Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, July 20, 1907, Page 9

A Cook That Wants No Wages ‘By Mrs. Richard Wainwright The Modern Andromeda a Sacri- fice to the Cook-Stove—How Two Lazy Women Solved the Cook Problem—The Aladdin Oven a Novel Substitute—‘‘No Heat, No Smell, and Needing No Overseer’’—A Boon for Business Woman, Bride and Suburbanite —Every Library Has Book Con- cerning the Aladdin Oven. (Copyright, by Joseph”B. Bowles.) right, 1906, by Joseph B. Bowles.) Richard Wainwright, wife of Wainwright, U. S. N., was not at her husband’s side at the blowing up of the Maine, nor dgain in Santiago bay when he astonished the world by n during the destruction of C ips, but she shows in the follow- le traits approaching the heroic 3 g to help the intelligent women he country to lighten their labor.) What if a delightful old fairy god- mother, like Cinderella’s, should walk into the kitchen some evening and find you resting after a hard, long day spent in the unending and pitiless serv- ice of that fiery dragon, the cook stove? This monster, like the one in the story of Andromeda, requires a woman to be chained up for its benefits, and sometimes, indeed, it exacts her life unless some gallant, rich Perseus comes as her deliverer. What if the dear old fairy god- mother should wave her wand and say: “I will loose these chains and Yet you go once more free and happy; 1 transform this monster now, on the spot, into a neat little box, with a cook inside, at your service!” If she should work the trans formation, place the kitchen lamp un- der the box, into which put the food you wish cooked on the dishes in which it will be served, close the box and the kitchen doer. Go~to see the tennis match, the great game of football or the latest orchid in the flower show. Return when you are ready, and you will find a hot, well- cooked meal in the box, all ready to place on the table. Can you imagine poor Andromeda saying: “No, old lady, no! I like to be chained here. I love this mon- ster with his dirt and his cruel ex- actions. I will be roasted, burned, broiled and stewed in his service, and when he does not need me I will stand for hours over a sink scrubbing the metal pots he delightsein that he may have the vessels sacred to his use, bright and ready when I must again serve him.” How foolish of Andromeda! How incredible, even! Yet this is just what thousands of women are doing, while that very magic box with the cook inside is waiting to be bought and has been written about and much used for certainly 20 years. The Aladdin oven has been before the public quite that long, and yet its advocates are like missionaries in a far country who have such a pre- cious message to deliver and no one seems to understand the language in which it is spoken. TF hope that my experience with this really wonderful invention may be of service to some of the poor slaves of the cook stove and incompetent cooks, and, like a siren whistle, pierce the ears of the deaf and inattentive and cause them to stop and listen. Jean Paul Richter says: “Only ance in her life does a poor woman hold up her head and look at the world as it really is. All her youth her head is bent and her eyes are downcast in study and submission and later her head is bent over her sewing or her endless housework. Only when she loves does she stand upright and is pushed out into the sunshine by lov- ing, willing hands, for her short holi- day with her lover, before her head is again bent forever.” Now every wom- an who does her own cooking can hold up her head like a betrothed maiden all the year round. For several years this Aladdin oven has been used by a family of four with such success, health, pleasure and profit that now so great do its perfections seem to them all that they are ready to swing incense and crown it with flowers every morning as an appropriate expression of their grate- ful appreciation of its labors in their service. There it stands in the cor- ner always silent, ready and efficient; no heat or smell, needing no overseer, and working for them while they play or sleep. I hope an account of an experiment with this delightful tittle cook may cause some other won an to try it also. . “Hast thou two loaves, sell one and ‘buy jacinths to feed thy soul.” Two poor women longed for the unattain- able, a house by the sea, their own Seach and garden and their very own ‘where the beach and garden could be view, with the solitude This seemed reserved for the rich, for had for a.small sum of money no cook would come on account of the lonesiness; yet to do the cooking them- selves meant labor that would spoil any holiday, for who could enjoy the garden, the view and the beach if she must give up the best part of each day to preparing three meals with the usual cleaning up afterward? How- ever, they decided to try the Atkinson box. A comfortable cottage was built, three miles from the nearest village, on the seashore’ and the two incapable southern women, who -had never need- ed to lift a finger in their lives for real housework took possession. | In the south, although we complain be- cause it is the fashion to do so, about servants, we very seldom find it neces- sary to do without tnem; there is always