The Red Cloud chief., 1880-01-15
From Harper's Bazar.

ana buttfr-"n nat I'D Gat "h sS
gers, h with a Spoon, and What with
"A Fork-Do Not Lounge Upon the Table
and Keep Your Hands Out al the Dishes
From Harper's Bazar.l
There are a few points of table Ell
quette not directly connected with the
giving and receiving of dinners and
teas, but which are of the first import
ance, as they concern individual be-
hayiour. We would be inclined TO think
every one acquainted with them, and
a~llusion to them a matter of superero-
CATION on our part, if il were notthat we
see them so frequently violated. Those
of our readers who are, or always have
been, familiar with them, will perhaps
pardon our speaking of them for the
sake of those who are not.
We do not expectto see these gauche-
ries in the best society; but there are
many people perfectly well fitted for
the best society but for Ignorance OF
these things, which, although tribes in
themselves. are of such infinite import
ance on the whole. For instance, where
all the requirements are not fully known,
If a general cessation of conversation
should suddenly supervene upon the
serving of the soup, would there be 81
Ience in the place? Not at all; the gap
would be filed with a continuous bub-
bling sound from the mouth of some
one or other unlucky wight. whose
mother never taught him TO take soup
properly, and who is probably disturb
ing and disgusting all those who do bet
ter. and who know how easily the trou-
BILE might be avoided. Soup is TO be
taken from the side of the spOon, not
from the tip; and il is not TO be sucked
in. but, the spoon being slightly nlted,
il is rather poured into the mouth han
otherwise, the slightest silent inhalation
being sufficient for the rest.
Another generally neglected obi
CATION is that of spreading butter on
ones bread as it lies in ones plate, or but
slightly lifted at one end from the plate;
it is very frequently buttered in the air,
bitten in gouges, and still held in the
face and eyes Of the table with the
marks of the teeth on il. This is GER
tainlv not altogether pleasant; and it is
better 10 cut il a bit at a time, after but
tering il, and put piece by piece in the
mouth with ones finger and thumb.
Let us men ion a few things concern
ing the eating of which there is some
times doubt. A cream-cake and any
thing of a similar nature should he eaten
with knife and fork, never bitten. As
paragus-whicb should always be served
on bread or toast, SO As TO absorb su-
perfluouS moisture-may be taken from
the finger and thumb; if il is fit TO be
set before YOU, the whole of II may he
eaten. Peas and beans, as we all know,
require the fork only. Potatoes, II
mashed, Mould he mashed with the
fork. Green corr should he eaten from
the cob; but it must be held with a sin
gle hand, and moi after the fashion OF
the Alderman's wife at the L~ord-Aiayor's
dinner. French artichokes are 10 be
eaten with the fingers slightly pulled
apart at the top, and m of the leaves
pulled out with the finger and thumb
the fleshy end of this leaf is then dip
ped in the salad-dressing served with it,
and only that atom of a paler color al
the bottom of the leaf is taken as il
peels off between the lips, when the
dry portion is to be laid back in The
plate. Ii is always served As a separate
course by itself; a pretty hand looks
very pretty indeed when lingering ;
French artichoke. Celery, crosses, rad
ishes, and all that sort of thing, are, o.
course, to be eaten from the fingers; thu
salt should be laid upon ones plate, no
upon the cloth. Fish is to be eaten will
the fork, without the assistance of tn,
knife; a bit of bread i'm the left hanC
sometimes helps one to master a re
f~ractory morsel.
1t is best to be very moderate in thu
beginning of a dinner, as n does no
know what is TO follow, and all the res
may be spoiled for one by an opposite
purse. We remember the case of
lady in Mexico, who, dining with thu
Governor of the province, was served
for the first course with a hash. Sh'
vas somewhat surprised; but it was
very good hash, and she really mad,
her dinner uponi it. But the next cours
was also hash-there were seventeen
courses of hash before the main dinner
of every delicacy under the sun, made
its appearance. Of purse a tiny MOI
sci of each hash, for the sake of the flaw
oring, was all she should have taken
as il was, she sat afterward like Tan
talus.
Berries, of course, ere TO be eater
with a spoon. In England they ar
served with their hulls on, and three o
four are considered an ample quantity
But then in England they are man
times the size of ours; there they tax
the big berry by the stem, dip it int
powdered sugar, and eat it as we do tn
turnip-radish. 1t is not proper 10 drin
with a spoon in the cup, nor should one
by the way, ever quite drain cup o
glass. Spoons are sometimes used wit
buildings, but forks are the better style
A spoon should never be turne
over in the mouth. Ladies hav
frequently an affected way c
holding the knife halfway down il
length, as if it were too big for their lii
tie hands, but this is as awkward a wa
as it is weak; the knife should b
grasped freely by the handle only, tn
forefinger being the only one TO touc
the blade, and that only along the bac
of the blade at its root, and no turtle
down. In sending ones plate to b
helped a second time, one should retail
ones knife and fork, for the convenienc
of waiter and carver. At the conclr
sion of a course, where they have bee
used, knife and fork should be laid sid
by side on the plate-never crossed; th
old custom of crossing them was i
obedience to al ancient religious formu
la. The servant should offer every thin
at the left of the guest, that the que.
may be at liberty to use the right hand
If n has been given a napkin-ring,
is necessary to fold ones napkin and us
the ring; otherwise the napkin shout
be left unfolded. Ones teeth are not [
be picked at table; but, if it is imposs
BILE to hinder it, it should be done bt
hind the napkin. One may pick a bon
at the table, but, rs with corn, only on
hand is allowed to touch it; yet one ca
usually get enough from it with knit
and fork, which is certainly the nor
elegant way of doing; and, to take he
teeth to it, gives a lady the look of ca
ing a little too much for the pleasure
OF the table; n is, however, on no az
count to suck ones fingers after it.
Wherever there is any doubt as (
the best way to do a thing, it is wise 4