The complete Indian housekeeper & cook

than one hour before that meal is to be served. He shovel not devise ingenious patterns with the spare silver. He should not attempt to fold up the cloth unaided, and so reduce it to creases. He should not make a separate jouiney to the pantry for each separate article, but use a tray, like a reasonable human being. He should not wash up glass, china, plates, and silver in one small dcgchi with a rag tied to a stick. He should not clear away the table and lay it for the next meal whilst the family are still at table. He should not use the table napkins as kitchen cloths. He should not conceal, or attempt to conceal, a dirty duster about his person when waiting at table. He should not leave things to be washed up till they are wanted. Finally, he should not say the kettle is boiling when it is not. This is an inexcusable offence, but universal. The khitmutgdrs first duty is to send in the cUta hdzri to the bedrooms at the appointed hour. The tray should be covered with a tray cloth, and a cosy be invariably provided for the teapot. This done, the sweeper should be called to sweep the dining-room, and the under-khit should then throw open the windows, shake out the curtains, dust and polish chaii's and tables, whilst the head khit turns his attention to the sideboards, burnishing up the set silver, if any, and putting everything in order. He should also remove the flower vases, see that they are clean, and place them I’eady for re-filling on the gardener’s table on the verandah. Before laying the table for breakfast or any meal, the khil must first inquire of the cook what dishes are to be served, otherwise he cannot know what articles will be required. This is rarely done, and is at the bottom of half the frantic dives into the pantry of which we have complained above. The khit should then lay the table carefully, placing on the sideboard every extra which may be wanted, and he should satisfy himself that the under-khit has put a sufliciencj’ y6 The Complete Indian of plates and dishes into the hot case. This can easily be made in the bazaar out of an old tin-lined packing-case. A few wire shelves and a pan of charcoal will turn it into a very efficient plate-warmer. These rules are to be observed at every meal. In regard to breakfast, specially, it may be noticed that every dish should be brought in at once on the biitler’s-tray and placed either on the sideboard or table, according to the custom of the house. If a person refuses one dish, another should be handed at once, as there are no set coui’ses at breakfast. Nothing save meat dishes and plates should be removed from the table until the guests have risen, and butter, &c., taken from their places to be handed round, should be returned to the same spot. Wash- ing up must never be commenced till the family have left the dining-room, as the pantry is generally close by, and the clatter is annoying. Everything should be cleared away at once ; the cups put ready to wash in the pantry, the greasy plates outside ; the jam, sugar, butter, bread, cruets, &c., returned to their places ; the cloth brushed, folded, and placed in the press. When all this is done comes the time for washing up.