844 
THE BUBAL NEW-YOBKER. 
DEC 8 
I fully believe in good food, well cooked, 
plainly cooked, and nicely served, and I just 
as fully disbelieve in elaborate made-up 
dishes iu an attempt to make one thing taste 
like another by moans of condiments, or in 
making food, winch is good and wholesome in 
and of itself, unwholesome and indigestible 
by an attempt to make it “rich” or unduly 
appetizing by the unnecessary addition of 
other ingredients. I believe, too. that any 
father who complains of his daughter’s lack to 
provide “pies” for the hired men under the 
circumstances surrounding such as those de¬ 
tailed by “F. D.” is either inexcusably 6eltish 
and un fatherly, or ignorantly careless and 
thoughtless. I do not think very much can 
he done iuthe way of reforming tho habits or 
tastes of old, or even middle-aged people, 
whose lives have run in a comparatively nar¬ 
row groove; but everything can bo done for 
children and young people. I need not go 
outside my own family for an illust ration of 
the effect of training. My little son of six 
years, who never ate a stick of candy in his 
life, and who looks upon candy eating chil¬ 
dren with pitiful contempt, and to whose 
mind a desire for candy is ns absolutely 
foreign as for a poisonous berry, is iu com¬ 
plete contrast to the child next door, maybe, 
whose foremost wish always is for ‘‘some 
candy” or “coke” or “jam.” 
I think, too, there are a great many “cod¬ 
dled” men in this world, and women are the 
coddlers. Mothers coddle their sons, and do a 
thousand and one things for them that the 
boys should do for themselves. They humor 
their notions and nurse their whims altogether 
beyond what gi rls receive i n this way. Wom¬ 
en do not care half as much about what they 
have to eat as men do, or, at leart, as to what 
women think men ought to have to eat. A 
woman will make her own dinner on a piece 
of bread and butter and a dish of apple 
sauce, whereas, if her husband is coming he me 
to dinner, she fries meat, mashes potatoes, 
cuts cold slaw, brings up apple-butter or 
cider apple sauce from the cellar and makes 
a peach pie, and feels considerably anxious 
even then lest, the Grand Mogul has not well 
dined. Now all this is right and well, if both 
are made happier by it; but when a woman's 
strength is under tension; when she toils so 
thatshe is as tired in the morning as she is at 
night, theu the man that demands his “pie,” or 
even allows his wife to make it, no longer de¬ 
serves the name of husband, save in an old 
sense which signifies “houseboor ” Husbands 
or sons who think more of their palates, and 
the way in which their bods are “made up’ 
than they do of tho welfare of those best of 
friends—mothers and wives—are worse than 
the heathen, as they fail in duty to their own 
households. 
“F. D.” is inclined to ask if the men, iu dif¬ 
ferent States, vary so much in disposition ? 
They do, not so much iu States politically 
considered, as in states of disposition. Some 
men are considerate, intelligent, unselfish, 
thoughtful and abounding in that kindness of 
spirit which impels them to cherish those 
about them. Others are gruff, selfish, over¬ 
bearing, tyrannical, narrow, pi'ejudiced, and 
bigoted in proportion to their ignorance, 
which is enormous. Take a man of this type 
who is master in his house, and who 
never sees a mistress in it, who takes 
the most comfortable chair for his 
own, and looks “daggers” at anyone 
who dares to sit in it when he appears, whose 
Alpha and Omega of travel is the distance 
between his house and the country store—oh 
met think of trying to “make over” such a 
mau—of depriving him of his “pie,” or of his 
nightly glass of cider and his doughnut! 
Where such a man insists that the moon is 
made of green cheese, your wisest plau is 
meekly to assent, and then to run away at 
your first good chance. 
pity for the benefit of the rising genera¬ 
tion that this feeling could not be better un¬ 
derstood and combated that country people 
are not all “boors” and “ greenhorns;” that 
they are intelligent, and often deep-thinking. 
Communion with nature renders them serious, 
if slow. They may not be so quick-witted at 
repartee, as a rule, but. they are close observ¬ 
ers, aud good at drawing correct conclusions, 
The great men who have been the deepest 
thinkers lived the closest to nature, studied in 
her hook, aud acquired knowledge from the 
riches of the earth’s natural treasures. And 
if pure air and good food give sound mind 
and a sound body, then the country denizen 
is really the richer. We canuot weigh or 
count the wealth we enjoy in the freshness of 
our fruit and vegetables, the sweetness of our 
milk and butter, the flowers and tries that de¬ 
light our eyes, the pure air and water, the 
delightful song of birds, and many sources of 
j our wealth, that we must lose in order to 
appreciate. With good schools, and a free- 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
frem the animal’s throat. This makes the 
blood-pudding, a favorite dish of the Germans 
with sauer-kraut. 
I will not detail the hearty zest with which 
all hands participated in disrobing the ani¬ 
mals of their bristly garb and preparing it 
for the fiual dressing. The head, tail, and in¬ 
ternal edibles were reserved for the day’s 
feast. And one must know what a luxury 
meat is among the hard-working peasantiy to 
realize their enjoyment on this occasion. 
