out they have not the ability, but find out what he can do and have him learn to do that one thing well. Doing some one thing ^vtell will always bring success. The person who attempts to do every- thing, then sticks to nothing, will surely prove a failure in the end. The reason the professional man succeeds more than other men, is because he sticks to his pro- fession. Teach your boys how to make money by honest means, then teach them how to save the money after they make it. Make boys remember that they have a great responsibility in the world. TALK TO BOYS. What shall we educate our boys for? is a question that often comes up in the minds of many parents. We believe in a college education for all boys who are capable of taking in a college education. If parents will notice their boys carefully they will be able at a very early age to tell the kind of educa- tion best suited for them. The tendency is too great among the colored race of trying to make nothing but professional men out of their boys. The boy who is capable of taking in a good college course, is the boy to educate for profession, should he show talent and ability for a professional education. Parents should not try to make a medical doctor out of the boy who shows talent for a brick mason or carpenter. School teachers can be of great help to parents and boys if they wish to be. If you notice a boy in school you can tell just the kind of man he will make, also the kind of an education best suited for different boys. The writer has a friend who, as a small boy, seldom, 90 if ever, played anything but church' He had two Httle white boy friends who played with him — they were the congregation and choir. Now all three of them are godly men and priests in the Episcopal Church. They were noticed by their teachers, and their parents were advised by their teachers to educate them for priests. The colored Professor of Science in Fisk University in a conversation to the class one day told us that the worst punishment he ever received in his life he got from his teacher because he brought a bug in class and wBs showing it tO' the boys in the class and was teUing them the kind of bug it was. This orofessor has mounted in his study every kind of bug that can be mentioned ; the study of bugs is making him a noted man. Had his teacher had the brains that the other two boys' teacher had who became priests she could have seen the kind of man he was going to be, should he be trained and educated. We wish to say to boys that they first must have an end in view, then use a means to work toward the same. Work, no matter how hard the struggle may be, until you reach the end in view. Boys need to be as careful about their company as girls. We do not believe in telling boys that their sisters have a right to do whatever they do, nor do we believe that God intends for girls to do everything that boys do. He did not create them that way. Boys have a strong desire for increasing knowledge. Remember that if the mind is trained in the right channel it will thirst after knowlledge, and you will find untold pleasures in getting knowledge out of every book you can, and from different people you come in contact with. You will find in a few years that you will have a won- 91 derful lot of general knowledge. Boys, be honorable in your business relations with other boys and in your games. A manly boy will make a manly man. These things go to make a principle, and we think the world will join us in saying that the man or boy without a prin- ciple, won't do to trust anywhere. Make all out of yourselves you can and do not waste money and time in trying to be a professional man if you have not the ability, but find what you can do and then learn how to do it well and your life will be a success. GENERAL TALK. As we mean to make our book practical we thought we could reach some people in a general talk. We first wish tO' mention the voice and manner in con- versation. The reader will agree with us in saying that there are no people sought after more than the ready, intelligent talker. To amuse, instruct, and en- tertain those with whom we are thrown in contact, is an accomplishment which is worth trying to acquire. Many people owfe their success in being able to con- verse well. The Greeks considered loud talkers low- bred people. Learn tO' control the voice, it adds much to one's manners in conversing. We need to be very careful in our conversation not to hurt others' feelings. To respect the rights and feelings of others is always a mark of good breeding. There is no' quality that will impress all people like modesty and simplicity. Whether natural or acquired, it always commands re- spect. If we notice we will find that where there is general education and culture we will find simplicity. 92 The very best educated people on both sides of the ocean live the simplest. They eat simple food. They are simple in dress unless the occasion calls for fine dressing". To' learn to wear our good clothe's at suit- able times is a very important thing to make a study of for us all. We wish to^ talk a little on the subject of artificial airs. There is nothing so tiresome to a cultured person as to look on or sit and talk with people full of artificial airs. Persons who practice artificial airs really do themselves a great injustice. The eyes of the world are upon us ; we need to think, and hold ourselves above criticism as far as possible. Slander and gossip is another great evil in our lives. **Oh ! if we could see ourselves as men see us," we would bow our heads in shame. We are indeed sorry to say that the cultured world looks on a slanderer as not being a good person. Slander shows an unchris- tian, as well as an ill-bred spirit. It also shows a shallow, weak mind. Slang will impress cultured people in nearly the same way. A cultured person will feel anything rough or rude go through them like a shock. No one but an uncultivated person will fail to see that slang is vulgar. As we are finishing up our talks, we feel that we must say something about the educational work being done in Nashville. We do not believe in flattering or giving compli- ments, because flowery language is nO' longer allow'ed. Nor the reputation of being profuse with praises is not a good one. We know, however, that judicious praise is a great stimulant in life ; it encourages anyone. We all need a little encouragement, when it is deserved, and if sincere, it is usually acceptable. 