Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-18

family or children latter teaching them rever-
ence. and to tell the truth,) as to give them
good table manners. 1t is said by foreigners to
be great national defect with US Americana
We do not. as q nation, comport ourselves well
at table. In the first place, we eat too fast, and
are very apt to make noise over our SOUP.
Well-bred people put their soup into their
mouths without sound, lifting up the spoon
s1M thnklng about and to
we are accused OF chewing our food with the
mouth open, and OF putting too much In the
mouth az once; Again, we are accused, par
putting our heads in our plates. ard of eating
with the knife instead of with the fork.
NOW 10 Germany well bred people do eat
shaped silver knife is seen on the tables OF even
German princes, with which they may be said
10 shovel In the peas and beans and souer-
krout which they affect. But with the French
the English, and ourselves this plan is consld.
cred afnictingly vulgar. and we use fork even
to the eating OF 1ce-cream. which many dainty
people now prefer to eat with FORK instead Of
Therefore child should be taught to eat
with his fork in the right hand early, and to
manage knife and fork with ease and compo-
sure. He removes them from his plate when
the plate Is placed before him with them on,
and he crosses them on his plate when he has
finished. so that they may be easily removed
he also learns to use spoon properly, not
leaving It IN his cup. which It may tip over, but
putting 1t in hts saucer. He breaks his bread
neatly, not covering the table with crumbs; nor
does ne make bread pills OF It. as some slOvenly
people do.
The modern way OF laying a table, In which
several sets OF knives and forks are laid at each
not know which to take first. The smallest
fork is for the raw OYSTERS which generally
Precede handsome dinner, the next smallest
fork for the fish, and 50 On. These rules are
soon learned.
But at the ordinary everyday table there
should be the best OF manners, beginning With
respect for ones elders, and then an absence OF
glutinous haste. It is not the fashion now for
people to help each other, as the waiter passes
the dishes; but II it is to be done, let 1t pc done
very quietly. not ofticiously.
the food be swallowed slowly, and few min
utes' conversation follow the last drop of the
final cup OF coffee, which generally ends the
loud at table; all well.bred people take quiet
tone at meals. A good appetite Is no disgrace.
but the people who eat great deal ravenously
should moderate our appetites In all things,
and learn to keep the reDellious body in order
II wine i5 drank, the glass should be taken
Dy the stem. and not by the bowl, nor should a
or wine glass, as some elderly people do.
Fish and fruit are eaten with silver knives
and forks; or If silver fish knives are nor pro-
Vlded, piece OF bread can be held in the left
hand Fish corrodes steel knife.
Never tilt soup plate for the last drop. or
s seape your 1hs Plate cea or drain vine
"manners"-a good old rule.
AS for vegetables, they are generally eaten
with fork, but there are two or three excep-
tons. Asparagus can be eaten with the I'm
gers; so can radishes, water crosses and olives:
also cheese II person chooses. 1t is not pro-
per to pick chicken bones Or to eat any kind OF
meat with the fingers.
Next to greedlness. 1ndecston should be
avoided. Always refuse or accept promptly.
Tell your host II you prefer white TO dark mat.
do not give him The labor OF choosing, Be firm
wine II you do not wish 1t. It is generally
poured by the waiter, that he may drink 1t him
self after dinner. Never play with food. nor
handle the glass. silver, or china unnecessarily.
9aI t,y 20 10 De composed In manner even II you
"A young person is always annoyed at upset
ting glass OF wine, and no doubt it Is one Of
the most painful of the petites anise7es: but II;
Is not OF as much consequence as one thinks
and Is as nothing to the more unciviIized faults
to which we have alluded. 1t Is thing which
may happen to any one, and as such Is always
forgiven.
When finger bowl, placed on a napkin and
glass plate, is set before one. the finyer-boWI
should De removed with the right hand and
placed in front OF the plate and the little doy-
ley, or fruit napkin, should be then placed at
the left hand, as it is intended that the fruit
shall be put On the glass plate.
Many people now carve an orange or an an
pie. or peach, by holding 1t on fork and cut
ting 1t with the knife, not touching it with the
fingers. But this is piece OF oyerscrupulous-
pro. er to pare an apple, to cut peach, to pre-
pare an orange, with the knife aud the fingers,
The mouth should be carefully wiped with
the napkin after soup, after drinking, and after
eating anything which can leave It's traces on
the lips. Gentlemen with mustacha3 Should be
very careful In this respect. I1 is not now tue
fesh1on to PIN the napkin up to the coat or
Dress although some elderly people do 1t. The
hight hand.
It is no longer the custom. as &c once was. to
rot
modern dinner rather demands that every one
eats what is put before him when II IL place /
there. little tact will, however. decide ta;s
question. A hostess must always notice IL some
one Is behind the rest In finishing. and must
!:retens to eat, TO Keep him company unles3
through.
ia person is so unlucky as to break any,
thing at table the best apology ia q very short
one. DO not lose your cOmposure or trouble
your hostess She will be far more sorry for
we'll bred person, and If she is not her feelings
are not OF SO much consequence.
Table manners forbid ON the part Of the host.
ess any rebuklng Of servants In the presence OF
guests. They must be reDuked In private, for it
dsturos the pleasure OF dinner very much TO
see that unequal contest going on.
Even II her guests arrive late IAN intolerab,e
rudeness) hostess must seem not to see It..
NO accident which can happen must deprive
her OF her SELF possession. She must be calm
and cheerful and pleased. and make her COM
pany happy; II she Is fussy and nervous who
# anything is to be removed from the mouth
let it De cone from behind the napkin. and all
use OF the tooth. pick should be also from til at
obscnrity. Nor should one drink or speak with
eatables In the mouth.
Z In getting rid OF the skins CT grapes. or the
pits OF fruit, much Celicacy should be Gull.
waited. The hand Is the proper medium from
the mouth to the plate. Some people ear
iLstinctively with great elegance, some never
achieve elegance In these minor matters. but
al should strive for 1t. There Is no more
repuls1ye object than person who eats noisIly.
grossly, fnelegantly. DR.. johnson Is remen1,
bcTed for his brutal way OF eating almost az
much as for his great learning and genius.
with him was selfish rreoccupation.
IaOie manners should begin before going to
table In the making ones SELF fit for the tabIe
1t no further toilette Is possible one shOuId
attend to the cleanliness of hands and face and
the smoothing OF hair. In Ordinary honse
hotd5 every one can make modest toilette for
dinner. In any event. students and clerks and
women Who are artists, or authors, or shOn.
girls, or In any Walk Of life, can at least make
themselves clean. And then the business Of
Mutual respect and of mutual good breeding
Begins. The humblest meal may show the
highest manners, aud the real lady or gentle
n an shines at the boarding house table as at
the queens banquet.
Anuse OF ones food is In bad taste every
where. Travelling In America Is as yet rather
a severe trial TO those who have cultivated the
gustatory powers, and the cook is not abroad
There are often reasons for complaining. But
planning OF bis food makes one more dish az q
dinner. IN hec