old Aunt Jane, who was moth- er's cook, or Malvina, who likes a job occasionally even if she is old, to come and help. So it was felt to be a great experiment to do without even one servant; but the glorious view, the dear little home, the free- dom and the solitude, were worth the trial. The Aladdin oven consists of a box with the shelves inside; under it is placed a common kerosene lamp. The heat is shut between layers of asbes- tos and a thermometer outside the door indicates the heat inside. The lamp, which holds a gallon of oil, is filled once a day after breakfast, and burns 24 hours, or even longer, if you keep it very low and as the food often cooks 12 hours, very little heat is needed. Breakfast is put on the stove after supper in the evening and is quite ready by six o’clock the next morn- ing. It is equally good at 8:30 o’clock. Dinner goes in after breakfast, and supper after dinner. It does not mat- much needed in this busy America. ' ; theodore P. Shonts, both a southerner ter if you reverse this order and have your dinner later and luncheon in- stead of dinner, or if you only turn the lamp low enough if you do not eat the dinner put in the stove at nine a. m. till 7:30 p.m. This was often the case with us when we were away on picnics or excursions. Every evening after supper one lazy woman washed the tea things—a sort of survival of the fittest, for every- thing not absolutely necessary was soon discarded for the faithful and essential few, and a centerpiece and jars of flowers took the place on the table of the usual ornamental dishes and silver—while the other, in her pretty muslin and ribbons, gayly pre- pared the simple breakfast, placing it on the shelves, shutting the door, and turning down the lamp for the night. This took about 15 minutes, usually, more or less; then they both departed and joined congenial friends waiting to enjoy the sunset with the cook or perhaps to discuss Maeterlinck’s latest play with the waitress. The next morning at 8:30, after a delicious swim in the sea and a leis- urely toilet, the box was opened and a steaming hot, well-cooked breakfast was ready. Again did the lazy one wash the breakfast things; there never are any pots or pans. Mean: while the pretty cook, in a ‘crisp white dress put in the dinner. This usually consisted of roast beef, peas, rice, roast potatoes, tomatoes, and a sweet pudding, and took about half an hour to prepare. The beef was on its china -platter, the vegetables in their own French china dishes and the pud- ding in its, pretty decorated Japanese covered dish. As soon as they were all in, off went these happy women for a long morning filled with -sail- ing, gardening, books and walks—all the joys of an idle summer day. They reached home at one o’clock, hungry and gay, rushed in, opening the box, and took out the very best dinner one_ would wish to eat—hot, savory and nutritious. The supper was then pre pared, and again all the afternoon was before them to enjoy as they wished. The stove is not perfect by any means, nor will it do everything ex- actly like an ordinary range; of course not. It has its limitations, as we all have. The ob, ctions usually urged against it is that it will not heat water for household use. As well might you re fuse to go on the railroad because it cannot go along on the water or use the telegraph because it cannot carry bundles or a furnace because, although it uses tons of coal, needs an at- tendant and wastes much heat, it will not do the cooking—which is really very thoughtless and inconsid- erate of the furnace. What the Aladdin oven will do is to take the place of a cook, whose principal labor is not so much cooking the food as watching tc see that it does not burn from the fierce fire she kindles. However, so serious does this objection about wa- ter seem to be that I have not yet in- duced one person to buy an oven and follow my example. Yet there are many ways of getting all the hot wa- ter you want, and when you want it. We have an oil stove and a wash boiler with a spigot in it that gives us an abundance of water. The food that is roasted, stewed or baked is best, as might be expected from the slow cooking, and is so del- icate and excellent in flavor that the ordinary cooking seems coarse and poor after it. If you must have free- dom to buy jacinths to delight your soul, perhaps you will not sigh for delicacies that take much labor to prepare and cook. If you really de- sire them you can always make them over an ordinary oil stove or in a chafing dish, while the Aladdin oven, in a dignified and untroubled man ner, attends to preparing the real nu- tritious food for the day. Of course those who can hire a cook need not try one. Why should they, indeed? -- -+. .. EVELYN WAINWRIGHT. Brains of Mountain and Prairie in De mand in the Financial Center. Ever since the early days, when D, |! O. Mills, J. B. Haggin and James R. Keene “emigrated” from California to inew York, the metropolis has been drawing largely on the west and south tor its supply of “men who do. things.” and westerner, who has undertaken to solve New York’s great transit prob- lem, is the latest importation in re- sponse to the call of the east. ‘ The promptness with which Thos. F. Ryan, of Virginia, turned the Equit- able Life Assurance Society over ‘to its policyholders, who now elect a ma- jority of its Board of Directors, and divested himself of the control of. the stock which he bought: from Jas. H. Hyde, and the success of the new management of the Society under the direction of President Paul Morton, have created a demand for the strong men of the south and west that is greater than ever before. Under the Morton management the Equitable has made a better showing than.any otier insurance company in the way of im- proved methods, economies and in- creased returns to policyholders. E. H. Gary, head of the greatest cor- poration in the world—the U. S. Steel Co.