Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-15
THE DECoRoUs DUTCH.


The man is "lOrd Of all'' in Holland, !
says letter to the Springfield Republican, |
and woman is almost without the shadow
Of estimation. He is a sort of bear,
tame and good natured, but still full OF
the bruin element. His country women
are actually afraid of him, especially
when outside of their own door. Not that
the men are dangerous, for rarely is it
heard that the bears have bitten. Look
out in the street, and YOU will see that
the ladies walk in the road and the gem
tlemen on the sidewalk. Always so, no
matter how muddy or dusty the road is,
or how many teams are passing. Watch
them, and you cannot help but notice
that the gentlemen and ladies never
speak to each other on the street. That
would be breach of etiquette that society
would hardly pardon.
MARVELLOUS BOWLING.
Even when a man meets his wife he is
not permitted to ask what he shall bring
some for dinner! The gentleman bows
arst, the same as in France. and lady
nay have bows from men whose names
she does not even know. And the bowling
is marvel! The forehead almost touches
the knees IN the act, and there is no half
way work about it-no nodding or a
removal of the hat to supplement that
intense bow. Everybody bows, then take
off their hats to one another and pro-
foundiy bow. Your friends cOachman or
lackey does the same toward YOU as his
master does, and the servants are lust as
polite to each other. A lady is bowed to
by all the friends of her father, husband
or brother, and your housemaid's friends
as well. Every man bows to the house of
int q MI bn
bows, smiles and raises his hat, no matter
whether the ladies are visible or not. If
thew are visible thosr rotytrEa the bow with
an over-polite bend of the whole body.
LADIES AND CLUBS.
A lady is never known to pass a club
house or a knot Of men on the street. If
she is obliged to pass up a street where
there is club she does not dare to brave
the dreaded windows, but will cross
the street until she is past the
house, and then cross back again.
l have seen a lady of my ac-
quaintance make the round of several
streets to avoid club house, being at the
time in great hurry to reach an apothe-
cary, whose shop was next beyond the
club. If lady, alone, or accompanied
by other ladies, must needs enter con-
fectionery, library, or other places
where men will naturally go, and finds
gentleman or two there, she will retire as
precipitately as if she had seen a case OF
smallpox. The men know this, but I'M
less my lord, the man, has quite finished
his business, he will not retire. The lady
retreats in a most undignifed manner,
and the human bear finishes his book or
chocolate, even though the lady is waiting
at the door for him to leave.
UNTIDY WIVES AND DAUGHTERS.
But change comes over the woman at
home. No longer is she the afraid body of
the street. She has at hand the kettle of
hot water, the flat-irons and the other
articles of defense that woman can use
if necessary, and no longer does she fear
the bears. She is quite Eat home" She
does not put herself to any trouble for the
sake Of her guests. In the morning she
never dresses for breakfast, but comes to
the table en- demi-toilette, her hair on the
crimping pins, calico gown loosely but
toned over skirts by no means new with
no collar, her shoes unbuttoned, and fire.
quently without stockings. After break
fast it is quite while before she gets
dressed, and meantime, if she receives
callers, she goes into the parlor in her
breakfast toilet. Gentlemen never think
of coming to the morning meal unless in
full dress, or at the least well dressed and
clean, yet they never demonstrate with
their untidy wives or daughters.
But the social etiquette is not to be
compared to that of the table. If the one
is curious the other is supremely droll.
1t is amusing to see the people eat. They
take their plateful as soon as they are
helped and cut it up into mOrsels. Then
they lay the knife in front of the plate,
and, leaning on the table with their left
hand, proceed to eat all with the fork. /
never saw food eaten otherwise except
= H. cltn 1n1 rxrffh he
spoon instead of the fork, two spoons lying
with knife and fork at each plate. All
this is etiquette. Beside the plate hand
rest is sometimes placed, for it is neces-
sary that one should half recline on the
table! There is no such thing as chang
ing covers, and, be the Couses two or
twenty, they are served on the same plate,
and the same knife, fork and spoon are
used. The napkins are kept in service
until the washerWoman has to meet big
bill for soap!
A PECULIAR SUPPER.
One supper at which l was guest |
shall always remember. At 8 O'Clock the
hostess left the card board, spread the |
tableclOth and placed the dishes. Then
she brought out a spirit lamp, which. she |
lighted with match from the matchbox
on the table, and having ground some |
coffee in a little hand mill, she set the |
CdlSJlSI6 OhGI INC ldAhp4 WuCIG IL bOll6u |
merrily during the meal. The bread |
came on in loaf and a long basket, and |
was cut into thick slices, and so passed |
around. The butter was in a little round |
earthen pot, each person scraping out |
with his own knife as much as he wanted |
for each piece of bread.
DAINTY DIsHwAsHING.
The cheese came to table in a similar |
pot, and was also scraped and eaten |
spread on the bread over the butter. Near
the bread basket, on round tray. was |
partly cut loaf of brown bread, and slices |
of three or four kinds of cake, including |
the invariable fruit cake. Preserves /
were placed on the cloth in a
shallow dish, and it was passed |
around. The milk, fresh from the dairy,
was drawn for the coffee from jug that, |
in the absence of a sideboard, naturally |
on a mat by my lady's side
After the meal a china wash bowl was
brought out and the dishes washed on the
tea table by the mistress, who used the
of serviettes, and neither split a
drop nor wet her fingers. While the dish
was going on the family and |
guests remained sitting.