Practical home cookery

had disposed of the fish to her friend Mrs. , who had called, seen the fish, and, thinking it remarkably cheap, had offered 15s. for it, which offer had been gladly accepted. The wretched man’s feelings can be better imagined than described ; but the moral of the story, which is really true, seems to be — Don’t deceive your wife ! CHAPTER IV. A FEW years ago the leading comic journal of the day had the following graphic little sketch : — A middleaged gentleman, leaving his house-door in the morning, inquires : “ What is there for dinner to-day, Mary ? ” “ Cold mutton, sir.” ” Then you can tell your mistress that she need not wait dinner for me.” Now, although this sounds exceedingly selfish, yet perhaps the blame is not entirely due to one side only. There can be no doubt that, just as among the lower orders there are hundreds of wives who, from ignorance and stupidity, drive their husbands to the public-house, so among the middle classes there are as many who from the same causes too often drive them to the “ Club.” Now, the increase in the number of these luxurious establishments in the present day is something wonderful. It has already had a marked effect upon the restaurants in the metropolis, some of which now do not dine half what they did formerly ; but it remains to be seen how far the clubs will in time affect the Registrar-General’s marriage-returns. As this latter point is of the greatest importance to that large and charming portion of the population, the young unmarried ladies, we trust we may be pardoned if for one moment we pause to ask them a few questions. Did you ever consider how your future husband is accustomed to dine every day, and contrast it with the way in which he will dine when you will have the management of the household ? We will suppose him to be accustomed to the ordinary club dinner, or say the regimental mess. Do you not feel how entirely dependent you will be on your cook ? Should she be clever and honest, you may do very well. Should she, however, be idle and dishonest, what will you do ? Now do not, pray, think that to get a good commonsense cook is by any means an easy affair. If you only inquire of your friends and relations, you will soon find out the difficulty. You have all probably read that exquisite little sketch in “ David Copperfield,” who mildly addresses his “ child-wife ” as follows : — “ You must remember, I am sure, that I was obliged to go out yesterday when dinner was half over, and that the day before I was made quite unwell by being obliged to eat underdone veal in a hurry ; to-day I don’t dine at all ; and I am afraid to say how long we waited for breakfast, and then the water didn’t boil. I don’t mean to reproach you, my dear, but this is not comfortable.”