Delmonieo’s daintiest savors are not so tempt¬ 
ing to a finished epicurean as the fumes of 
boiling pork and fat to the keen-edged appe¬ 
tite of the peasants. The first course, consist¬ 
ing of the meat liquid, is served to the poor, 
who never fail to present themselves with 
kettles towards evening. Each receives a 
quantity in proportion to his needs, in return 
for ivhich the housewife is blessed with the 
good wishes that the pig may last forever, 
that the larder may never show its bottom, 
etc. Meanwhile, the good man has prepared 
a plate for the magistrate, the pastor, and 
each of his friends, and the little one startsoff 
with the first, taking care not to iutnide far¬ 
ther than the door of those high dignitaries’ 
dwellings, who acknowledge the gift with 
three pennies, and the deferential courtesy of 
keeping one’s humble place with six. Then 
come the friends and relatives. Here we enter 
with the smoking plate right in the midst of 
the expectant family. Supper is usually 
spread with extras and awaiting its expectant 
plate, which, while we present it with a 
phrase in favor of a good apnetite, is emptied 
into the great dish in the center of the table, 
and returned with a silver ffroschen and the The sixteen-years-old girl who details in the 
promise to return the courtesy ere long. In Rural of September 29 her discouragement 
this manner the whole village is supplied in trying to substitute plain desserts for pies, 
with fresh meat by friendly interchange j the amount aud variety of work she does with 
during the whole of November; and chil- her own hands, has been so often iu my mind 
dren are made happy with their acquired that I am tempted to deviate from my usual 
wealth. The last plate served, a boun- I custom of not replying to comments made 
t.iful table awaits our return. For once the upon what I write, for I should have my 
hungry eye may feast solely ou meat. The hands full if I did, and try and say something 
head of the family takes the initiative by for encouragement. “Rome,” dear girl, “was 
helping himself to his favorite portion, and not built in a day,” and it takes time, often a 
the rest dive in for an ear, a tail, a jaw-bone, 1 great deal of time, to overcome old preju- 
or whatever else may specially tempt his dices, old notions, and particularly old habits, 
taste, dip each separate mouthful into a salt- A great many people prefer inconvenient, ill- 
cellar, the meat being purposely boiled un- arranged, ill-fitting and unfavorable things 
seasoned, and the feast of Thanksgiving is in for the sole reason that they are accustomed 
full progress. Of its beneficence on the digee- to them. And so there are a great many peo- 
tive organs I remain silent, haring due re- pie who prefer pies, hot breads, fried food, 
spect for the nightly visitations of ghosts, unwholesome pickles, boiled cabbage, fat 
even though they appear to the fevered brain pork and food of the most indigestible charac- 
in the shape of headless pigs. Suffice it that ter, because they have been used to it, and 
it hastened my discharge of obligation. For, feel defrauded if they do not have it, even 
the next day, I conscientiously interred their though from a scientific and intelligent stand- 
hoofs with great ceremony and a funeral point what is vastly better is put in their 
assembly of playmates, who were then feasted place. So in trying to make a change in the 
on my newly-gotten wealth of about twenty- food for the family, the Farmer’s Daughter 
five cents. should bear in mind that she should not ex¬ 
pect immediate reward for her praiseworthy 
undertaking. And I call her undertaking 
altogether praiseworthy, and one requiring 
real courage, and I should not be afraid to 
predict that a girl who, at sixteen years of 
age, evidently uses her brains ns this girl 
seems to do, will, If her health does not break 
down under her work aud her cares, not only 
work out her own salvation as a housekeeper 
aud houseworker, but contribute very largely 
to that of those about her. 
However much “pie” and its kindred dishes 
may be adhered to indifferent sections of the 
country, it is time that, upon the whole, pie¬ 
eating has diminished probably one-lmif with¬ 
in the past 25 years, and the longevity of 
human life has increased. How much the one 
has to do with the other I do not pretend to 
know, but, unquestionably, sanitary knowl¬ 
edge has been the chief contributor to it. It 
is no longer fashionnble to be delicate, nor 
“interesting” to be slender and pale. A sound 
mind in a sound body is what, the present gen¬ 
eration most desires. At- tables whero I have 
been entertained during the past year—or 
for many years previous—where pie has been 
once served for desert, fruit has been served 
twenty times. The best apple pie I ever ate 
never surpassed the best baked apple, nor 
equalled it—and think of the difference of 
work involved iu the preparation of the two! 
And I must confess t.hut I oould never see the 
good sense or the good taste displayed in 
spoiling strawberries by putting them into 
what is called “strawberry shortcake.” 
CHILD’S COAT 
This design for an outside garment can be 
worn by a child from three to six years of 
age. The materials are velvet, plush or ca h- 
mere. Cut the tabs around the bottom two 
inches wide and four deep; the silk for the 
lining, the same. Sew the edges of both to¬ 
gether, then turn them. Fawn-colored cash- 
mere, with the loops lined with cherry or 
crimson satin, and the bows of the same color 
on the front, is a veiy pretty combination, x. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
BERTHA A. ZEDI WINKLER, 
A FARMER’S DAUGHTER’S EXPERI¬ 
ENCE. 
