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<h2>THE CUSINE</h2>
<p>The woman who looks upon man as a sinner<br/>
Unsaved as to soul, and uncertain in heart,<br/>
Should learn how to cook, and prepare him a dinner,<br/>
And serve it with talent, refinement, and art.<br/>
Full many a question is solved by digestion.<br/>
Bad morals are caused, oftentimes by bad cooks,<br/>
And many a riot results from poor diet—<br/>
Conversion may lie in the leaves of cook books.</p>
<p>About the dull stalk of the thorntree of duty<br/>
Plant flowers of fragrance and vines of good taste.<br/>
Surround the coarse needs of the body with beauty,<br/>
Make common things noble, make vulgar things chaste.<br/>
Put art in housekeeping, nor think culture sleeping<br/>
Because the base animal, man, must be fed.<br/>
Delsarte should be able to speak in the table—<br/>
‘Expression’ may lie in a light loaf of bread.</p>
<p>Though hard be the labour, the end recompenses—<br/>
Though weary the journey, reward is the goal.<br/>
For the soul of a man must be reached through his senses,<br/>
As the senses of woman are reached through her soul.<br/>
Speak first to his spirit, he never will hear it;<br/>
Speak first to his body, his soul will reply;<br/>
The mortal man fare for, his appetites care for,<br/>
And lo! he will follow your footsteps on high.</p>
<p>Love born in the boudoir oft dies in the kitchen,<br/>
The failure of marriage oft starts in the soup.<br/>
The stomach appeal to, and men’s heart you steal
to—<br/>
Would you reach to the last? To the first you must
stoop.</p>
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