The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-04-11
FASHIONABLE DINNERS.
Elaborate Customs Which increase the
Guests' Pleasure and the Hosts Ex-


Elaborate Customs Which increase the
Guests' Pleasure and the Hosts Ex-
pense
With the spread Of wealth and re-
finement greater attention is now di-
rected to the delicacies of the table, and
every season in Philadelphia sees some
thing added to the elegance of dining.
If matters keep on this country mot to
mention England-we will out
rival in sumptuous repasts the CASTRO
nomic extravagancies of the most luxu-
rious age Of France. Philip le Bet
used to have at his dinners fountain
of real champagne, which flowed from
the mouths of leopards and lions. Not
only Francis l., but good many
other monarchs, INDUCED in the feature
OF piece of mechanism in the ceiling
Of the benqueting hall which let down
magnificently cooked dishes, and in
doing so scattered a shower of sweet
meats and roses over the guests Sim
ilarly, Louis XVIII, at his elaborate
banquets, was accustomed to have orto-
lans with trutlles cooked inside of par
tridges, and on one occasion had a
dinner of 100 different dishes. In
novelties and in elaboration of cuisine
the 18th century is not far behind these
examples. Some of the dinners Mrs.
Mackay has been giving in Paris have
been on a scale of magnifcence almost
incredible. The Countess Kessler, in
Paris, gave dinner for Miss Mackay,
at which, on account of the nationality
of the lady, besides the full orchestra.
which is now usual accompaniment
at large private dinners in Europe,
there was introduced score of banjo
players, who sang and played some
national American airs, such as
yankee Doodle" and "Dixie's Land"
Speech making at dinners. vocal and
instrumental music-sometimes behind
the scenes, as it were, hidden by shrub
bery-surprises, presents and ever so
many more incidental features, have
for long time been part of the pro-
gram at elegant repasts in the fashion
able society of this and other cities. To
Philadelphia, which has originated so
many curious and interesting dinner
customs, as well as novelties in dinner
decorations and in dinner cooking,
belongs the credit of originating what
may be described as dinner theatricals.
Beginning last season with few small
and select repasts and now branching
out into more general fashion, the idea
has been started of serving parts OF
the dinner or banquet by subdued
lights or in total darkness, in order to
make them more effective. The fashion
started with punch, and has now eX-
tended to ice cream. The first time the
thing was done in Philadelphia the eff
feet was startling. 1t was at a fare
well bachelors dinner, given by young
man on the eve of his wedding. The
bachelors, who were solemn anyway
as befitting the occasion, were seated
in solemn black around the solemn
board. Suddenly in the midst of the
meal the lights mysteriously went out
and to slow music dozen or more
spectral walters entered from different
ends of the room. Before each guest
was set small punch-bowl, in an(
around which the spirits were flarins
and burning in fantastic blue coils O
flame. The effect of this light on such
an assemblage can be imagined. But i
took, and there has not been a bache,
ors' dinner since at which this episode
has not been repeated. The dinners o
the Clover club, at the Bellevue, hay
more than an ordinary share of theat
rical spice. They have been occasion
on which the recent feature of culina
ry theatricals has been extensively in
troduced. The anniversary dinner o
the club excelled in this and simila
eatures.-Philadelphia Press.