382 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



was a wineglass full of very hard cider, made 

 effervescent by a crumb of sal soda. More 

 potent and palatable is the concentric force of 

 'the pure lemon acid. 



We venture to claim for this self-treatment 

 alone, faithfully applied, more relief for the 

 body and stimulus to the mind than from a 

 battery of pills or quarts of herb decoction. 



Common Sense in Summer. The 

 employment of the natural common sense pos- 

 sessed by intelligent adult humanity would do 

 much to mitigate the discomforts of our torrid 

 summers. Natural appetite, if not corrupted 

 or perverted, is an excellent guide to eating 

 and drinking. The following of Procrustean 

 rules as to the quality and quantity of food is 

 pernicious. An unvarying amount of food, 

 as three hearty meals each day, which might 

 be healthful for winter or the cool weather of 

 autumn, is not appropriate for the intense 

 heats of summer. No set of rules can be laid 

 down for anybody's guidance, still less is it 

 competent to make rules for everybody's guid- 

 ance ; but a few simple suggestions made by a 

 physician recently may not be amiss. 



He said : " Keep cool in temper ; enter into j 

 no argument or contention on politics, ethics, 

 or religion ; restrain anger ; attempt no athletic 

 feats of rowing, walking, or ball playing ; 

 look on the pleasant side of your circumstances ; 

 be kindly affectionate, as St. Paul recom- 

 mended ; do not sit outdoors long after sun- 

 down - the less of this the better ; never 

 work before breakfast ; eschew meats as much 

 as possible and chew food thoroughly ; drink 

 but little ice water or hot tea and coffee 

 warm tea is not injurious. Lemonade in 

 moderate quantities is not hurtful. Alcoholic 

 stimulants should be tabooed entirely unless a 

 physician's prescription compel their use. Do 

 not allow your dress to be a burden in material 

 or amount, nor have it so light and thin that 

 the body, from perspiration, becomes chilled." 



BREAKFAST. 



The substantial and hearty meal partaken 

 of by Americans is the bone of a very great 

 contention. On the one hand it is maintained 

 it is the ruin of digestion and the most pro- 

 lific source of dyspepsia, etc. On the other 

 hand it is shown that, for a busy, active peo- 

 ple, and also for a people who generally have 

 only two meals a day breakfast and dinner 

 the meal is none too substantial. However, 

 which is right or wrong, must be a matter of 

 individual opinion and experience. 



The difficulty lies in what is eaten at break- 

 fast. More attention could be, with very great 

 advantage, bestowed on this meal. The table, 

 to begin with, could be fresher and more cheer- 



ful, with flowers and fruit ; tablecloth and 

 napkins white, with a colored border too, have a 

 much more pleasing effect than a cloth en- 

 tirely colored. Too often the breakfast-room 

 is about the worst for the purpose in the house 

 dark, dismal, and chilly. 



The dishes should be varied ; a change 

 should be striven for every day. The beef- 

 steak one day should be plain, another day 

 with fine herbs or stewed tomatoes over it, 

 with brown oyster sauce or onion sauce, etc. ; 

 then vary it with chops, eggs, kidneys broiled, 

 stewed, or saute 1 ; with fish, in the many differ- 

 ent ways described ; tripe, oysters, liver, and 

 the many other preparations given, such as 

 savory hashes of game, beef, lamb ; with slices 

 of cold, boiled and roast beef, mutton, etc. ; 

 grilled or deviled, and served with any sort ot 

 piquant sauce. 



Fresh fruit and salads are to be commended 

 for breakfast very relishable and extremely 

 healthful. Oatmeal, too, is to be particularly 

 recommended ; eat it the first thing at break- 

 fast every morning. Eschew too Jiberal in 

 dulgence in hot breads ; accustom yourselves 

 to eating bread (homemade) twelve hours old. 



Breakfast parties are rapidly com'rg into 

 fashion they have been popular abi Tad for 

 some time usually served at 9 A. M. to 12 

 M. Of course the earlier they are served the 

 more appropriate they are as breakfasts. Some 

 bills of fare are given as selections for parties 

 and also for family use. The dishes marked 

 in italics may be left out, if thought too elab- 

 orate, without spoiling the effect of the break- 

 fast. 



Family Breakfasts. 



Spring:. 



Oatmeal and milk. 



Stewed apples. 



Rolls, butter, coffee, chocolate, broma, or tea 



Beefsteak, broiled oysters. 



Lyonnaise potatoes, poached eggs on toast. 



Rice cakes, syrup. 



Spring. 



Cracked wheat and milk. 



Stewed prunes. 



Bread or rolls, butter, coffee, etc. 



Mutton chops, fried bacon. 



Boiled eggs, potatoes & la maitrc d'hotel. 



Waffles, cinnamon and sugar. 



Spring. 



Fried hominy. 



Stewed dried peaches. 



Rolls or bread, butter, coffee, etc. 



Broiled ham. with fried eggs. 



Mutton and potato hash, browned. 



Baked potatoes. 



Flannel cakes, powdered sugar. 



Summer. 



Coarse hominy, boiled. 

 Strawberries and orojun. 

 Bread, butter, coffee, etc. 

 Broiled chicken, stewed potatoes. 

 Dried beef, dressed with cream. 

 Radishes. 

 Muffins. 



