Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-17
Manners at tho Table.


Your tablecloth may be coarse. It
must be clean. My John maintains
gravely that there is something de-
moralizing in a dirty tablecloth, degra-
dation more serious than the damage
sustained by appetite and stomach. Put
under the linen cloth (don't use cottonl)
subcover of thick Canton flannel Il
you can not afford the heavier "table-
felt y sold for this purpose. Or an old
blanket, darned, washed, and kept for
this use only, will do if you can spare it.
The upper cover will lie more smoothly,
look like a much better quality of
napery, and keep clean third longer
than If spread upon the bare boards.
Have mats of some kind-crochet or
basket-work-under the dishes and a
napkin at each place. Beside those,
have knife and fork laid straight and
side by side at the right hand, clean
tumbler or goblet, and an individual" {"
butter-plate. The fashion of using these
last is not only cleanly but economical,
since the bits of butter left can be col
lected after the meal and used for cook
ing without clinging associations OF
gravy, crumbs or sweets. Do not LEI
the boys wash in the eating-room; nor
comb their hair with a family comb
hung over the sink; nor yet produce
each his pooket-comb and make straight
and sleek his locks in sight of the as
sembled family. 1t is almost as objec-
tionable, make him understand, TO
clean or pare his nails at table or in the
parlor. II obtuse on this particular
point, impress upon him, at the risk
of seeming coarse, that the cut
tings and scrapings of the human body
are interesting only to the possessor
thereof The shock Of the idea may pre-
vent him from falling into the habit of
cleaning and trimming his finger-nails
during Divine service, after he becomes
a city millionaire, in the persuasion that
it is seemly and not ungraceful diver
sion for the time and place.
When seated at table let the helping
be done in decorous turn as the parents
shall decree. An overloaded plate in
this day is considered unsightly. Nor
should the few articles taken at the same
time upon it be stirred together and
compounded as a druggist makes up a
prescription, the knife taking the place
Of the spatula. Teach the children,
next, to chew well and slowly, with the
lips closed to avoid the sound of crunch
ing and smacling. Fast eating has
more to do with our national dyspepsia
than have pies and fresh bread. Never
allow the sopping or wiping up gravy or
molasses with bits of bread when the
solid contents of the plates are con-
sumed. If the young people use water
as beverage, see that they acquire the
habit of wiping their lips before drink.
ing, thus leaving the glass unsoiled.
Tea and coffee must be drunk noise
lessly, not sucked, from the side of the
cup, leaving the spoon in the saucer,
and the cup be held by the handle.
have sat at table with ponderous d.
D., LID, who made me tremble for
the dainty china by grasping the cup
with his whole hand, the thumb over
tapping the brim, while he imbibed the
contents at one mighty quaff, succeeded
by loud "Hai"
Demand that requests for food, ac-
ceptance and declinature of the same be
conveyed in set and courteous phrase;
that all the members of the family seat
themselves at the same time and without
hustle. Exact from the chance laggard
a sentence of apology, addressed TO your
self. To you also, as hostess, should be
directed the "Please excuse me,'' or
"May l be excusedP" without which no
one, old or young, should be permitted
to quit the table until all have finished,
putspoOnsin emptied cups, laid knife and
fork in close parallels across the plate,
the handles to the right, folded napkins
and left them on the same side between
plate and cup or goblet. When all rise
the chairs should be lifted, not pushed,
back and set quite out of the way of the
turning figures.
"When you leave the table, leave the
room," is an excellent rule in most
households. If servants are to clear
away dishes and plates, the presence of
mere lookers-on will be unwelcome. If
the mothers and daughters perform the
work, "Father" and the boys are aptto
be in the way, 10th as the kindly women
are to hint this.--Marion HaTland, ig
CoHgrGgattOnalist.