A Strange Kind of Economy.
By W. A. Blakely
"Don't throw that away," said a saving mother one day to the kitchen girl, "we can make 'camp-toast' of it for breakfast; the children think it so good." And the bread, sour, heavy, and full of soda, already unfit for the human stomach, was fried in grease and highly seasoned with pepper, salt, sage, etc., to be eaten by the children! Is it any wonder that they were frequently unwell and subject to headaches? and that early in life they were troubled with dyspepsia? Children who eat such food lose control of their appetites and often overload their stomachs. They have no relish for plain, wholesome food, and must have pickles, catsup, rich preserves, chow-chow, spices, pepper, salt, etc., to satisfy their perverted tastes, and to stimulate their poor, weak, and overworked stomachs; while frequent cups of tea, coffee, and chocolate are made to take the place of the saliva provided by nature to moisten the food and assist in its digestion. Poor cooking is very common, and an effort is made to conceal it by "seasoning." The "economical" mother never throws away her sour pastry and bread, but makes them into fancy dishes for breakfast! As might be expected, appetites thus perverted demand something stronger, and the boys soon follow the example of their father in the use of tobacco; and only a few years later they go further and become slaves to the cup. How sorry the mother now is that her boys are going to ruin! How she now labors for them! But all the time she had been a temperance (?) woman, giving both time and money to the temperance work. Little did she realize that she was sowing the seeds of death in her children by perverting their appetites. Many a mother has been thus directly responsible for the ruined health, and dishonored life of her own offspring. Yet, notwithstanding the deplorable results, this state of affairs is common. Poor cooking, and eating poor food to save it, is quite general. Such economy is the greatest extravagance. Sacrifice health, happiness, and even morality itself, to save a few cents! Contract doctor's bills, make life short and unhappy, and have your days filled with trouble, that you may save the few additional pennies that it would cost to have good food, good cooking, and a bright and happy home! Better buy several sacks of flour and practice until you can make good bread than to have an unhappy husband and dyspeptic children. But if the bread or pastry is not well-baked or has soured, never use it for food, for the sake of "economy." Neither should sauce when sour, preserves when "turned," fruit when partially decayed, nor meat when it is "high," ever be used for food. Care exercised in these respects will preserve health and prevent doctors' bills. "Bad cookery," says Professor Jewell, "has destroyed more men than famine, pestilence, or war." If such be the case, or if the statement be but half true, it should warn all to look well to this branch of domestic economy. Intemperance too often begins at home; then guard against it by seeing that good, healthful, well-cooked food is always provided for the table; and better health, fewer quick tempers, happier children, and a reduction in the total expenses, will be the sure result. W. A. BLAKELY.