As a rule, the gardener or the mistress arranges the flower
vases, but it is the bearer’s duty to take them back into the
drawing-room when they are ready. Pie should remember
that as he is responsible for all the ornaments and the many
valuable things left lying about a drawing-room, it is to his
interest not to let strangers in. On the weekl}^ cleaning
day the flower vases should be thoroughly washed out with
soap and water, taking care to remove all sediment with a
bottle brush. If soap and water fails to restore the polish of
the glass, a few drops of sulphuric acid in the water is infitllible.
After breakfast the bearer should be in attendance on his
mistress at the godown, and report openly to her anything
which has occurred in the compound during the last twenty-
four hours which she ought to know. He need fear no
enmity from other servants if he does this fearlessly, openly,
and honestly.
If he has charge of the wine, he should ask for what is
needed, and keep his mistress informed as to the supplies in
his charge. He should see the grain weighed out for the
horses, cows, and poultry, and should never fail to report any-
thing unsatisfactory in their management.
The bearer should be ready to receive callers from twelve
o’clock till two. Unless his mistress has told him to say
“dnrwasa bund” (the Indian equivalent for not at home), he
should at once usher the visitors into the drawing-room and
present their cards to his mistress, wherever she may be.
He must never do this wdth his fingers, and a small tray for
receiving the cai’ds should always lie on the verandah, or
hall table.
One of the most important parts of a bearer’s work is the
charge of the lamps, and yet not one man in a thousand
knows anything about it. Most lamps in India burn kerosene
oil, and the great secret of making them give a good clear
lio-ht is cleanliness. When a tin of kerosene has to be opened,
it is only necessary to make a hole in two opposite corners of
the top, about the size of a jiea. Ibis can be done with a
round nail and liammer. As a full tin of oil generally runs
twenty-five bottles, the bearer should have that number
Housekeeper and Cook 59
ready. He should then decant the whole tin into the
bottles, and at once report any deficiency to his mistress.
By this means fraud on the part of the supplier will be
detected at once, and also the very common adulteration of
the oil, as the bearer will be able to see if it runs clear and
uniform in tint to the very bottom. To fill the lamps the
reservoirs should be removed from their stands to a separate
table and most carefully filled with a funnel by means of a
proper can or an old teapot. If any kerosene is spilt on the
reservoir, it should be thoroughly removed. If it is necessary
to remove the burners, before replacing them the loose ends
of wick should be squeezed dry by drawing them down-
wards through the fingers over a basin or empty tin kept for
the purpose. The burner should then be held to the light,
to see that all air-holes are free from dust or dirt. Any
clogging is fatal. When the burner is replaced, the wick
should be very slightly turned up and cleaned, not cut, by
gentle rubbing with a duster and a final squeeze between
finger and thumb. If any threads or unevenness appear, they
may be carefully removed with the scissors, but as a rule
scissors should never touch the wick.
Page 39
Presented as published in 1898. 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 modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
As a rule, the gardener or the mistress arranges the flower
vases, but it is the bearer’s duty to take them back into the
drawing-room when they are ready. Pie should remember
that as he is responsible for all the ornaments and the many
valuable things left lying about a drawing-room, it is to his
interest not to let strangers in. On the weekl}^ cleaning
day the flower vases should be thoroughly washed out with
soap and water, taking care to remove all sediment with a
bottle brush. If soap and water fails to restore the polish of
the glass, a few drops of sulphuric acid in the water is infitllible.
After breakfast the bearer should be in attendance on his
mistress at the godown, and report openly to her anything
which has occurred in the compound during the last twenty-
four hours which she ought to know. He need fear no
enmity from other servants if he does this fearlessly, openly,
and honestly.
If he has charge of the wine, he should ask for what is
needed, and keep his mistress informed as to the supplies in
his charge. He should see the grain weighed out for the
horses, cows, and poultry, and should never fail to report any-
thing unsatisfactory in their management.
The bearer should be ready to receive callers from twelve
o’clock till two. Unless his mistress has told him to say
“dnrwasa bund” (the Indian equivalent for not at home), he
should at once usher the visitors into the drawing-room and
present their cards to his mistress, wherever she may be.
He must never do this wdth his fingers, and a small tray for
receiving the cai’ds should always lie on the verandah, or
hall table.
One of the most important parts of a bearer’s work is the
charge of the lamps, and yet not one man in a thousand
knows anything about it. Most lamps in India burn kerosene
oil, and the great secret of making them give a good clear
lio-ht is cleanliness. When a tin of kerosene has to be opened,
it is only necessary to make a hole in two opposite corners of
the top, about the size of a jiea. Ibis can be done with a
round nail and liammer. As a full tin of oil generally runs
twenty-five bottles, the bearer should have that number
Housekeeper and Cook 59
ready. He should then decant the whole tin into the
bottles, and at once report any deficiency to his mistress.
By this means fraud on the part of the supplier will be
detected at once, and also the very common adulteration of
the oil, as the bearer will be able to see if it runs clear and
uniform in tint to the very bottom. To fill the lamps the
reservoirs should be removed from their stands to a separate
table and most carefully filled with a funnel by means of a
proper can or an old teapot. If any kerosene is spilt on the
reservoir, it should be thoroughly removed. If it is necessary
to remove the burners, before replacing them the loose ends
of wick should be squeezed dry by drawing them down-
wards through the fingers over a basin or empty tin kept for
the purpose. The burner should then be held to the light,
to see that all air-holes are free from dust or dirt. Any
clogging is fatal. When the burner is replaced, the wick
should be very slightly turned up and cleaned, not cut, by
gentle rubbing with a duster and a final squeeze between
finger and thumb. If any threads or unevenness appear, they
may be carefully removed with the scissors, but as a rule
scissors should never touch the wick.