THE BUCKEYE COOK BOOK

ning the knife under it in a semicircular direction to 3. The fat so esteemed by many lies on the ridge 5. By turning over the meat some excellent slices are found, and can be cut lengthwise.

A tongue should be carved as "thin as a vi-afer ;" its deli- cacy depending in a gi'eat de- gree upon that. A well cut bit tempts the most fastidious ; and this applies, an fact, to all kinds of roast and boiled meats. A chunk of beef we turn from with disgust — an artistic slice we enjoy. The center slices of the tongue are consid- ered the best, and should be cut across at the line i, and the slices taken from each side, with a portion of the fat which is at its root, if it is liked. The question should be asked.

HAUNCH OF VENISON. A haunch of venison should

be cut across to the bone on the line i — 3 — 2, then turn the dish a little, and put the point of the knife at three, and cut down as deep as pos- sible in the direction of 3 — 4, and continue to cut slices on the right and left of the line. The fattest parts are found between 4 and 2. A loin of veal and a loin of mutton should be jointed by the butcher before it is cooked, and the carver easily cuts through the ribs, and should serve a portion of the kidney and the fat on each plate. A fillet of veal is cut in thin, smooth slices off the top, and portions of the stuffing and fat helped to each. In cutting a breast of veal, separate the breast and brisket, and then cut them up.

In serving fish, some practice is needful, for lightness of touch and dexterity of management are requisite to prevent the flakes from break- ing. In serving mackerel, shad, etc., a part of the roe should be placed on each plate. The fins of the turbot are the most sought for ; this fish is placed underpart uppermost on the platter, as there lies the primest part. In carving salmon, a portion of the back and belly should be served to each person. The choicest morsels are next to the head, the thin part comes next, and the tail is the least esteemed. The flavor of the fish nearest the bone is not equal to that on the upper part.

HOUSEKEEPING. ' 341

HOUSEKEEPING.

Housekeeping, whatever may be the opinion of the liutterflies of the period, is an accomplishment in comparison to which in its bearing on woman's relation to real life and to the family, all others are trivial. It comprehends all that goes to make up a well ordered home, where the sweetest relations of life rest on firm foundations, and the purest sentiments thrive. It is an- accomplishment that may be acquired by study and experiment, but tlae young and inexperienced housekeeper generally reaches success only through great tribulation. It ought rather to be absorbed in girlhood, by easy lessons taken between alge- bra, music and painting. If girls were taught to take as much genuine pride in dusting a room well, hanging a curtain tastefully, or broiling a steak to a nicety, as they feel when they have maste^'ed one of Mozart's or Beethoven's grand symphonies, there would be fewer complaining husbands and unhappy wives. The great lesson is to learn that work well-done is robbed of its curse. The woman who is satisfied only with the highest perfection in her work drops the drudge and becomes the artist. There is no dignity in slighted work, but to the artist, no matter how humble his calling, belongs the honor which is inseparable from all man's struggles after perfection. No mother who has the happiness of her daughter at heart, will neglect to teach her first the duties of the household, and no daughter who aspires to be queen at home and in her circle of friends, can afford to remain' ignorant of the smallest details that contribute to the comfort, the peace and the at- tractiveness of home. There is no luck in housekeeping, however it may seem. Evei^thing works by exact rule, and even with thorough knowledge, eternal vigilance is the price of succ'ess. There must be a place for everything and everything in its place, a time for every- thing and ev.erything in its time, and " patience, patience " must be written in blazing capitals all over the walls. The reward

342 THE BUCKETfE COOK BOOK.

coffee, tough meats, unpalatable vegetables, indigestable pastry, and the whole train of horrors that result from bad housekeeping ; on the other hand, success wins gratitude and attachment in the home circle, a,nd adds lustre to the most brilliant intellectual accomplishments.

One of the first ideas the young housekeeper must divest herself of is that because she is able or expects sometime to be able to keep ser- vants, it is therefore unnecessary to understand household duties, and to bear their responsibility. " Girls " are quick to see and note the igno- rance or incapacity of the mistress of the house, and few are slow to take whatever advantage it brings them, while the capacity of the mistress at once establishes discipline. The model house should not be large, nor too fine, and pretentious for daily use. The mistress of many a fine mansion is the veriest household drudge. A great house, with its necessary retinue of servants, is not in keeping with the sim- plicity of a republic where trained servants are not known, and is sel- dom pleasant for the family or attractive to friends. The furniture should be selected for comfort rather than show. Most modern chairs put their occupants to torture, and throw them into attitudes anything but graceful. Comforlable chairs should have broad seats, and a part at least, low seats for women and children. Carpets should as a rule be of small patterns. The stoves, if grates are not used, should be of the kind that may be thrown open or closed at pleasure, and burn either wood or coal. If a furnace is used great care must be taken that the rooms are not kept too hot in winter, and that there is most thorough ventilation, as the health of the family depends as much on the quality of the air they breathe as on the food they eat. There must be plenty of sunlight, floods of it in every room, even if the carpets do fade ; the housekeeper must be quick to note any scent of decay from vegetables or meats in the cellar, or from slops or refuse carelessly thrown about the premises. Every room must be clean and sweet. In sickness care in all these respects must be doubled. In damp and chilly autumn and spring days a little fire is com- fortable morning and evening. The food for the family must be fresh to

