The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-07-29
TABLE MANNERS.

tFutH, rs 10 give &laC1&s SOOt4 saDAc 44<sA'
ners. 1t is said by foreigners to be 8
cans. We do not, as a nation, com
port ourselves Well Mt table. In the
first place we cat too fast, and arc very
apt to make Il noise with our soup
Well-brcd people put their soup into
their mouth without a sound, lifting
up tho spoon slowly, thinking about it
and managing to swallow it noise
lessly. In the second place, we arc ac-
cused of chewing our food with the
open mouth, and OF putting too much
in the mouth at once. Again, we arc
accused, particularly at at railway sta
tions and at hotels, of putting our
heads in our plates, and Of eating with
the knife instead ofthe fork.
Therefore child should be taught to
cat with his fork in the. right hand
carly, aud to manage knit, and fork
with case and composure. He re-
moves them from his plate when the
plate is placed before him with them
on, and nc crosses them on his plate
when he has finished, so that they
may be easily removed. He also
learns TO use spoon properly, not lcav-
ing it in his cup, which it may tip
over, but putting it in his saucer. He
breaks his bread neatly, not covering
the table with crumbs; nor does hc
make bread pills OF it, as some sloven-
ly people do.
No one should leave the table eating.
Let the food be swallowed slowly, and
few minutes conversation follW the
last drop of tho final cup of coffee,
which generally ends the repast of dim
ncr. 1t is not we'll to talk or laugh
loud ut table; all wcll-bred people
take n quiet tone at meals. a good
appetite is no disgrace, but the people
who cat a great deal, ravenously and
fast, arc never considered refined. We
should moderate our appetites in all
things, and learn to keep the rcbcllious
body in order.
Next to grcctlincss, indecision should
be avoided. Always refuse or accept
Tell your host if you prefer
white 10 dark meat do not give him
the labor of choosing. Bc firm in your
determination not to take any kind Of
wine if you do not wish it. 1t is gener-
ally poured by the waiter, that he may
drink it himself after dinner. Never
play with food, nor handle tho glass,
silver or china unnecessarily, but try
to be COMPOSED in manner even if YOU
do not feel so.
The mouth should be carefully wiped
with the napkin after soup, after drink
ing, and after eating anything which
can leave its traces on the lips. Gen
tlclnen with lnustachcS should be very
careful in this respect. 1t is not now
the fashion to pin the napkin up to tho
coat or dress, although some elderly
people do it. The napkin is placed
across the lap, ready, at the right hand.
It is no longer the custom, as it once
was, to wait until every one is helped.
The service Of modern dinner rather
demands that every one cats what is
put before him when it is placed there.
A little tact will, however, decide this
question. A hostess must always
notice if some one is behind the rest in
finishing, and must pretend to cat, to
keep him company, unless her guest is
unreasonably long in getting through.
TIA person is so uulucky as to break
anything at table, the best apology is
very short one. DO not loso your COM
posurc, or trouble your hostess. She
will be far more sorry for you than you
can be for her, if she is a kindly, we'll
bred person, and if She is not, her fccl-
ings arc of not so much consequence.
Ifanything is to be removed from
the mouth, lot ii be dono from behind
the napkin, and all use of the tooth
pick should be also from that obscu-
rity. Nor should one drink or speak
with catables in the mouth.
In getting rid of the skins of grapes,
or the pits of fruit, much dclicacy
should be cultivated. The hand is the
proper medium from the mouth to the
plate. Some people cat instinctively
with great elegance, some never
achieve elegance in these minor mat
ters, but all should strive for it. There
is no moro repulsive object than u per-
son who eats noisily, grossly, or inelc-
gantly. DR.. Johnson is remembered
for his brutal way Of eating rs much
as for his great learning and genius.
With him it was selfish preoccupation.
Table manners should begin before
going to table, in making ones self fit
for tho table. If no further toilette is
possible, one should attend to the clean
iincss of his hands and face, and the
smoothing of his hair. In ordinary
households one can make modest tOi-
lctte for dinner. In any event, stu
dents and clerks, or women who are
artists or authors, or shop-sirls, or in
any walk of life, can at least make
themselves clean. And then the busi-
ness of mutual rcSpcct and mutual