Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-11
Table Etiquette.

:,
oivi,,g and r+ceislas If dinners aa'i
tea tn; yh,ch arr OF The Grst inpof;
onc, ns they ccmcctn In'.IyiHual be-
havlur. We would h" inclined 10 think
avery Que acquainted WIZ them, "ud
alIusiou to ,uetl y msiter OK superero'
catil On our part, If 1t we're NOT ,hs'
ws 49,. them So frequently violated,
,,,bos, ~ nur iee iers no are, or have
AWAY, been, familiar With item, Will
narh,.,s ,,ardon cur speaking CT then
for the sake e tloec Who are not.
we do not expect to see these gauch-
or;es in tho b, st society: but there are
many people perfectly we'll fitted for
the best society but for Ignorance con-
corning these things, which although
triHes III themselves, arc Of such Infinite
importance On the whole. For instance,
where all the requirements are not fully
known, if u general cessation OF con-
yerss.lon should suddenly supervene
upon the serving Of the soup, would
there be silence IN tho place? Not at all;
tho gap would be filled with continu
ous bubbling souni from the mouth of
some unlncky wight whose mother
never taught him ~ take soup proper
", and who is possibly disturbing and
disgusting all those that do better and
who know how easily the trouble might
be avoided. Soup is to be taken from
the side of the spoon, not from the tip,
and it is not to be sucked in, but the
spoon being slightly tilted it is rather
poured into the mouth than otherwise,
the slightest silent inhalation being
sufficient for the rest.
Another gradually neglected obliSa-
bread gs i: lies II ones plate, or buJ
slightly lifted ut ono end from tie
plate; it ID very frequently buttered III
the air, bitten IN gouges, and IS still
held in the face anu eyes OF the tabl9
with the marks of the teeth on it. This
is curtaini; not altogether pleasant, AID
it is better to cut it 4 bit ut u time, after
bntterlng il, and put piece by piece into
the mouth with ones iingcr ard thumb.
Let US nention few things coucerE-
ing the eating IF which there is some.
times douot. A cream cake and ANY
thing of similar nature should be eaten
with knife and fork, never bitten. AS
paraguS when served on bread or tCnst
may bo taken from the finger and
thum.; If il is lit to set before sou, this
whole Of il Day eaten. Peas aid beans,
rs We all AIu", i@InIfe fork only.
Potatoes, If mashed, shoUld be tnashe,i
with fork. G.eeu r,rA should be
eaten itom the cob, bn; it laust be held
with /. single hand, and not after tac
fashion OF the alderman y wife ut the
lord MAYORS dinner. Celery, cress-
-. AZ
are, of course, to be- eaten from TIE
fingers; the salt should be laid upou
one plate, not upon the cloth. FISH
is to be eaten with the fork without the
assistance OF the knife; u bit OF b!ea
in the left hand Sometimes helps
one to master u refractory M0rsel.
1t is best to he very moderate in the
beginning OF dinner, US one Goes not
know what is to follow. aud all the rest
may be spoiled for one by an opposite
course. We remember the case Of u
lady in Mexico, who, dining with the
governor OF the province, nas served
for the first course with hash. She
was somewhat surprised; but it was
very good hash and she really made
her dinner upon it. But tho next
course was also hash-tLere were seven
teen courses OF hash before the main
dinner, OF every delicious delicacy
under the sun, made its appearance!
OF course tiny morscl of each hash,
for the sake OF tl!voring, was all She
should have taken; as 1t WAS, sac s4t
afterwards, hkc Tan..lus.
Berries, Of cuuf.e. are 10 Ns eaton
with u spoen La England they aro
served Win their nulIs Oh, aut three or
four are considered Ri @mpls qusnusy.
But then in England they are many
times the size of Ours; there they take
the big Jerry by the stem, end dip it
into powdered sugsr, aud eat it rs we
do the turrip-rsdish. 1t is not proper
to drink with spoon in the cup, Aor
should enc, by the way, drain the emp
or glass. Spoons arc sometimes used
with puddings, Int forks are the better
style. A spoon shoald never be turned
over in the month. ladies have fro
quently all affected Say o; holding the
knife half way down its length, rs If it
were too big for their little G.nGs; bat
this is as awkward way &C it is weak;
the knife should DO grs.ped freely 10y
the handle only, the forehnger Icing
the only one to touch the blade and
that along the back OF tho blade a. Its
root, and NO further down. In sending
ores plate to be helped eecond time,
one should retain ones knife and fork,
for the convenience Of tho waiter and
carver. A. tho conclusion of course,
where they have been used, knife and !
fork should be laid side by side en- tho
plate--nsver crossed; the old cIstvm
Of crossing them was in obedience to |
au ancient religious fomuls. The r:rv
ant should offer everything at the left
Of the guest, that tho guest may be at
liberty to nae Abe right hand. II one
has been given napkin ring, ii is nee
esssry to fold ones napkin and use the
ring; othcrwise tbs napkin Should oe
left unfolded. Ono's teeth are not to |
be picked st the table: but if Imrossi
bic to hinder it, il should re 2ona be
hiud the napkin. One tnsv pick bone
at the table, but, ~ With corn, only one
hand is allowed to touch it; vet o0r
can usually get enough from is with
knife and FORK, which is certainly the
more elegant way Of doing, una to take
her tech To il gives lady the look
of caring litsle too much for the pleas
IlreS of tIa ish1r. op, IT, hcwpv,r ~ |