93 As the writer is a teacher in Walden University, she will first speak of Walden. The imiversity has suffered in many wiays from the effects of the fire that occurred in the university in 1903. We are glad to say the fire is a thing, of the past, and that the univer- sity is now in a prosperous condition. For a general education she cannot be surpassed by any colored uni- versity in the South. The boy on entering Walden, after finishing the College Department, may have his choice of the Medical, Law, Pharmaceutical, Dental and Commercial Departments. The girl has before her the English, Normal, College, Nurse Training, Domestic Science, Dressmaking. She also has the advantage of the professional departments if she so desires. We can conscientiously say (aside) from the Law Department, of which the writer knows nothing, first-class work is being done in all the departments. The President of Walden University and the Dean of the Medical Department are both excellent and godly men. They have a far-reaching influence for good among the students. We have Fisk, w^hich is another excellent university and Hoffman Hall Episco- pal School for Girls, which is unsurpassed for young girls. It is with regret that Roger Williams is no more. May God put it into the hearts of the people to rebuild the school. We wish to call the reader's attention to the sub- ject of Domestic Science. There is no art that one can study that has a broader influence than Domestic Science. You can mention no art that stands ahead of scientific cooking. The world is dependent on good and well-cooked food. What people need good food more than students, teachers, and professional men? 94 It is an absolute necessity with them in order that they may be able to keep in condition to do their work. Good cookery is the foundation of good health, but when food is poorly cooked it will destroy the diges- tion. Every woman should know how to cook whether she ever has to cook or not, for many reasons. Poor cooking- always brings contention in a home. Cook- ing has a place in the educational world; it also has a place among the fine arts. Every year brings new schools of cookery and new books on Domestic Science are published. Owen Meredith has said that men cannot live without cooks. The writer agrees with him on the subject of the cooks. But she does not agree with him, that we can live without science. All first-class cooking is based on scientific facts. The writer hopes, if God so wills it, that she may in time, be to the colored scientific wlorld of cookery what Mrs. Rorer is to the white scientific world of cookery. The End. 95 WALDEN UNIVERSI^TY y^ ^ John A. Kumler, D.D., President T'^l NASHVILLE. TENN. DEPARTMENTS COLLKGIATE COMMERCIAL I.NDUSTRIAI. ACADEMIC NORMAL LAW DOMESTIC SCIENCE MUSIC BRADEN BIBLE TRAINING M E H A R R Y MKPICAL DENTAL PH ARM ACKITICAL NVRSE TRAINING P. W. ADAMS SOLICITOR NAPIER COURT NASHVILLE : : :: :: TENNESSEE ALSUP & McGAVOCK FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS 413 FouKh Ave., N. NASHVILLE, TENN. LAY hotoarapher coo 115 Fourth Ave., North Nashville, Tennessee . STAR DRUG STORE BOYD BUILDING 417 CEDAR ST. 'PHONE 3727.Y DEALERS IN Dru^s, Medicines, Toilet Articles Cigars and Soda Waters REED & WINSTON. Props. GIVE US A CALL HOFFMAN HALL NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG GIRLS INSTRUCTION is g-iven in all the subjects taught in the Nashville public schools, and the course includes sewing, dressmaking, cooking and all kinds of household work, ■j The fee for board, lodging, teaching, books, stationery and everything needed except clothes, is one dollar and twenty-five cents a week. T The session begins on the fourth Monday in September and lasts thirty-six weeks. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ADDRESS ARCHDEACON BATTY HOFFMAN HALL NASHVILLE, TENN. Negro Industrial School and Exchange TRUSTEES REV. J. E. PURDY, President and Manager S. S. Dungey S. S. Dungey, Treas. L. Works, Sec'y. We need W. Fleming ^__>___^^ thrifty young S. Mayes people and Alex Moore 437 and 439 eighth ave., n. . good Wm. Thompson NASHVILLE, TENN. citizens To Families Who Desire First=class Help Knowing the great need of competent help in homes, I have es- tablished a Negro Industrial School and the Industrial Exchange, located at 4H7-439 Eighth Avenue, North. This school and exchange is in readiness to furnish first-class help to homes whose names appear upon the register of above institution. We guarantee our help, and we furnish help to do all kinds of work in and out of Nashville, by the gob, hour, day, week or month. Do you want your house cleaned? Do you want your yard cleaned and fresh sod put therein? Do you want your fence whitewashed? Do you want your carpet cleaned? Do you want a seamstress? Do you want anything done? If so, call Elder J. E. Purdy, Manager. Telephone 4578. To register it will cost 50 cents for one year, and if needed we will send you help every day without extra cost. If I cannot obtain the kind of help you want out of my association, I will send to the coun- try and get it. I propose to handle nothing but first-class help. This is "not an employment bureau, but an association. If you desire to register, telephone me, as I will only furnish help to those who do. DR. H. T. NOEL Office. 411 Fourth Ave.. N Telephone 1477 R ESI DENCE. 903 Fifth Ave.. S Telephone 3125-Y NASH VI LLE, TEN N. Ex-President A. M. A. of C. P. and S. Demonstrator Anatomy Meharry Medical College