IN GRANDMOTHER'S DAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 38, 14 February 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

IN GRANDMOTHER'S DAYS.

I was taking tea witli a dear old lady of ninety years of age a few days ago, and you can imagine my surprise when, after tlie meal, the maid brought in some hot water and a small towel. The dear old lady smiled and, noticing my astonishment, laid down the towel. "Have you never seen this done ?" she asked. I admitted that I hadn't. "Oh," she went on, as she took up some of the delicate china and commenced to wash it in the extra large slop-basin, "when I was a girl, the best china was never allowed to leave _ the drawing room. T. have done this little bit of washing-up all my life." She concluded the task and the maid carefully replaced the rose-coloured teacups and plates in the corner cupboard. "So that is why the slop-basin is so big?" I said. "Yes," answered my hostess, "and that is why there is so much old china in, the world to-day. We looked after our treasures in the old days. We didn't trust them to the tender mercies of our maids, however careful they may have been."