, 1881-12-04
Interesting Bits of Information
for Estlletic Diners
The Modern Dinner-Party and the
Rtiquet Which There
Prevails. :~-
yhe lnyitations--Menu and Table Cards
The Rage for Dainty China
Flowers.
The Events Of the Week in Chi
cago-Wedding Parties,
Receptions, Etc.

DINNER ET1QUET.
-. Written for 7T< Sunday Tribune.
What and how great, the virtue and the art
10 live on little wrh cheerful heart
IA doctrine sage, but truly none ot 1nncl
Let's talk, my friends hut talk s1etore We olne-
Not when gilt nusIet's reflected prie
Turns you from snund philosophy astue: =,
Not when from plute TO plate your eteoaIa5 rolls
0"N 49, Pope.
Dinner parties the mouarchs Of AL entertatn-
yuents! Undoubtedly tho browning social joy.
Through what various phases hAs tho mystery
of dinner giving and feastaus passed during tho
aves Of which we have any account. II Is true
that "Tiberius spent two days and nights at the
festive board Claudlus was Eiufton, "h1ie
"SeFo sat at table from Uidhhy 10 m'unlEnL
He atc dish that cost $l300uU. and drank q
hummer still more precious "Caligu1a spent
slGa.On on 4 simple supper, and Fitelins ceased
eating only while he slept. He was most ex-
1r,,yacan1 In his daily fare. He squaDeercd
uka Ot9 chiefly on his table, in seven months
The AucIo-SaAon di1ed in rough anu easF
fashion. enjoying his wine with his friends, ana
digesting his diuner afl the better Tor the
merry COMPANY TIE succeeding generation
1uaue 4 step in advance, seeking in tight amuse-
1ucut aud the cultivation Of external appear~
apces that excitement and garcty which atl1tent
circumstances would easily permit And SO aro
course rcveIs OF james lis Court to the ineie-
CANT, bu. luxurious and brilliant, dinners Of
Charles H.. and thence to the superb banquet Ut
the present duy. -,
The art OF dinnes-EivinG, 1t would seem, had
reached perfecuor. What more can be imag-
ined than has ulready been produced?- We can
truly say, uothing. wncn we gaze with adtnira-
1ion upon the ll,uuy magnificent table appoint
1ueltts. both for Use Ant1 nrnancntauon- Not
witAsy Andiug tEat We lye III Au eAtraruEtut age,
wc cannot cotn2ctc with the Romans- who
suppcL Oh the brains amt tongues OF tue choicest
hlrd@ aud rurs Of the most dcIlcate fishes The
decay Ot ho1ne buried with its greatness lis cA-
tr.tyugauce, Du1 VIC can ALMOST fancy that tie
time ms been revived, or thl1 the ioInans have
given the Americans, us legacy. their tovf: OF
We see the delicate bits q: china
muxnincenty painted. the prices u which
are quite as magnificent The Lube il decorated
with r3uxers Witch vie With tile f1ne chi1la and
Its delicate tracery, while pieces erIuisi;ly de-
signed and together with the choicest vi menus.
complete the devices now employed to please
and cnar1u. TIE diuner-partr is now called Il
tG1e. aud the guests SIT down TO ii 1ht'ie that IL
I'LL exquist and elaborate work OF art. which III
Itself ought 10 be sufficient compensation with
our the delicacies OF every kiuu-:lo,eltes and
Hi known ueomestibles-whch successfully
placed tempttngly before the guests.
An 1nvitauou 1o dinner has more social sig
sny other form OF entertainment 1t is very
nigh compliment socially speaking, from one
person To another. grand dinner eanuo1 be
ueu1 III professionals They nave made tnis
business study. and know their trade SO tEor-
pughiy that the slightest detail is stldna over
locked. They nave trained waiters Uht,$e quiet
assiduity prevents the slightest embarrassment
Everything is furnished in ordcr by the ca,erer.
and should he fail i'll any ont. thing. on him
alone resle the blame. and be only receives the
tenen1 Of the 1nis1axe.
It is now quite the fashion--one which seems
to be 1ncreustrg-to give large l!uGer-1artIes
sss have III care anu III anxiety: everything
Focs on with regularity and snoothness Tie
=hefs Of tho cuisine are experts, and are paid
rery high salaries for their labor. The ht,st
supies position prominent among his CHESTS:
ou this OCCASION it derniyes almost entirely upon
aim 10 dispense the hospiial,ties which, on other
occasions, the hostess win gr1ce and tuct dis
peuseS, without. any assistance from the host,
unless he voluntarily comes forward and cour-
teousty assists tin hostess.