—John W. Gates, Henry C. Frick, Norman B. Ream, Wm. H. Moore and Daniel G. Reid are other westerners who are among the biggest men in New York. } 3 TALES OF A PHOTOGRAPHER. 8trange Requests Made of Him by All Sorts of People. Portrait taking is not so monotonous and uninteresting a calling as one would suppose. In the course of a day a photographer meets with unu- sual adventures and learns remarkable stories about people. Recently a well-known photographer in a large city was visited by a lady who asked hi mto photograph more than 200 miles. These were addressed to the lady by a man and were of a very ardent nature. After she had secured pictures she purchased. the plates and smashed them. It is presumed the woman was offered a sum for the return of the letters, but wished to retain her hold on the man besides getting the money. On another occasion a photographer was summoned by a prominent society man, who directed him, to take a pic- ture of a man, whom he described, as he was leaving a house. The photog- rapher concealed himself near the door and snapped the man. He later saw the picture in a newspaper as that of a man who figured in a fa- mous divorce suit. Sometimes photographers are called upon to take the pictures of two friends meeting after a long absence. Many can tell of taking pictures of dead pets for broken-hearted house- women. A photographer recently took a picture of a dog laid out in a shroud in a little coffin. In London a photographer was called to the house of a wealthy man, whom he found dressed in the costume of King Lear. He posed and ordeerd several pictures to b esent to friends. Late rthe photographer learned the man had committed suicide. Ye Sympathetic Friend. Friend—Got a cold, I see. Jinks—Yes, a little one. “You ought to be mighty careful. That cough needs attention.” “Think so?” “It has a regular graveyard sound.” “Good gracious!” “Awful dangerous time for people with colds—grip, pneumonia and quick consumption everywhere.” “Eh?” “Yes. A friend of mine took a cold, not half so bad as yours, last week, and in three days he was dead.” “My stars!” “Fact. The doctor said my friend might have pulled through if he hadn’t worried so much. Take my advice and try not to think about it.” A SMALL SECRET. Couldn’t Understand the Taste of His Customers. Two men were discussing the var- ious food products now being supplied in such variety and abundance. One, a grocer, said, “I frequently try & package or so of any certain article before offering it to my trade, and in that way sometimes form a different idea than my customers have. “For instance, I thought I would try some Postum Food Coftee, to see.what reason there was for such a call for it. At breakfast i didn’t like it and supper proved the same, so I naturally con- eluded that my taste was different from that of the customers who bought it right along. “A day or two after, I waited on a lady who was buying a 25¢ package and told her I couldn’t understand how one could fancy the taste of Postum. “I know just what is the matter,’ she said, ‘you put the coffee boiler. on the stove for just fifteen minutes, and ten minutes of that time it simmered, and perhaps five minutes it boiled; now if you will have it left to boil full fifteen minutes after it commences to boil, you will find a delicious Java-like beverage, rich in food value of gluten and phosphates, so choice that you will never abandon it, particularly when you see the great gain in health.’ Well, I took another trial and sure enough I joined the Postum army for good, and life seems worth living since I have gotten rid of my old time stom- ach and kidney troubles.” Postum is no sort of medicine, but pure liquid food, and this, together with a relief from coffee worked the change. “There’s a Reason.” ~ _ hee SOURCES | OF EMBARRASSMENT TO GUESTS. ‘Temptation to Sympathize with Ap- parent Victim Is Something to Avoid—Where. Diplomacy Is Called For. Few things are more embarrassing than to find one’s self a guest in a dis- united household. - One must be gifted with wonderful tact and prudence’to be able to avoid taking sides and making remarks which embroil one with all parties, for no matter how much they fight among themselves they are certain to make a common cause against an outsider. After one has been cut a few times they learn not to put their fingers in between the blades of the scissors. Yet, how persistent is the tempta- tion to sympathize with an apparent victim and mingle our own indigna- are made the confidant. It may be the wife