A wedding-cake is an expensive thing to make at
home, but a far more expensive thing to buy. For a
highly-ornamented wedding-cake almost fabulous prices
are asked ; and there is something very satisfactory in
having it made at home. A httle ingenuity will easily
enable any one whose fingers are gifted to make a small
round centre ornament with glazed white cardboard, a
little silver paper, and orange-blossom. When the cake
is large, something raised in the centre is a great set-off
to its appearance.
I trust what I have written may be the means of
enabling some young couples to start in the world with
some extra £20 or ;^30 in pocket than otherwise ; but
it is not so much to them that I would speak as to
the conscience of the old man, the bride’s father, that
I would address my remarks. You know you are
really a little proud of what you think is getting your
daughter off your hands respectably. You know, too,
that you have never opened so many bottles of cham-
pagne in all your life before. You know, too, that many
members of your son-in-law’s family will visit your
house on this occasion, that will probably never visit
WEDDING BREAKFASTS.
i8i
it again. Now has that fact anything to do with all
this outlay, which you know you can’t afford ? Very
likely ; but then it is really very snobbish. No, pater-
familias, don’t show off, and no one will think a whit
the worse of you for it. Pocket your £50, give quite
a plain breakfast — no champagne at all — brave the
world, and then furnish a room in the new house with
the money, and instead of calling it “ the breakfast-
room,” call it “ the wedding-breakfast room.” One
word in conclusion. If you will give champagne,
give it good, or they will all laugh at you — they will
indeed, they will laugh. Young men, bachelor friends
of your son-in-law, will say, ” Did you taste that fellow’s
wine ? Wasn’t it awful ? ” — which will call forth the
remark, ” Ah, I don’t suppose he had opened many
before.” Therefore, whatever you do, give good cham-
pagne, or none.
CHAPTER XX.
FOOD FOR INVALIDS.
The sick-room — what echoes does not the very name
awaken in the memories of the past ! There are few
moments in our Uves’ history more solemn than those
when we have watched by the bedside of one we love,
whose life is trembling in the balance, and whose soul
and body seem held together by so shght a thread that
a breath of wind would part them. What vows have
we not vowed, what good resolutions have we not
formed, and how chastened have our minds been in
these our hours of agony ! for of very truth " adversity
doth best discover virtue.”
Then — the doctor’s visit. With what an anxious
look will the wife, wearied with watching, try to read
his eyes as he feels the pulse of the languid patient !
what a rush of joy fills her heart, as she sees the doctor
smile ! for hope is brightest when it dawns from fears.
The crisis is past, the patient is pronounced much
better, and is ordered some good strong beef-tea. With
burning eyes and bursting heart the thankful wife
turns away to give the necessary orders, not forgetful,
let us trust, of her vows vowed, of her resolutions made,
or of the Great Physician who alone can cause the bhnd
to see and the lame to walk. ✪ Beef Tea
Page 97 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1906. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A wedding-cake is an expensive thing to make at home, but a far more expensive thing to buy. For a highly-ornamented wedding-cake almost fabulous prices are asked ; and there is something very satisfactory in having it made at home. A little ingenuity will easily enable any one whose fingers are gifted to make a small round centre ornament with glazed white cardboard, a little silver paper, and orange-blossom. When the cake is large, something raised in the centre is a great set-off to its appearance.
I trust what I have written may be the means of enabling some young couples to start in the world with some extra £20 or ;^30 in pocket than otherwise ; but it is not so much to them that I would speak as to the conscience of the old man, the bride’s father, that I would address my remarks. You know you are really a little proud of what you think is getting your daughter off your hands respectably. You know, too, that you have never opened so many bottles of champagne in all your life before. You know, too, that many members of your son-in-law’s family will visit your house on this occasion, that will probably never visit
it again. Now has that fact anything to do with all this outlay, which you know you can’t afford ? Very likely ; but then it is really very snobbish. No, paterfamilias, don’t show off, and no one will think a whit the worse of you for it. Pocket your £50, give quite a plain breakfast — no champagne at all — brave the world, and then furnish a room in the new house with the money, and instead of calling it “ the breakfastroom,” call it “ the wedding-breakfast room.” One word in conclusion. If you will give champagne, give it good, or they will all laugh at you — they will indeed, they will laugh. Young men, bachelor friends of your son-in-law, will say, ” Did you taste that fellow’s wine ? Wasn’t it awful ? ” — which will call forth the remark, ” Ah, I don’t suppose he had opened many before.” Therefore, whatever you do, give good champagne, or none.
CHAPTER XX.
The sick-room — what echoes does not the very name awaken in the memories of the past ! There are few moments in our Uves’ history more solemn than those when we have watched by the bedside of one we love, whose life is trembling in the balance, and whose soul and body seem held together by so shght a thread that a breath of wind would part them. What vows have we not vowed, what good resolutions have we not formed, and how chastened have our minds been in these our hours of agony ! for of very truth " adversity doth best discover virtue.”
Then — the doctor’s visit. With what an anxious look will the wife, wearied with watching, try to read his eyes as he feels the pulse of the languid patient ! what a rush of joy fills her heart, as she sees the doctor smile ! for hope is brightest when it dawns from fears. The crisis is past, the patient is pronounced much better, and is ordered some good strong beef-tea. With burning eyes and bursting heart the thankful wife turns away to give the necessary orders, not forgetful, let us trust, of her vows vowed, of her resolutions made, or of the Great Physician who alone can cause the bhnd to see and the lame to walk.
Records on this page
Beef Tea