The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-06-24
THE ETIQUETTE OF DINING OUT.

n man OF course wears the customary
suit Of solemn black, unless he be an es-
thete and disports himself in knee
breeches and lace rufiles. A lady can
scarcely wear too handsome a dress,
though II should be different in style
from ball-dress. Her most beautiful
jewels and her richest laces find in
ceremonious dinner a suitable occasion
for their display. Places at the table
should be found as quietly as possible,
and man is wise to inquire before GO
ing 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 of their gloves, and if there is
roll Of bread in their plates they re-
move it to the left side. II raw oysters
have been served they will be eaten at
once. II is no longer good form to wait
for the rest Of the company to be served
before beginning TO eat, and for this
there is a sensible reason, as will 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 dinner would be indefinitely pro-
longed 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 10 be helped to
the second course by the time the first
course has made the round of the table.
A neophyte might perhaps be puzzled
among tie 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.
II is now customary to supply also a
silver knife for fish, and this is great
convenience. Should the fish-knife be
absent the fork is to be held in the
right hand and assisted by a piece Of
bread in the left; but the silver knife
is preferable and will be found in most
houses.
Soup should be eaten with large
spoon. Dessert-spoons for soup are no
longer en- resk, on the theory that soup
is nothing unless hot, and that il can be
eaten more quickly, and therefore when
hotter, by using l large spoon. If you
are fastidious about trifling forms you
will dip up your soup with the side Of
the spoon farthest from you and move
it toward the farther side of your plate
as you lift it toward your mouth. The
really important thing is to eat j; from
the side Of the spoon and noiselessly.
Nothing is amuch surer test OF the num-
Der Of removes we are from our great
grandfather the ape than our manner of
taking soup. To eat noisily is loudly
TO proclaim ourselves unfit for the soci-
ETY. Of ladies and gentlemen.
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. II is not a social
crime to transfer the fork to the right
hand and back again, but IL is now con-
sidered better form to keep the fork in
the left hand and carry all food to the
mouth with that hand, unless in
the courses where no knife is requir-
cd. In eating soft dishes, such as cro-
quettes or sweetbreads, where 4 fork
only is necessary, it is of course held in
the right hand. A fork is used when
ever it is possible for puddings and jel-
lies, and in many houses for ice cream.
In England, both fork and a spoon
will be given you with the sweets, and
both are sometimes used together.
Cheese is the one thing for which a
fork 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 say,
crackers. Vegetables should always be
eaten with fork, except the few which,
like artichokes, you hold in your fingers.
One is quite at liberty to take asparagus
in the fingers and bite it of, though
some people perfer to cut Off the sof,
end and eat them with fork. Olives
are taken in the fingers.
Peaches. pears and apples are prepar-
cd for eating with fruit knife and fork
but large strawberries are eaten by tax
ing the stem in the fingers and dipping
them into the sugar on your plate.
Very young ladies at a dinner seldom
eat anything so strongly favored as
cheese, cheese foa.inS, cheese soufilcs
and that order Of edibles. Wasn't il in
"Good-by, Sweetheart that the plain
elder sister consoled herself for the want
Of lover by the thought that at least she
had full liberty to enjoy her dinner p
and the fully blown rose, bud no long
er, may build monument to her lost
youth with raw oysters, little OF the
fat from the roast beef, and all sorts OF
savories from which she would have ab-
stained in her girlhood.
When the dessert service is put on the
table, the finger-glass with the bit OF
prettiness under il which plays at being
a dolly, should be removed to the left
side and the glass plate left free for the
dessert. All use Of the napkin should
be as inconspicuous as possible, and
tooth-picks are horrors, the use Of which,
like evil deeds, should shun human OBJ
servation.
At very small dinner only, the con-
versation will be general. When the
number at table exceeds six or eight the
conversation is chiefly carried on in a
low tone between those who sit next
to each other. 1t is perfectly proper to
speak to your next neighbor on either
side, whether you have been introduced
or not.
Il is an important part Of good man.
ners to accept accidents philosophically.
II your neighbor spills glass Of wine
and il trickles down over the front
breadth Of your satin gown the severity
Of the blow will not be mitigated by
any outcry. To make the unlucky per.
son to whom the accident has happened
as much at his ease as possible isthe test
Of a true lady; he will suffer enough
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