who is at odds by the conduct of a son-in-law, or the younger sister in a jealous rage against her seniors. «© Almost surely it is one of the wom- en of the family who pours out an ac- count of her sufferings in the guest’s ears. * Men are not above making a break- fast table scene by a casual utterance of slurring observation upon women in general, which particular women are bound to take up and respond to with all the enthusiasm of self-de- fense. But these caustic remarks are usually thrown off carelessly and with- out the betrayal of wounded feelings, which characterizes irony of women. It is scarcely possible to be an in- mate of a woman’s family where she is at variance with her husband, and remain strictly neutral and impassive without convincing her that you are heartless and absolutely unsympa- thetic. One finds it safest to express ad- miration and wonder at the patience and long suffering of the woman who thus craves your sympathy, mingled with dextrous little compliments for good qualities in the offending man whom she would be ready to tear your eyes out for abusing. After all, diplomacy is the course most nearly approaching justice, for in family feuds there is invariably something to be said in favor of all parties. A NOVEL FAN BAG. Provides Against Loss of This Very Useful Article. The number of lost and strayed fans which are generally found in the ball- room after a dance tells its own tale, and surely points a moral for those who are anxious not to buy a new fan after every party. Some such ° little fan bag as the one which we illustrate might save many a fan from an un- timely end. It would be useful, too, for taking to the theater, or when traveling by train, in evening dress, from the suburbs. The shape of the bag is so simple that the sketch does not require much in the way of explanation. The bag might be made in brocade, with a satin lining, edged with silk cord in some shade to harmonize, and fin- ished with a long loop of satin rib- bon which can easily be twisted roynd the wrist, or suspended from the waist. A little sachet powder scat- tered between the brocade and the lining would be an improvement to a bag of this description, and would be just enough to give a delicate per- oe tion with the outbursts of which we! FEUDS IN FAMILIES HEART-SHAPED SHOE POCKET. Useful Where Absence of Room Is te Be Considered. The difficult problem of how best to keep one’s shoes fresh and free from dust when not actually in use is one which is not very easily solved, espe- cially in the case of a small bed room, where anything in the shape of an or- dinary boot cupboard would take up too much room, In the accompanying sketch a practical suggestion is given for making a very pretty wall-pocket,|! W~-- specially intended to hold a pair of shoes. The idea, of course, might be enlarged upon, and receptacles pro- vided for two, or even three, pairs, if preferred. The pocket should be made in strong cardboard, covered either with serge or with any odd piece of silk or brocade, bound at the edge “with strong silk cord and bordered with a box-pleated frill of ribbon in some harmonizing color. A wide loop, with a bow of ribbon to match, should be attached at the top to hang the pocket up against the wall. ALL IN COLOR SCHEME. Hats and Gowns Made Brilliant by Contrasting Shades. Colors in everything once more, Hats are again brilliant in their ef- fect by reason of the color contrast of the flowers or plumes used to trim them. The same rule is observed on dressy indoor gowns. As an example in a gown of Chinese pink in Mar- quisette, the skirt falling over athin liberty satin to match. From the knee upwards this sheer silk is plisse, while upon the bottom, just long enough to lie with ease upon the ground, is a double line trimming, in a half-inch piping of crab blue satin of that pale exquisite tone which so happily blends with the oriental pink. The same satin is used for bias bre- telles and for a bias belt drapery. The lace of the bodice and sleeves is dyed to match the pink skirt, the bod- ice lining being of the Marquisette, while chiffon of the same plisse, soft- ly fills up the V’s front and back and shows also in an inner sleeve close fit- ting. Real lace armlets for these sleeves and a real lace neckband in cream white adds to the becoming: ness.— Vogue. Summer Day Wear. a pale mauve cloth in light weights is popular for gowns to be worn on cool summer days, while an exquisite shade of coral pink and one in blue are most effective. Olga cloth has come into notice again, for its satin finish and luster make it extremely well adapted to the,long, graceful lines that are a feature of this year’s styles. The plain skirts that are so becoming show off to the best pos- sible advantage any fine material, and the colors take a light and shade that are most artistic in the soft folds. These afternoon gowns for the sum: mer season are in truth a delight to anyone who loves clothes for clothes’ sake. They are not the essentials of the wardrobe, but the luxuries that enable a woman. to attain her highest ambition of being always correctly gowned. Effective Color Scheme. Pale moutarde yellow and mauve make a charming color scheme if the right tones are used, and