The etiQuct to t.e observed toward the guests,
and the minut1E Of The general arraugetnent,
should be properly understood u. insure bar
uons and success. Invitations to dinner are Is,
are engraved upon no1e Sheets MonogFams,
:rests, or coats-of-ar;ns are stamped in the
plain. as well us the :wo envelopes which are
used. Invitations should be sent twenty
one days before the day appointed
for a large dinner~party. ana ten or
fourteen previous to the day named for small
dinners. IL is courteous TO scud acceptAnccs or
regrets With ns little delay AS pussbic after the
otherwise be left in doubt us to whether the
number would he complete or not, and sha
would consequently be unable tn I'LL the vacant
place or places Dinner invitations can be left
IN person, Or sent by servant. ur through the
post: the latter Is the usuul and most convcn-
lent way L. 5. F+.P. is used on dinner iuv'ta-
up In society laws. feel that i, Is reflection
upun their Knowledge Of ettquet to put it on in
vitNIons requiring An answer: but, neverthe-
lest, many persons are 1houghiless and cat eIess.
Il
less they were reminded BY those four we'll
known characters. The duty Of issuing the
guest should be punctual to the hour named on
the invitation. should the hour tor dinner be
so'clock, the guest will srrire promptly ut Il
quarter Of 4: it would be ill-trtd to
arrive even a few minutes late at
dluner-party. weIl-brcd people mike
point OF arriving in good season. D,n-
uers are seldom put OF tor l1rdy guests. NOR
should they be. The hostess has tlftee: minutes
to make The few introducnous required, and the
host 10 make arrangements for escolts to the
table.
have the mime OF each xentleInan with the lady
be is to take down TO dinner, printed on cird.
The servant will hand him tray when he enters,
1sum which be will select the card bearing his
nnme- 4 lady ind gentleman, on beiug ur-
nounced. would not enter tho drawing room
side by side: tho lndy Or ladies' would enter
the ROOM tu advance of the gentleman. The
host and hostess would advance and shake hands
with the arriving guests. \ i,e!y will recognize
auy gentleman whom she knows by bow, and
he will ut once cross the rounl and shake hands
with her. Ladies' appear III full dress ut dnncr,
second only III elegance to full bail costume.
The host will offer mis- left nr:u to the lady Of
the highest rank present when dinner
is announced-and conduct her to the dining
room. the RuesIs following: the bostnss enters
lust. with the honorel gentleman. Guests are
directed to their proper places 1t taule hy the
dinner-cnrds 1T each plate. Alter :ocat1lg them-
Selves, they remain standing Until the hostess
takes her place when she will Immediately seat
herself; the Indies are seated ncxt. aud then the
gentlemen. 1t would t,c decidedly rude an. dis
courteous TO seat yourself betore the hostess is
seAted- A gentleman would offer the lady he
escorts to diuner his left arm: she sits ut his
right hand At table.
The mtuu Is still more beautiful this SEASON.
tt,nn ever before We were cOurteousiy shown
20 many exqu;sit designs by i celebrated art
HtauDueT lew days ago. that we CAN hardly tell
which to select Every day brings more costly
invention. bu, IT would appear that the limit
was now reached The Ficnest und most elegant
were hanu- painted Oil Su1Hl. with special DECOR
ated designs Another. with front and buck COM
pa,sed OF rich satin. the menu card between the
1Olds r.srlng on the scented put:. WAS
richly torderct. The bill Ut 1ure was headed by
ornamental letters in gilt; the courses in plum
gilt letters. Another pretty fancy for stnntl din
ners Is a utnner-card representing small TAM
BOURNE. This Is composed Of deicAtelf -tnted
eatiu.sxlth hand painted spray: futlr tiny gold
en- bells Nre suspended trUtn the miniature ill.,
Etrumeut or drum; the namc Ut the guest Is IN
the ceutre i'll gilt script AnOther novelty is
twig composed of seyer1l branches. Ou one Of
which are three owls comfortably seated. ont Of
them holding the dinner-card hy means OF
narrow ribbon attached To its foot. Al dinners