There are several household tasks which boys, girls, men, and women have been asked to do across the centuries.
Take out the trash. Or the slop bucket. Or the dish water.
Until less than a century ago, you would have heard “Fetch a pail or water” or “Bring in stove wood” at regular intervals.
One that continues to this day is: “set the table.”
A plain plate. A butter knife. A three-tined fork.
One thing appears to be missing from this mid-19th century table setting. Or perhaps this is a household which kept the spoons in a separate container in the center of the table. The water glass, or perhaps it was filled with ale, is just hinted at in this photo.
In the sweet historical romance, STITCHING A DREAM, the young boy, Joseph, is often given the task of setting the table. His mother, a seamstress, insists that their apartment behind the dress shop remain neat.
For more information on this book, follow the link: https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh
