Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-09-10
A Dining Room Talk.

| If every housekeeper realized how much
more inviting and comfortable a table is
when carefully and prettily set, and how
much more tempting even the plainest fare
can be made with a little more care in the
/ dlshing. am sure every one would try the
experiment. You may think it more trouble
/ at FIRST but when you find how much the
very little added effort does TO make the
hard work, which the meal has cost you,
count for more in every way, am quite sure
you will not be willing, after fair trial, 20
90 back to the old way.
Firstly, do not make the kitchen the
dining room unless il is absolutely necessary.
! You NAV not have Irregular dining room"
but you surely have a sitting room, and
cool. pleasant room il is too, with, perhaps,
door opening on to shaded porch, and
cinnamon roses just now peeplng their pretty
| pointed buds in at the open window, full OF
/ promise Of bright DAYS TO come. Jus, for
once, follow these suggestions of brightness,
and to morrow set the dinner table in the
sitting room. If it is an extension table, it
| is easily turned to one side and pushed
| through the door, and if il chances to be
pretty, old-fashioned, square table, it will
certainly go through easil, with the leaves
! let down. If you put on two cloths you will
be surprised to see how much heavier and
| finer the table cloth seems, and, also, how
much more quiet the dinnertable is. At
the head Of the table, where the meat dish
is TO stand spread napkin; then, if IN the
serving Of the meat any gravy is spilled,
fresh napkin can be put on for the next meal,
and is much more easily washed than whole
tablec,oth. If You ohauce to have no large
napkins. YOU viii be quite sure TO have an
old tabeclo,h, the ends of which will make
fur and If the DAYS are very busy ones.
i hem them on the machine, although. c
course, hand hemming is prettier. The
Il ought 10 be three-quarters or seven-eighth
Of ward square, and are put on 10 the en-
Il Of the table cornervise If more convenien
to make them about FIVE eighths BY seven
ejgh;ts Of q yard. they will be quite a
pretty as many Of the new ones, which COM
for the purpose. are in that shape. The Oh
long shared ones are put on straight. In
stead Of the old fashioned castor in th,
centre Of the table, which is so high that ont
cannot easily see ones opposite neighbo
over il, put in lis place vase or glass o
fresh flowers But have no time 10 fuss,
near you say. Very few of Us have, but
when one is resting on the doorstep after
tea, one can have to-morrow's breakfast
table sufficiently in mind to freshen the vase
Of flowers. which will then be ready for all
the day. Don; make the old fashioned
bouquet, which one needed 10 set ones sell
regularly about, with good hour Of leisure
after the flowers were gathered.
But TO return to the table. On a stand
or ,.de-table arrange your plates and forks
or spoons. as the case may be, for dessert.
putting. at the last moment, the dessert
there. too, unles, it is something necessary
to be kept very cold The meat, vegetables,
bread butter and pitcher Of water, etc, can
be arranged on the table as it is most con-
yenient 10 pac, hem, using care to make
the arrangement; symmetrical. Take great
pains to have everything nicely di,hed. The
meat and vegetables ana bread and butter
have to be taken off The table any way, and
il takes mn far.rar Ia axe Them q'f "a hen