The Arkansas advocate., 1834-09-26

Bchariouf di ihe Usnaer IabIe.-When the servant announces ss Dinner." 10 the
 company assembled in the waIting-room, you must offer your arm to the lady with
 whom you have been conversing, and con-
 duet her to the dining room.- lie lady Of the house, of course, goes first, aud you and all the other couple .follew the leader. D ln offering your arm, curve 1t outward, gem erally. l once heard of tall, bonY gen. denly, it was exceedingly sharp,) .hat it hit the lady III the side, cut open her silk dress. and caused her to scream violently, fearing she had been stabbed. You see how dangerous these angular sort of movements are h approaching dinner table, the la dies should always be permitted to seat themselves first, as to the particular part of the table, that is almost. always arrang- ed by the host or his lady, whom in this respect you must always be soilcitous to obey. For my own part, 1 like the French plan of pinning the name ot the guest to q napkin which prevents ali confusion. Infinite care Is required on your part to pre- vent a lady from Deing necessitaled to ask you for any thing she nay require at table :; you would anticipate all her little wants, less in words, than by graceful hexibility of counennnce and uianner, and without any interruption oi the conversation you may be engaged in with her or others.-- Such conversation should be cafred on Tn voice Of gentle and cqnable volume. = The art of carving ls q very necessary &C., co,nphshment, but l. can only be acquired by considerable practice. If, therefore, you should be ignorant of 1t, you must ex- eleise little tact, so as to procure some friend to be your substitute. 1 once heard my friend R---- somewhat wittlly remark, ssthat person who could not carve was on- lv fit for the SaadSCaeh Islands. If you sit near the lady of the house, you must select an early period of the dinner to take wlne with her. Bowlng your head. you should smile blandly, and halt reaching to the de- canter utter in short tone, "5hall have the pleasure, she will bow polite ly ia return: when you must about half iii her glass, and thenyour own: you then make another very slight obeisance before taking the glass to your lips. This peice of eti- Gue!!e being oyer, you are at liberty to :sob- and aoJ with any person at table, whether lady or gentleman; though, if your sweet heart be there, you will in common gallant " select her 6Fst. Silver forks are com mon al every respectable table; and for my part, cannot see how ii Is possible to eat a dinner comfortably without them. The fingers arc the natual folks, and the best but they are not fashionable; and next to them k the capacious fork ot silver. lou should divide your yiands, and then use :he fork exclusively, holding in the leit hand a pallet of bread cese to the plate, as sort of assistant Always use the napkin be- fore drinking wine; and If you are intent upon the latter with lady opposite you, desire the gentleman next her with simply, 4sMay trouble yousn-to fill her glass. When the desert appears, you should make au offer to tic lady of the various kinds Of .sr...t Ynn shallld crack the nuts for her; and denosite the kernels on her plate: an- pes should be peeled, and cut in four parts; oranges should be peeled, and then cut in slices extremely thin, and powdered over with white susar. It $ impossible for a lady to eat an orange in any other way