Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-10-08
7 Tablel Customs!

Iaple GuSGonS.i t'tA'' (
Fat While Certain forms ofltable etidtdstte
may. seem altoge gether conventional, even
fantastic, the forms usually, observed
are founded on good sense and adapted
to general convenie ien6e. ? Table etiquette
is. not, as d lis often alleged, i merely q
matter of fashion, although some things
| that were in vogue o, generation or two
ago mo- longef deemed polite. The rsa-
son i'd that man annefs anu table furniture
have Undergone SO many chahReslI shave
really so much improved, as to require
% mutual read djustment. For example,
everybody was accustomed twenty or
thirty years since to use the knife to
carry food to the mouth, because the
fork of thel day was not | dapted to the
PURPOSE. ySfnce the introduction Of the
four tined silver, fork it has 30 entirely
isnpplanted the knife that the usage of
the latter, in that way, is not only
superhuons, bnt is regarded asa Yul-
garism. y ~ Is ,sst53,.7, .i,t3 a.. ~,
Another example is the discontin-
uance Of the custom of turning tea or
coffee from the cup into the saucer.
Although small plates were frequently
employed to set the Cup in, they. were
not lat all. in general use; and even
when they were used, the tea or coffee
was likely to be spilled upon the cloth.
The habit, likewise, Of Putting ones
knife into the butter arose from the fact
that the butter.knife proper had not
been Thought of dSuch ! customs as
tEese, once ,necessitated by tcircum-
, stances, are now obviously inappro-
psiate. 4 =. 81, = (, -.
certain habits, however are regulated
II u too III r.
and the failure to adopt them argues q
One OF: these is eating or drinking audi
bly. il No sensitive person can hear any
one taking his soup, coffee, or other
liquid without positive annoyance. Yet
those who would be very unwilling to
consider themselves ill-bred are CON
stantly guilty of such breach OF. polite.
ness.i The defect is that they are not SO
sensitive as those withwhom they come
in contact. Theyiwould not be disturb.
led by the offense; they never imagine,
Therefore, that E,nnysone else can be. :. IL
is for them that rules OF etiquette are
particularly designed. We're their IN
lstinct correct, they would not need the
rule, which, from the absence of in
sstinct, appears to them irrational, pure
lly arbitrary. A. ,i J,t,4.si &
To rest ones elbow ,on the table is
more than q transgression of courtesy !;
it is an absolute Inconvenience to ones
neighbors All awkwardne of posi-
tien, such as sitting too far back from
or leaning over the table, are ,reckoned
rndeness, because they put others ill at
ease through fear of such accidents as
are liable to happen from any uncouth-
ness.
f Biting bread or cake, instead of out
ting or breaking it into mouthfuls, is
unpleasant, since it offends our sense of
form or fitness. p Il hnttps!s
pl These and kindred matters are trihes;
but social life is SO largely, composed of
trifes that to disregard them wholly is
serious affront. We can hardly realize
to what extent our satisfaction or dis
satisfaction is made up of things in
themselves insignificant until their OBJ
Heryancel or, non-observance is brought
directly to us. .r-Scaibner.'s Monthly.