The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-06-16
eMisreHanv.
How to Behave at Table.

Upon taking your seat, your first
duty should be to inspect the cut
lery. If the knives bear Rogers
stamp, for instance, sound the prai-
ses of the Meriden manufacture.
This will cause others to exam
inc their knives. They will marvel
at your practical knowledge.
And you will live long in the
memory of your hostess.
When soup is served, opportunity
will present itself to show your su-
perior attainments in gastronomy.
Confidentially inform your visa
Wis. in voice sufficiently to be heard
all around the table, that Bouilleboi
is the only person you ever knew
who would make soup fit to eat.
Every eye will be turned toward
you in alteration.
Your hostess will feel sort of
reflected greatness in having one so
gifted condescend to grace her hum
bic board.
Then blow into your soup as
though you we're under contract to
furnish motive power for a wind
milk
Thus you will show your haugh-
ty contempt for conventionalities.
For similar reason, you will eat
from the point of your spoon.
This movement viii make you
look like the sword swallower.
Your appearance will be pictur-
esque.
Your elbow will threaten your
right-hand neighbours eye.
In eating fish, whip as big a piece
as you can into your mouth, and
then pick out the bones one by one
at your leisure.
You will resemble the sleight-of-
hand performer pulling ribbons
from his mouth.
Always eat with your knife, and
close your lips tightly about it when
you withdraw it from your mouth.
This will keep your knife clean
during the whole meal.
| Cleanliness is next to goodness,
you know.
With the meats comes an excel
lent opportunity to exhibit your
gymnastic attainments.
You will make yourself respected,
now, by your left. hand as we'll as
your right hand neighbor.
You can make yourself still more
agreeable by watching your oppor-
tunities in conversation.
When a gentleman has transfer
red a forkful of food from his plate
to his mouth, address linn suddenly.
1t is very instructive to see a
gentleman try to talk with his
mouth full. ~
1t is very amusing to see gen
tleman half choked in his endeavor
to get his mouthful OF food out of
the way, that he may answer you.
OF course you will eat all the
while you are talking, and talk while
you eat.
Thus will you pay a delicate COM
piiment to your hostess's cook, show
y6a XHqr social qpalitiaf ssRa sRfainSs Ssrenent meat
If pudding is served, say it
doesn't agree with you.
But eat it just the same and call
for more.
And here is an admirable oppor-
tunity to dilate upon the idiosyn-
crasis of your digestive apparatus.
The noblest study of mankind is
man.
Ifpudding is not forthcoming,
remark upon the singular idea some
people have that pudding may be
omitted from dinner without ruin
ing that dinner for people who un-
derstand such things. |
When the pie comes peep under
1t, or turn it over like griddle cake.
This especially where the lady OF
the house does her own baking.
Ifthe pie is underdone, it would
be the right thing to mention the
fact.
If it be done too brown, say some
thing appropriate to the occasion.
When a lady makes slip in her
cooking, she likes to be told of it
publicly.
Coffee should be drunk from the
saucer, as though it were an oyster
in it's shell.
This gives you jaunty air.
If at private table, never pass
anything to your neighbor.
You want all there is yourself.
Never hesitate to ask for what
YOU cannot reach.