In view of turkeys, tarts, puddings, and 
with olfactory cognizance of various delicious 
savors which await the great holiday times of 
America, our thoughts revert to other homes 
across the ocean. The contrast of November 
joys and abundance is so great as would make 
one smile were it not for the sadness of it. 
The head of afresh killed pig for turkey, 
bread for additional, aud salt for relish, 
gravy and dessert! ’Tis bliss indeed to know 
of nothing better. For they enjoy it not a 
whit less tbau our select and rich variety. 
But it is not a regularly appointed Thanks¬ 
giving day. Germany, with all her Spring 
revels and harvest fetes, is too prudent and 
economically inclined, in the sober days of 
November, when Winter’s bareness and 
want stand at the door, to indulge the mere 
pleasures of appetite. We only mention it 
in connection with our Thanksgiving day 
as a recollection of the same season; and 
because, as the last modest indulgence before 
Christmas, it is virtually their day of thanks 
that it is as well with them as it is. They 
call it “Slaughtering time,” however; and 
no doubt their pigs and our feathery tribe 
unanimously acknowledge its force and un¬ 
handsomeness of the term as more appropri¬ 
ate than “Thanksgiving.” 
The occasion is most eagerly anticipated 
by the little people, partly owing to the trag¬ 
edies enacted, which exercise such a mys¬ 
terious fascination over most minds; and 
partly owing to the custom of sending friends 
and the chief personages of the village, a 
plate of fresh meat which enriches the bearer 
with spending-money. Weeks before the 
event they mentally count their prospective 
cash, and dispose of it in such childwise ways 
that the confectioner always lays in a fresh 
stock of “goodies” for “Slaughtering-time.” 
How well 1 remember feeding tho pigs clan¬ 
destinely in the thoughtlessly cruel hope that 
they would fatten and fall a sacrifice to my 
desires before the slow-coming November. 
How many debts I contracted on the streugth 
of it; and how, after all, on the last night of 
their existence, I shed tears of remorse, and 
solemnly bound myself to bury the hoofs, 
their only remains not utilized, decently that 
the witches should not get them to make 
drinking-cups. 
Early in the morning, when the bustle of 
great preparations hustled us out of bed, we 
took a f;»rew ell look at the victims; anil, find 
ing them trembling in a corner of the pen, 
wisely concluded that they must have been 
killed once before to show such dread of the 
coming ordeal. Gi ca t tubs were rolled out ) 
kettles of water placed on the fire, murderous 
knives gleamed in the twilight, and when the 
butcher filled the threshold with his burly 
figure, master, mistress, children and servant, 
the latter armed with a mysterious looking 
jug and wooden spoon, stood in awed readi¬ 
ness. My feelings had reached their climax of 
COUNTRY VERSUS TOWN, 
BY ANNIE L. JACK, 
We have doubtless all read Trowbridge’s 
“ Farmer John,” aud returning home to our 
tranquil country life, from the great cities, 
have felt sympathy for his delight in getting 
“His black coat off aud his old clothes on.” 
To a resident of the country, how noisy and 
dusty and hot, are the city streets iu Summer! 
He w alike are the people in dress, manner, 
expression and pre occupation! There is a 
flippancy of manner, a touch of superiority 
over the country living friend chat jars upon 
one’s sensibilities. 1 went into a store the 
other day when on a shopping excursion. Noth¬ 
ing in my appearance warranted the least 
familiarity, and the shopman treated me in 
my purchases with deference and attention. 
He brought to my notice nil the new brands 
of sauces and pickles, proving by his manner 
that he supposed mo a resident of tho town. 
Then I gave my address, of course beyond 
the “ limits” of the great city that made his 
world. Presto, change! An air of patronage 
was assumed, and he asked me with 
what he considered a vory facetious maimer, 
if I did not want some “ butter and eggs ?” I 
passed over the would-be wit without a reply, 
and speedily concluded my purchases, not 
blaming the man so much as the sentiment 
that actuated him. It is, however, a great 
ANOTHER “DISGRACE” HEARD FROM 
“ Well, what if they do grumble at plain 
dessert.’ Who is immaculate man, that we 
womeu must always give up every comfort 
aud convenience for his benefit t Are we not 
free and equal? Does not “ Disgrace’ do as 
much toward providing homes aud comforts 
as those pompous lords of creation who con¬ 
descendingly permit us to call them husbands? 
Aye, and more, as they sometimes admit 
when our burden becomes more than vve can 
bear, and they have to submit to the tender 
mercies of a Bridget for a time. As far as 
my experience goes, farmers’ wives are little 
better than slaves, never stopping work from 
early morn until late at night; nothing to 
change the everlasting routine, not even 
going to church on Sunday, for often there is 
nothing fit to wear, or, if there is, our stern 
master doesn’t choose to hitch up and drive to 
