The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-02-14
About DINING.

As dining Is the special feature Of the
season, and well-ordered and appoint.
ed dinner a signal triumph for the
housekeeper, some hints upon the prop.
er decoration and arrangement Of tho
Gunner table may not come amiss Tho
linen must be Of the color of swans
down, and as innocent OF starch, the
napkins big, soft, and handsome, and
especially well aired, Nothing so gives
the impression Of poor housekeeping as
damp napkin Damask holds moist
ure Unfortunately, and after being iron
ed napkins must be shaken out Of their
folds and hung before the fire upon
rack until every thread is dry, and then
refolded II a bit of rosemary, laven.
der, or oI'ris root is put in the linen
chest or drawer, il gives Just suspicion
OF perfume to the linen, which is vastly
preferable to the mild odor of brown
soap so commonly present.
Many people like the plush or satin
scarfs down the center Of the table.
These have been somewhat out of favor,
but now that flowers are losing prestige,
the brilliant scarf comes 10 the fore
again. 4 row OF fern leaves down eth.
err side Of the scarf, the ends slipped
under the satin, is very pretty, the del
icate fronds in contrast with the white
linen. All the decoration is confined
TO this strip Of satin, which, if Of pale
blue, scarlet, or lavender, is a good foil
for majOlica fruit baskets and high can
dlesticks Of brass, which are the latest
approved decoration The basket has
a high up right handle, and is divided
into compartments, in which grapes,
oranges, bananas, and couple Of lem
ons for effect are mingled. In one com.
partment is a pair of grape scissors,
with which each guest cuts off such
grapes as he prefers
The casters are, Of course, upon the
sideboard, and beside them is slim
cut-glass jug full Of vinegar and an
other filled with salad oil. These are
handed at the request of the guest, and
replaced when used The same rule
applies 10 mustard, sauces and catsup.
So great attention is now paid to sea.
,oning different dishes in the cooking
that to pass the cructs is implied re.
proach. Pepper and salt are the only
condiments that are placed on the table,
and these are set ont in little cruets be-
.woon every second plate They are Of
cut-gla-s, maioica, bi,quc, or china.
and IN ,t9pe a slender little bird, rep
tile or flower The latter is supplied
with a metallic IRA ing, but if the
shape is Of blrc-hird or wren, the
grains Of salt or pepper fall from the
bright. gem-like eyes.
Gohlcts are quite out Of date-the
straight tumbler OF the thnncst French
glass, decorated with a delicate sand
blast traccry, are only used. The wa
ter glass is the largest, and the Others
follow il in shape Tue wine Jugs are
generally Of tinted glass. The water
jugs are Of crystal, and hold from one
TO three pints. Bits OF broken ice are
put in the glasses, and the guests help
themselves from the water Jug. A plate
Of bread, a glass Of celery, and the sill
yer forks, knives and spoons necessary
for the courses are, in addition 10 the
decorative matters mentioned above, all
that appear upon the table,
Dinner bread is cut in slices squar,er
of an inch thick, and the wlr g size of
the loaf. which should NJ oe larger
than the center Of q dasscr, hate. The
bread, according to the latest dictum.
should be broken with the left hand lin
gers, and no crumbs must be left upon
the cloth This will be a serious draw
back to people whose chief enjoyment
of dinner appears to be the pleasure
Of making pills Of the bread crumbs be-
tween the courses Side dishes are hap
PLY quite under the BAN vegeta oles,
such aS corn. beans, peas, cabbages,
and caulitlower, are prepared rs nearly
dry rs possible and served in regular
courses upon the dinner plate, Gran
berries even are boiled TO a jelly, and
eaten from the dinner plate with fork
instead of being served from small
dishes.
Flowers, as before stated, form but
little part Of table decoration. The
fashion was overdone and made simply
q matter Of display, and so the thing
has recoiled upon itself