The Bossier banner., 1882-06-29
The Etiauette Of Dining Ont.

HE EGlQueCbc OF UiulHS Vuts
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can
buy'' is not bad rule for the diner-out.
man of course wears the customary
suit of solemn black, unless he be an es-
thete and disports himself in -breecll-
es and lace rtIfffes. A lady can scarcely
wear too handsome a Dress though ii
should be different in style from a ball
dress Her most beautiful Jewels and
her richest hees lind in a 4ceremonious
dinner suitable occasion for their dis
play. Places at the table should be
found as quietly as possible, and man
is wise to inquire before going to the
dining-room on which side of the table
he is to sit. Guests remain standing
until the hostess has taken her seat, and
then seat themselves. They lay their
table napkin across their laps, take off
their gloves, and. if there is a roll of
bread in their plates they remove it to
the left side. If raw oysters, have been
s served they will be eaten at once. It is
sss no longer good form to wait for the rest
of the company to be servet, before be-
ginning to eat, and for this there is a
sensible reason, as viii be- found upon
examination to be the case with most of
the little changes in fashion which take
place from time to time. A grand din
ner would be indefinitely prolonged if
: all the guests waited to- eat the same
thing at the same time. The walters
begin their service with the lady who sits
at the hosts right hand, and she should
be ready to be helped to the second
course by the time the first course has
= made the round of the table.
2 A neophyte might perhaps be puzzled
among the multiplicity of forks beside
her plate, but she will see that the small
spoon-shaped fork is used for oysters,
and the next smallest fork for the. fish.
y lie is now customary to supply also a
silver knife for fish, and this is a great
convenience. Should the fish-knife be
.as absent the fork is to be held in the right
hand and assisted by piece of bread in
the lefts but the silver knife is prefer
able and will be found in most houses
Soup should be eaten with a large
spoon, Dessert-spoonss for soup are no,
longer en- regte, on the theory that soup
is nothing unless hot. andsthat it can be
eaten more quickly, and therefore when
hotter byaisings d Siaage spoon. If you.
are, fastidious. about trif1ing forms you
viii dipup your soup with the side of the
spoon farthest from. you and move it
toward the farther side of your plate as
3ssyou lift it toward your mouth The
really important thing is to eat it from the
side of the spoon and noiselessly. Moth
ing is q much surer test of the number
OF removes weare from our great-grand-
father the ape than our manner of taking
soup. To eat noisily is loudly to pro-
claim ourselves unfit for the society of
ladies and gentlemen. s.aavsH ~
In eating any course where both a
knife and fork are required the fork
\, should be held in the left hand and the |
knife in the right. 1t is not a social
sserifne to transfer the fork to the right
hand and back again, but it is now con-
sidercd better form to keep the fork in
1.-The left hand and carry all food to the
~ mouth with that hand, unless in the |
courses where no knife is required. In
eating soft dishes, such as croquettes or |
etbreads, where fork only is neces-
.ssarV, it is of course held in the right |
sHlaa1d. "A fork is used whenever it is |
possible for puddings and jellies, and in
many houses forice cream, In England,
~hotAa fork and spoon will be given you
with the sweets, and both are sometimes
used together. @
IS. Cheese is the one thing for which a |
Bfork is not used, and you will find YOUR
self supplied only with knife for that
course which consists of cheese, lettuce
or celery and biscuits, or, as we saw. /
CRACKERS. Vegetables should always be |
asaten with a fork, except the few which, |
like artichokes, you hold in your fingers.
Dne IS quite at liberty to take asparagus
IN the fingers and bite it off, though
| some people prefer to cut off the soft
ends, and eat them with fork. Olives
are taken in the fingers. -,
Peaches, pears and apples are pre- /
pared for eating with fruit knife and /
sferksa bat large strawberries are eaten /
6y taslnsg the stem in the fingers and
Dipping them into the sugar on your
splate. I1
Very young ladies at dinner seldom
- anyshiny se strongly sfiavored as
HheEss eficese Jra1us, scfasese souffles
Atatofdef df etlibles. Wasn' t it in
EGood-by. SWeetheartsa that the plain
Mdef SiSter cousoIal h5YcnIf sy,s. 81. .s..x /