The Portland daily press., 1880-04-22
Setting Forth the Dinner Table

IN. Y. Times.1
Fashions vary as much in table furniture as
in dress, table may be overdressed, and an
embarras de riches may make it vulgar. Let
us try to be as sober as possible in telling how
table should be laid out, first insisting that
means are ample and that no pains are to
| be spared to make the table look handsome
| 1t is question of aesthetics. Good taste will
| do what too much money would spoil. A CEN
ter figure is excellent, with small pattern fol-
lowing as to the border. Small napkins are
shabby things. Very generally in the United
States skimp such things. A French nap
kin is large enough to cover the knees. OF
| course you do not want to tuck it around your
| neck, but you might do so if. you wished to,
| and it would keep your gown, if you are la
| dy, from being soled Red monograms on
napkins, recalling clots of blood are ugly. Too
much embroidery on a napkin is in bad taste.
| Such linen as serves for actual use loses char
| acter when it is paraded. A nice thing-nice
| is exclusively feminine in this sense-is to
| place on the wood of the table covering of
| Canton flannel. This makes a pleasant, soft
| landing place for dishes, and besides, prevents
| the mahogany from being stained or burned by
hot dish. Table mats are de riguer. Per-
i
! or japanese straw. Wooden folding ones are
apt to clatter and become soiled, but it is that
noisiness in folding up which is disagreeable.
| volume might be written on the china.
| There used to be in olden times certain parade
| sets, which were only brought forward on
| State occasions, but these, mostly of an elab-
| crate design and gorgeous decoration, are out
| of fashion to-day. A clear white china orna-
mented with line or two of gold is fine
enough. Monograms on china are not in good
taste. All these letters stuck on plates are quite
| as readily purchased by hotel as by private
individual, ,and the distinguishing elegance of a
chiffer seen under gravy is never very start
| ling. Glass! why, only have the plainest.
| Cut-glass. with sharp points all over it like
| cheuaux de frise or a porcupine are disagreea-
BILE things to handle. We have before this in
| weighed against the littering of the table with
| too much glass. A goblet, one wine-glass one
| small goblet, and champagne glass suffices.
| These already with their round base take up
| fully - square inches, If more glasses are
| wanted, fresh ones should be brought As to
cutlery. white ivory handles are only permissi-
| BILE. Silver! Why, here there are innumera-
| BILE differences to taste. Remember that we
| lead the world now in our silver furniture.
| You can have spoons and forks of Japanese or
| Etruscan or other patterns as you want them.
| The old paddle pattern is now in the back
ground. Not more than one spoon and fork
! with knife should be placed before each plate
| We write this, because there is sometimes seen
| q "douDling-up' process so that the table re-
| Calls u cutlerS SHOWCASE. Inc water QueS-
| ton at table IS another mooted point. The
| French carafe system seems Il la mode. In
| New York there is regular business done in
| having water frozen i'll carafes for dinners.
| The ice pitcher, which has to be carried around
| as glassesare to be replenished, is nconvenient
OF salt-cellars, one small one before each guest
is excellent. No caster on tie table, if you
| please The American caster is an abomna-
| ton, and should be hnrled from our dinuer ta-
| bles. On the sideboard it has its place. Did it
ever strike you that people never wanted mus
tard on their beef at dinner party? 1t is the
center of the table, and ill decoration, where
| good taste is wanted. We have before this
written in regard to the false taste displayed in
the epergne business. How these most ungai.i-
ly things, worse in style, more shocking in taste
than the typical ireman's horn of forty years
ago, are often to-day placed on table. These
are works of art which are in the possession of
some few people, which are delights to look
upon, but they are exceptional. If in hand
| some Salver, i'll large, ample vase, there be a
wreath of flowers, the effect is charming. This
center may be relieved by baskets containing
fruit. On a French table, the cake, the dessert
is often placed where it remains in permanence
during the dinner. AS to the menus to be set
| before each guest, though statloners have en-
deavored to urge this f. shion it has been cold
ly received, because it gave the dining-room
restaurant appearance and the idea is a just
| one. 1t would be uncomfortable to have ones
guests more engaged in reading their bills of
fare than in general conversation. But cards
with the names of the guests, placed alongside
of each plate are necessities. Flowers may or
| may not be dstributed but to hand them
about after dinner, demolshing the center
piece, is rarely done. pretty little bouquet
| beside each lady guest may be an elegant COM
pliment but still, o bouquet at dinner-table
is rather in the way than not.