The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-05-30
MISCELLANY.
FOREIGN MANNERS AT A TABLE.
A recent English traveller in Europe writes

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FOREIGN MANNERS AT "A TABLE.
Argent English traveller in Europe writes
as follows:
It's amusing 10 watch the conventional
ties Of different people at our dinner table.
One day Frenchman, picking his teeth with
fork, gently reproved young German for
nosiy and Extensively collecting his saliga
and dropping il on ihe floor. "J'en con
yiens," said the other, good humoredly. "but
/ really was obliged il was either that or
swallow it," A Belgian, who regards with
disgust the conveying of peas 10 the mouth
on the point of knife, has no scrupple in
combng his head at table, completing his
toilet with small mirror with which he ex-
ainines the state Of his back teeth. An TIA
Ian, who affects The fine gentleman, and
looks contempiuously upon the holiday
clothes Of verviers who come 10 spend their
Sunday here, will not only spit and do worse,
but help himself 10 strawberries with his
well worn too,hpick. A German sits al
breakfast with his wife with his hat on,
though out of doors he can hardly keep IL
on his head for bowing. Yeslerdly, gen.
tleman helping lady TO champagne, saw
something in the wine, and dipped his finger
into the glass 10 remove it, then filled up the
glass and politely presented it. On all sides
you see the old principle of " fingers before
forks" amply carried out in these days
Some of,he ladies' pick their bones with rel
ish, and, forgetting that napkins are literally
supplied, scrupulonsly lick their fingers after
wards. Even the pretty young lady will per-
sist in dragging her culleis off the dish by
the bone. believe | am the only person
who gets the knife and fork changed al
every change of plate, but this ailectation
mean to discontinue. The practice is, after
carefully wipng and polishing the plate with
a piece Of bread, and swallowing it, 10 take
another piece and wipe the knife and fork
this, at any rate, is better than having them
polished up by common towel. which must
happen if every one sent them away with
their plates. | am sorry 10 observe that
our guests, of all countries, lose all sense OF
restraint and decorum, when there is chance
of favorite dish escaping them. Walters
are then vehemently called 10, seized if pos
sible, but wearing no coat tails this is not
easy; but quietly and deeply cursed if they
miss an expectant. After man has well
heaped his own plate, have known him to
turn 10 a neighbor with an g Es voulez-
vous, Monsieur?" / was amused one day
with fat plethoric fellow who came in late
and sat next to me. The bouilie was going
round, but passed him while eating his soup.
However, as soon as he could change his
plate, he helped himself to caulfower, and
looked out sharp for the meat, which came
not, and was rapidly vanishing, my neighbor
on the other side having just cleared one
dish at his second helping. l'nluckily, two
walters in succession, not noticing that he
was already provided, handed him vegetables
again; when he started up, and in state of
great excitement, shouted flesh, hesh?"
continuing the sentence with what ! should
consider, from the tone and manner to be
the hearliest curse ever heard in my life.
They may call our countrymen rude and
bearish--and there are some curious speci-
mems go abroad-but am satisfied no per-
son from Mapping or ST. Benet Shorehog
would do these things. Nay, am equally
sure that, for genuine, real politeness, that
does the civil thing without any fourishing,
they are not to be matched abroad. 1t is
much to be wished that they could get rid of
their cold and apparently sulky manner;
these l dislike, because we hate our down
faults in others.