Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-02
Novel Dinner Decorations.

/
was novel. In front of each of the
model Of the font in Grace Church, with
a Liliputian cradle at its base. The lit
tie font was made of wood, covered with
silk, and delicately painted with all the
symbols. tracery, and eva, the delicate
gold lettering about the rim" Except
a man be born of water aud of the spirit
he cannot enter into the kingdom of
keaven"-that appears upon the origi-
nal. Natural flowers filled the fonts.
On the front of each small silken era
die, wrought in fanciful gold letters,
amid foliage and blossoms, appeared
file name Of the baby, Ethel" and
the date OF her birth. Attached to each
cradle was silken ribbon, upon which
was painted the name of one of the
guests After tho dinner, these pretty
things were carried off by those before
whom they were placed as souvenirs Of
the occasion. The cost of each was
twenty-five DOLLARS Fl 9,t"- l''I
., The taste for artistic novelties in dim
ner adornment is growing year by
year. 1t IL no longer sufficient to dine
and to wine ones friends. 1t isl neces-
sary to surprise them end delight their
aesthetic tastes. So the dinner giver, as
a title, 10 more pretends to'be his own
artist than his own cook. .; Jig. SO ,-l9
| :, 1t is not difficult to achieve mere
novelty. That was attained in the bar
barrie magniticence OF the bills 'of fare
at 0 certain San Francisco dinner year
or more ago. They are solid slabs Of
silver, Which the guests were expected
to carry away with them, and which
was good to melt or pawn upon occasion,
But they would have been Just as novef
# they had been of sole leather or
| sand stone, and SO far as value is con.
cerned the delicately painted things not
infrequently ordered for SUCH occasions
really cost mora tlisn did those apeci-
mems of BONANZA fruit. Artistic beauty
is here consideration paramount to
mere novelty. A prominent member
q the. Coaching Club, of this. city not
long ago contemplated giving dinner
to- bis associates, and ordered for the
OCCASION twenty,fbur bills Of fare. The
dipper was at the time postponed, but
has not been abandoned, for the gentle
| nun named has sent back from Europe
word that it may be looked forward to
as thing Of thtss near future. The bills
OF fare have been already finished.
Yhhy4 arS OF Bristol board, each abuw.
ten by fifteen inches in size, aud are, all
handsome water color paintings, Each
| represents some memorable fiicident in
the Individual career lei some member,
or an adventure of the club collectively,
and their cost is estimated at 800 each.
Last season party of twenty ladies'
and as many gentlemen ained together
prior to attending bal masque. From
the chandelier in the center of'the din
in9-roOm depended twenty scarfsl of
gros grain ribbon, each three and half
yards long and nine inches wide, heavily
fringed, and richly adorned At both
ends with paintings OF flowers and f0ii-
age. These scarfs were SO arranged in
canopy fashion that an end Of each
came down to the place one Of the la+
dies was to occupy at the table, and care
| was taken in their selection to have col
ors harmonizing with the compilations
Of the ladies for whom they We're sew.
orally intended, as shown 10y the names
painted in gold among the flowers.
The gentlemen were supplied with
menus, painted in water eolors, upon
which the floral decorations correspond
| ed with those upon the ladies' scarfs.
After the dinner the scarfs were worn
ut the ball aud retained by the ladies
as souvenirs. The entire cost was be-
| tween 5000 and 800. l3'- 900. -'..
For q breakfast, to be given before
long, which will DO participated in al
| Most exclusively by artists, Egyptian
fashions are to prevail-in everything
except the viands. The table service
will be in Egyptian style Us we'll as the
decorations, and each guest will be
supplied with fan, delightfully."- artistic
and Egyptian, but of very weak wind
compelling power. A number of them
have been already completed strange
looking. things, with long, thin. pol
ished maple handles supporting semi
circular forms, quilted silk on one side
and on the other studies in colors, in
tricate in design and of great variety.
Half q dozen silk tassela dangle from
the straight size Of each semi circle.
They are quaint and pretty, as Sl2 fans
for single breakfast should be. q
| Speaking of fans. one is preparing to
be sold at the forthcoming 7th Regi-
ment fair, which will be unique. 1t
has twenty. three sticks, each OF which
bears a painting il oil by some we'll
known New York artist. Each ar list
chooses his own subject and treats in
his own way-in oil, of eourse--within
the narrow limits Of his own allotted
| stick. ''''i '' 'i'' W
Some little time ago, for dinner at
Dclmonico's, an artificial lake was con-
structed in the center of huge dining
table, and surrounded by aquatic plants.
Several swans. brought down from tho
| Central Park for the occasion, were set
afloat in the little lake, and swan around
there with placid dignity and decorum
while the dinner lasted. The entry ipto
fashionable society proved fatal to one
of the birds, however, for he died
shortly after returning to the park.
Early this season dinner is to be given
by wealthy bachelor fond of amateur
theatricals. for whom are to be supplied
q score Of menus. each of which will
bear an deliberately painted water color
picture, in each case an original design
illustrating scene in one ofaShakes-
peare plays. ir.Ho.n, . ir- ri.