The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-03-02
Table Manners.

Perhaps nothing marks more distinctly the diff
ference between the civilized man and the savage
thAn the manner OF eating we cannot say de-
lneanor at table, because the table of the savage
is but metaphorical, and if he have no knife or
fork, and but rude apology for a spoon, he can
not be expected to he so particular in the use of
his fork.
'tHe eats with his kuife''-this answers one of
the test questions of civilization. To be sure,
opinions vary. A man who was by no means
pa rticular himself, was very much scandaized
10 see his neighbor at the table take up his plate
and drink his soup when it became rather low
Tor the spoon. ''You know some people are
particular about it, and object to eating with a
knife" said a man to me, in the most coD6den-
lial tone.
But we think people seldom come up TO their
own standard, in the question Of 'table man
ners" We have heard the most severe criticisms
Oh the subject from those whose ways were really
atrocious We couldn't but think of the old
huckneyed quotation,
To sec ourselves as others see us.
As a people, we eat too fast aud il requires
much soothing to reduce the eating peace to
moderation. Children often have sort of pas
sion for crowding into their mouths the largest
possible pieces; and, even with good training,
will do ii con the sly" and seem to take real
pleasure in eluding vigilance and doing what
they have been forbid. And some grown-up
children have not forgotten these ways, nor the
common fault of eating with the mouth open and
smacking the lips, so that if they were alone the
effect would be most striking. Quite as common
is the taking soup or any liquid from the spoon
with loud suppng sound-asif if the word soup,
with an inspiration, came from the sound made
in eating it.
Drinking water or other liquids with "gulp''
is another most common breach Of good manners
more common than would be imagined, even
among those who pretend to refinement. In the
clatter and stir of a meal, these sounds may be
drowned, but in any pause they come out in full
force.
In that excellent no.el, Quits" one OF the
sharpest touches is the story OF Nora's uncle,
Aho is thorough gourpand, aud eats his din
ner with loud and souping sound, more like an
,nimal than human being. Indeed, any one
has ever watched pig at trough is irresistibly
reminded of that same.
So ''He eats with his knife" isn't the worst
thing that can be said There are ways OF hold
ing the knife that are awkward to degree. In
spite of the fact of handle, some take hold of
the blade A child once was cured of the habit
by being served with knife which had lost its
handle.
Why write all this at does no good. -
People seldom think of or observe their own ta-
bic manners. and they are the only ones they
have the power to correct. We have heard
faults criticised hy those who were guilty OF
graver .taulis-but all uncouscously. The only
hope is in the training of children. Most of them
are naturally little pigs and it is only line
upon line and precept upon precepi that will re-
duce them TO any order. We might draw a
Darwinan argument for an animal origin and
descent (or ascent) from this persistent tendency
in children And yet, good habits are worth
cultvating, if we care anything about good
breeding Good manners, like good life, are
made up ofattention TO little things.