HOUSEKEEPING. 343

taint. Its use means disease and costly doctor's bills, to say to nothing of her own loss of repute as an accomplished housekeeper. If child ren and servants do work improperly, she should quietly insist on its being done correctly, and in self-defense they will soon do it correctly without supervision. Order and system mean the stopping of waste, the practice of economy, and additional means to expend for the table and for the luxuries and elegancies of life, and money in these things is well expended. It requires good food to make good muscle and good brain, and the man or woman who habitually sits down to badly cooked or scanty dmners, fights the battle of life at a great disadvaatage.

THE PARLOR. The dusting of a parlor seems simple enough but is best done system- atically. All fragile movables should be stored away carefully in some neighboring closet, and the furniture protected as far as possible by covers, or removed from the room. Open the blinds and let in the light, and open the windows if it is not storming or too windy. Look on the ceiling for cobwebs, and sprinkle the carpet over with moistened bran, salt, damp coffee grounds, or tea leaves. Clean out corners and edges with a sharp pointed stick and stiff whisk broom, brush thoroughly under the heavy furniture with a parlor brush, then with a clean, fine and rather light broom make long, straight strokes the "right way" of the carpet. Short strokes dig into the carpet, wear off the nap, and raise more dust. Now leave the room until all dust is settled, then with a. long feather duster, brush the dust from eveiy piece of furniture, from the tops of windows and door casings, panels and knobs, upper edge of base-board, picture frames, etc. Next take a clean soft cotton cloth or an old silk handkerchief, or better a soft dusting towel with fleecy surface which is sold expressly for this pur- pose, and rub, not simply wipe the furniture. If any spot of dust is too firmly fixed, wash in lukewarm soapsuds, and immediately rub dry with chamois skin. If there is open work carving, draw the cloth through or dust with a paint brush, and it will be found more conveni- ent to blow out some of the places which are difficult to reach, for which a small pair of bellows may be used. To clean and dust a piano, use a half yard best canton flannel with nap free from all specks- and grit, brushing lightly over to remove the dust ; if there are finger marks or spots, rub up and down over them, always keeping the nap

344 THE BUCKEYE COOK BOOK.

next to the instrument ; dust under the wires may be blown out with a pair of bellows. Keep the piano closed at night and in damp weather; open on bright days and if possible let the sun shine directly upon the keys, as the light will keep them from turning yellow. Tune every spring and fall. As a last finishing touch to the rearranging of the parlor, leave late papers, magazines, a volume of poetry, or a stereoscope and views where they will be readily picked up by callers. THE SITTING ROOM.

The sitting room should be the pleasantest, because most used, of all in the house. Do not put down a Brussels carpet here, as it is too hard to sweep and holds too much dust. To prfevent moths under the carpets, grind black pepper coarsely, mix with camphor gum, and strew thickly about the edges and wherever they are apt to be found. To clean the oilcloth, use warm water without soap, or what is much better, milk and water ; to make it wear well give it one or two coats of linseed oil, dry thoroughly and then varnish. By keeping mats at the doors it will only be necessary to sweep the sitting room thor- oughly once a week, but occasionally when very dusty it may be cleaned by setting a pail of cold water by the door, wet the -broom in it, knock off the drops, sweep a yard or so, then wash the broom as before and sweep again, being careful to shake all the drops off the broom, and not to sweep far at a time. If done with care the carpet will be very nicely cleaned, and the quantity of dirt in the water will be surprising. The water must be changed several times. Snow sprinkled on a carpet and swept off before it has time to melt, is also nice for renovating a soiled carpet. A scrap bag hung on the sew- ing machine, for storing all bits of cloih' and ravelings and ends of thread, will save much sweeping. In summer, wire doors and mos- quito netting in windows will keep flies out and at the same time admit the air. Washing windows and wiping off doors once a week after sweeping and dusting, keeps all tidy. To remove finger marks, which are constantly appearing on doors about the knobs, use a damp •cloth as soon as they are observed.