The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-12-26

dry portion Is 10 be laid back In the
plate. II Il Always served As "a separate
course by itself; n pretty hand looks
very pretty indeed when lingering a
French artichoke. Celery, crosses, rad
ishcs, and all that sort IL thing, are, Of
course, 10 be eaten from the fingers; the
salt should be laid upon ones plate. not
upon the cloth. Fish is To be eaten with
the fork. without the assistance Of the
knife; bit Of bread in the left hand
sometimes helps one 10 master re-
fractory morsel.
IL Is best to be very moderate IN the
beginning Of dinner, as one does not
know what is 10 follow, and all the rest
may be spoiled for one by an opposite
course. We remember the case Of
lady in Mexico. who. dining with the
Governor of the province, was served
for the first course with hash. She
was somewhat surprised; but il was a
very good hash. and she really made
her dinner upon it. But the next course
was also hash-therc were seventeen
courses Of hash before the main dinner.
Of every delcacy under the sun, made
its appearance. OF course n tiny NOR
sci of each hash, for the sake If the flav-
oring, was all she should have taken;
as il was, she sat aftcrward like Tan
talus.
Berries, Of course, ere 10 be eaten
with spoon. In England they are
served with their hulls on, and three or
four are considered an ample quantity.
But then in England they are many
times the size Of ours; there they take
the big berry by the stem, dip il into
powdered sugar, and eat il as we do the
turnip-radish. Ii il not proper 10 drink
with spoon in the cup, nor should one,
by the way, ever quite drain cup or
glass. Spoons are sometimes used with
buildings, but forks are the better style.
a spoon should never be turned
over in the mouth. Ladies have
frequently an affected way Of
holding the knife halfway down its
length, Us if It Were too big for their lit
tie hands, but this j. as awkward way
as it is weak; the knife should be
grasped freely by the handle only, the
forefinger being the only one TO touch
the blade, and that only along the back
OF the blade at its root, and no further
down. liz sending ones plate to be
helped second time, one should retain
ones knife and fork, for the convenience
of waiter and carver. At the conclu-
sion Of course, where they have been
used, knife and fork should be laid side
by side on the plate crossed the
old custom of crossing them was in
obedience to an ancient religious formu-
la. The servant should offer every thing
at the left Of the guest, that the guest
may be at liberty to use the right hand.
II one has been given a napkin-ring, it
is necessary to fold ones napkin and use
the ring; otherwise the napkin should
be left unfolded. Ones teeth are not to
be picked al table; but, il il Is impossi-
BILE 70 hinder il, it should be done be-
hind the napkin. One may pick bone
at the table, but, as with corn, only one
hand is allowed 10 touch il yet one can
usually get enough from it with knife
and fork, which is certainly the more
elegant way Of doing; and, "a take her
teeth 10 it, gives lady the look Of car
Of the table; one Is, however, on no ac-
count to suck ones fingers after it.
Wherever there Is any doubt as to
the best way to do thing. il Is wise to
follow tht which Is the most rational,
and that will almost invariably be found
70 be the proper etiquet. There is a
reason for every thing in polite usage;
thus, the reason why one does not blow
a thing 70 cool il i not only that il is
an inciegant and vulgar action intrinsic
ally, but because it may be offensive to
others not help being so, indeed;
and it, moreover, implies haste. which,
whether resulting from greedincss or
from desire TO yet away, j. equally
rude and objectionable Every thing
else may be as easily traced to its origin
in the fiji and becoming.
If, to conclude, one seats ones self
properly at table, and takes reason into
account, one will do tolerably well.
One must not pull ones chair too close
" To the table, for the natural result Of
that is the inability 70 use ones knife
and fork without mountaineering ones
neighbors; the elbows are to be held
well in and close 70 ones side, which
can not be done il the chair is too near
the board. One must not lie or lean
along the table, nor rest ones arms up
on il. Nor Is one to touch any of the
dishes; il a member Of the family, one
can exercise all the duties Of hospitality
through servants. and wherever there
. e servants, neither family nor guests
A. II. r. Il