In regard to other household questions. The bearers account for odds and ends is apt to be a source of trouble ; indeed, a well-known Indian story tells of a bachelor who with a smile paid 820 rupees at the end of a year for sool- sooie-button (needles and threads and buttons). This was a palpable extravagance ; yet the usual price charged am acquiesced in for matches, even in the hot weather, when the mere thought of fires is offensive, is 8 annas a monUi ; for which sum 4 dozen boxes can be bought. It is wise, therefore, to limit the number of odds and ends, for which this servant is responsible, to the lowest ebb. JIuirans (dusters) are another source of trouble. Some ladies give them out every day, others once a week. The latter is per- haps the best way, if it ends in inspection, as you can then see the dirt better, and impose a fine tor the using of glass cloths as sink swabs, and so on ; while in the daily plan, tlie di<nutv which doth hedge about a perfectly clean cloth, gives a fictitious virtue to the servant using it ! As a rule, one and a half-dozen coarse kitchen cloths, half-a-dozen glass, and half-a-dozen tea-cloths per week should suffice to remove all possibility of excuse from the pantiy. 1 Since writing the above, complaints that after a time the sted saucepans require tinning have reached the ° a mistaken notion. The pans do no require tininng. If scrubbed with sand or Brookes’ soap, hey will "ca avsaj without the necessity for tinning. There is no copper to require , and the last film of steel is as safe as the first. CHAPTER II THE STOREROOM This should contain proper shelves and recejjtacles. A lo^ of common earthen ghurras — or earthen pots with lids will be found most useful for rice, coarse sugar, split peas, soojec, Szc. Empty tins- — especially kerosene tins — of all sorts can be utilised by having suitable covers made for them. Great care is necessary in seeing that everything is tightly closed, or black ants and other insects will be a constant trouble. A two or three tiered table with strong wooden legs Avhich can be stood in earthen saucers kept full of water, will be found most useful in the storeroom. On it all open tins, sugar, &c., can be kept in perfect security if the saucers arc kept full of water. In some things it is, of course, desirable to leave a certain supply with the cook, as it is extremely inconvenient to have to go to the storeroom for more potatoes, &c., if unexpected guests appear. But it is very easy to arrive at a fair idea of the weekly consumption of some few articles, and these it is best to give out in a lump, on the principle of avoiding all unnecessary trouble. Once the average has been fixed, any departure from it can be checked by recalling immediate control ; this generally reduces the offender to reason at once. If ghee is used in cooking, it is well to buy it in quantities of a seer or two, and give it out. Otherwise one is never certain what abomination the khdnsdmah may not pur- chase. Even at the best houses it is no uncommon thing to find good dishes entirely spoilt by bad butter or ghee.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

In regard to other household questions. The bearers account for odds and ends is apt to be a source of trouble ; indeed, a well-known Indian story tells of a bachelor who with a smile paid 820 rupees at the end of a year for soolsooie-button (needles and threads and buttons). This was a palpable extravagance ; yet the usual price charged am acquiesced in for matches, even in the hot weather, when the mere thought of fires is offensive, is 8 annas a month ; for which sum 4 dozen boxes can be bought. It is wise, therefore, to limit the number of odds and ends, for which this servant is responsible, to the lowest ebb. JIuirans (dusters) are another source of trouble. Some ladies give them out every day, others once a week. The latter is perhaps the best way, if it ends in inspection, as you can then see the dirt better, and impose a fine tor the using of glass cloths as sink swabs, and so on ; while in the daily plan, the dignity which doth hedge about a perfectly clean cloth, gives a fictitious virtue to the servant using it ! As a rule, one and a half-dozen coarse kitchen cloths, half-a-dozen glass, and half-a-dozen tea-cloths per week should suffice to remove all possibility of excuse from the pantiy. 1 Since writing the above, complaints that after a time the steel saucepans require tinning have reached the ° a mistaken notion. The pans do no require tininng. If scrubbed with sand or Brookes' soap, they will not wear away without the necessity for tinning. There is no copper to require , and the last film of steel is as safe as the first. CHAPTER II THE STOREROOM This should contain proper shelves and receptacles. A lot of common earthen ghurras — or earthen pots with lids will be found most useful for rice, coarse sugar, split peas, soojec, Szc. Empty tins- — especially kerosene tins — of all sorts can be utilised by having suitable covers made for them. Great care is necessary in seeing that everything is tightly closed, or black ants and other insects will be a constant trouble. A two or three tiered table with strong wooden legs Avhich can be stood in earthen saucers kept full of water, will be found most useful in the storeroom. On it all open tins, sugar, &c., can be kept in perfect security if the saucers arc kept full of water. In some things it is, of course, desirable to leave a certain supply with the cook, as it is extremely inconvenient to have to go to the storeroom for more potatoes, &c., if unexpected guests appear. But it is very easy to arrive at a fair idea of the weekly consumption of some few articles, and these it is best to give out in a lump, on the principle of avoiding all unnecessary trouble. Once the average has been fixed, any departure from it can be checked by recalling immediate control ; this generally reduces the offender to reason at once. If ghee is used in cooking, it is well to buy it in quantities of a seer or two, and give it out. Otherwise one is never certain what abomination the khdnsdmah may not purchase. Even at the best houses it is no uncommon thing to find good dishes entirely spoilt by bad butter or ghee.

The complete Indian housekeeper & cook