lan is one of economy. The tidy costume worn later in the day is
saved considerable wear and tear. The obvious disadvantage is the
encouragement it offers to the sloven. In England whatever you are by
nature you must in an ordinary household be down to breakfast at a
fixed hour, presentably dressed; at any rate, with your hair done for
the day, and, it is to be supposed, with your bath accomplished.
Directly you depart from this you open the door to anything in the
dressing-gown and slipper way, to lying abed like a sluggard, and to
a waste of your own and the servants' time that undermines the whole
welfare of a home. At least, this is how the question presents itself
to English eyes. Meanwhile the continent continues to drink its coffee
attired in dressing-gowns, and to survive quite comfortably. In every
trousseau you still see some of these confections, and on the stage
the young wife who has to cajole her husband in the coming scene
usually appears in a coquettish one. But then it will not be made of
shepherd's plaid or snuff-coloured wool.

The dinner hour varies so much in Germany that it is impossible to fix
an hour for it. In country places you will find everyone sitting down
at midday, in towns one o'clock is usual, in Hamburg five is the
popular hour, in Berlin you may be invited anywhen. But unless people
dine at twelve they have some kind of second breakfast, and this meal
may correspond with the French dejeuner, or it may be even more
informal than the morning coffee. It consists in many places of a roll
or slice of bread with or without a shaving of meat or sausage.
Servants have it, children take it to school, charitable institutions
supply the bread without the meat to their inmates. In South Germany
all the men and many women drink beer or wine with this light meal,
but in Prussia most people are content with a _belegtes Butterbrot_, a
roll cut in two, buttered, and spread with meat or sausage or smoked
fish. This carries people on till one or two o'clock, when the chief
meal of the day is served.

All over Germany dinner begins with soup, and in most parts the soup
is followed by the _Ochsenfleisch_ that made it. At least
_Ochsenfleisch_ should make it by rights.

"I know what this is," said an old German friend, prodding at a tough
slice from a dish we all found uneatable. "This is not _Ochsenfleisch_
at all. This is _cow_."

Good gravy or horseradish sauce is served with it, whether it is ox or