the same is true of yellow and willow green and yellow and nattier blue. A model ob- served along the Place Vendome, says a Paris correspondent, is gracefully carried out in pale yellow mousseline bordered by wide black stripes and a crossed fichu of white mousseline is folded inside of the draped bodice. A knot of soft mauve satin is at the bust line, and the girdle is of the striped mousseline plaited lengthwise so that only the black stripes show. The sleeve is in one with the bodice, the armhole reaching to the girdle top and finished in bands of embroid ery and lace. The undersleeves are o} chiffon to match the fichu. To Edge Collars. To edge her collars the Parisienne is using a tiny little ruche made oj linen or very soft fine tulle. It is easily changed and makes a becom ing finish. A Vivid Description of the Most In- sidious of Diseases. Miss Emma Shirley, Killbuck, N. Y., writes: “Kidney disease mysteriously : fastened itself upon me two years ago and brought awfui headaches and dizzy spells. I was all un- strung, weak. and nervous, could scarce- ly totter about. Pains in the side and back completely unnerved me. My food dis- tressed me, I looked badly and the kidneys were noticeably deranged. I sank lower and lower until given up and at this critical time began with Doan’s Kidney Pills. Details are un- necessary. Twelve boxes cured me and I weigh six pounds more than ever before. They saved my life.” Sold by all dealers. 50 cents a box. Foster-Milburn Co, Buffalo, N. Y. How He Got a Verdict. It was a case of breach of promise. The defendant was allowed to say a in his own behalf. “Yes,” he said, “I kissed her almost continuously every evening I called at her house.” Lawyer (for defendant)—Then you confess it? Defendant—Yes, I do But I had to do it. Lawyer—You had to do it! do you mean? Defendant—That was the only way I could keep her from singing. The jury gave a verdict for the de fendant without leaving their seats. confess it. What Another Breed. “Now about air ships.” “Well?” “Will they allude to them as aerial greyhounds?” “Why, certainly not. They will be sky terriers, if anything.” Not the Place He Wanted. An English tourist in the West Indies had been warned against bath- ing in a river because of alligators, so he went in swimming at the river mouth, where his guide assured him there would be none. “How do you know there are no al- ligators here?” he asked, when he had waded out neck deep. “You see, sah,” said the guide, “dey’s too many sharks here. De alli- gators is skeered out. Dis ain’t no place for dem, sah.” THE STORY OF A WISCONSIN MAN IN WESTERN CANADA. Three Years Ago Worth Only $2,000; To-Day Is Worth $13,000. The following is a copy of a letter, of which the Agents of the Canadian Government throughout the United States receive similar ones many times during the year: _ Cayley, Alta., Dec. 7, 1906. Agent Canadian Government, Watertown, S. D. Dear Sir: Your letter dated Nov. 27th at hand and was very glad to hear from you. I see that you are still at work per- suading people to move into the Cana- dian Northwest. I must tell you that I owe you many thanks for persuading me to come out here, am only sorry that I wasn’t persuaded sooner, and there is still plenty of good chances for many more right at the present time. I hope that you will be able to induce more to make a start out to this part of the country. Now I must tell you what I have accomplished since I came out here and it won't be three years till the Ist of July. I shall shortly receive my patent for my homestead, the home- stead cost me $10.00 in all, to-day it is worth $30.00 per acre, but it is not for sale. Then a year ago last May I bought 320 acres at $7.00 per acre and sold this fall for $20.00 per acre and cleared a profit of $4,160.00. How is that for the Northwest? I now have 320 acres of land and all paid for, 15 head of horses, 30 head of cattle, 22 pigs, 2 sheep and about 150 chickens and other poultry, and all new ma- chinery and everything is paid for. We also bought 8 lots in Calgary and 7 in High River. We gave $470 for the 15 lots and they are paid for. At present I consider myself worth $13,- 000.00, and when I left Wisconsin less than three years ago I had about $2,000.00. This year I threshed a little over 4,000 bushels of grain, have about one thousand bushels of fine potatoes and about five hundred bush- els of turnips. Mrs. Beisiegel sold about $200 worth of garden truck and poultry this fall. Now there are lots of others in this community who did as well as I did in the same length of time. The family and myself are all well at this writing and hope this letter will find you the same. Yours very truly, (Signed) PHILIP BEISIEGEL, Cayley, Alta., Canada. Not Sentiment. He—Oh, please, Mile. Jeanne, do not call me Mr. Durand. She (coyly)—Oh, but our acquain- tance is so short. Why should I not call you that? He—Well, chiefly because my name ls Dupont, i Ladies Can Wear Shoes ; e size smaller after using Allen’s Foot- Ease. A certain cure for pains becsiive: hot, aching feet. At all Druggists, 25c. Ac- t no substitute. Trial package FREE. A A. 8S. Olmsted, Le Roy, N. Y. Many a joy remains undiscovered until our eyes are dimmed by som ~—aae i