964. Of Neatness in the Breakfast-room.—In order to avoid soiling the carpet in the breakfast-parlor, while you are lighting the fire and cleaning the stove, you should have a piece of drugget, about a yard wide and two yards long, or cloth of some kind, to lay down; but whichever you use, always use it the dirty side upwards. Without this precaution, the most careful person cannot prevent the carpet from getting dirty before the fire-place.
965. Punctuality in Servants.—Punctuality is a very essential quality in a cookmaid, who ought to regulate her work so that the dinner should always be ready at the appointed time; and to avoid any mistake in this particular, she should know precisely the length of time required to cook each kind of food, according to the taste of those for whom she cooks, and then she should allow herself about fifteen to twenty minutes more, to take up the dinner, and for any little hindrance that may occur, she will be tolerably exact. The best means of being punctual is to keep everything in its proper place, and fit for use, so that no time may be lost in looking for this thing or that, or in having to clean any utensils that may be wanted for cooking.
966. Economy in the Kitchen.—Never waste anything, but have places and purposes for all articles in your keeping. Habits of economy are easily acquired, and the cookmaid would do well to consider how much more valuable she must be to her employers, and how much more she will be respected, if she be careful, and make the most of the property that is intrusted to her charge, than if she uses it wastefully.
967. Cleaning the Hall, &c.—If you are quick with the breakfast-parlor work, you will, very likely, have time to clean the door-steps and passage before breakfast, which is much better than leaving them till afterwards: but this will, of course, depend on the breakfast-hour, as you must not, on any account, neglect to see that the water in the kettle is boiling, the urn-iron hot, and everything ready to take up the moment it is wanted.
968. Making Breakfast.—If you have toast to make, or bacon to cook, take care to have a clear fire, so that it may be done quickly, when wanted, and not before; for both toast and bacon should be hot from the fire, and not suffered to stand after they are done. Dry toast should be thin and crisp; to keep it so, set it on its edge in the toast-rack, directly it is made.
Never boil eggs by guess; if you have no clock in the kitchen, you should have a sand-glass or egg-boiler, for in guessing at the time, it is not possible to be quite exact, and half a minute too much or too little will spoil an egg. It is the duty of the cookmaid to prepare the breakfast; and that of the housemaid to carry it up to the breakfast-parlor.