The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-16
Table Manners.

A>OVAAusSs ID ~ Au pOI CIAt Ia tlC VI 0lVle
ing of family of children, after teach
ing them reverence and to tell the truth,
as to give them good table manners. 1t
issaid byforeigners to be q great national
defect with us Americans. We do not,
as q nation, comport ourselves we'll at
table. In the first place we eat too fast,
and are very apt to make noise with
our soup. Wellbred people put their
soup into their mouth without sound,
lifting up the spoon slowly, thinking
about it, and managing to swallow it
noiseless!y9, In the second place, we
are accused of chewing our food with
the open mouth, and Of putting too
much in the mouth at once. Again, we
are, accused, particularly at railway sta.
fiOnk and at hotels, OF putting our heads
in SF plates, aid df1eiting with the
knife instead of the fork. wi"
Therefbrp aschildlshb1M be taught to
eat with his fork in the right hand early,
and to. Manage knife and fork with ease
and composufe. Heremovcs them from
bis plate when the plate is placed before
Hirp With them on; and he crosses them
on his plate when he has finished, 50
That they may b eGsily removed. He
also learns to use spoon properly, not
leaving lit jh 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 he
make bread pills of it, IS some slovenly
people do. = b'f1''
No one should leave the table eating.
Let the food DO swallowed slowly, and
few minutes conversation follow the
last drop of the final cup of coffee, which
generally ends the repast of dinner. Il
is not we'll to talk orlaugh loud at table
all well-bred people take quiet tone al
meals. hgood appetite is no disgrace
but the people who eat a great deal,
ravenously and fast, are never consid.
cred refined. We Should moderate gu,
appetites in all things, and learn to keer
' s sseSn5 Y }"decsion should
be avoided. Always refuse or accept
promptly. Tell your host If you prefer
white to dark meat; do not give hin
the labor Of choosing Be firm in YOU
determination not to take any kind O
wine if you do not wish it. 1t is gener
ally poured by the waiter, that he ma,
drink, it himself after dinner. NeyeI
FNagfwkk food, nor handle the glass
silver or china unnecessarily, but try tt
be composed in manner even if you d,
not feel 50. ~. "a. aslf.4t ASH "'
The mouth should be carefully wipet
Nith the napkin after soup, after drink
'ibg, and after eating anything which
eau leave its traces on the lips. Gentle
men with mustaches should be yer,
careful in this respect. 1t is not now tn
fashion to pin the napkin up to the coz
Ss def althdself 6ne. elderly peopl
Do it. The napkin is placed across th
lap, ready, at the fright hand.
1t is no longer the custom. as it ono
was, to wait until every one is helped
The service of a modern dinner lathe
demands that every one eats what i
hpqt before him when it is placed there
A little, tact will, however, decide thi
question. A hostess must always motto
if some one is behind the rest in finish
ing, and must pretend to eat, to kce]
him company, unless her guest is I'm
reasonably long in getting through.
II q personals so unlucky as to brea1
anything at table. the best apologyis
/ very short one. Do not lose your com
| posnre. or trouble Your hostess. She vii
! be far more sorry for you than you cal
be for her, if she is a kindly, well-bre,
person, apd it, she,ia not, her feeling
are of not so much consequence. I'D,
| # anything is 70 be removed from tn
mouth let It be done from behind tn,
napkin, and all use of the tooth-picl
should be also from that obscurity. No,
should one drink or speak with eatable'
| In the mouth.