St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-04-18
GUESTS.
How They Should Be served-stupid GUS
toms Outgrown.


How They Should Be served--Stupid Gus
toms Outgrown.
! Not every one who can skilfully
carve a joint, or a fowl, is capable Of
serving it. None but natural diplo-
mat can successfully accomplish the
feat. The eternal fitness of things
should be carefully considered by the
host previous to serving his guests; and
the apportioning of special parts of a
dish to certain individuals should be
distinctly understood and fully i'm
| pressed upon the servant waiting on the
table. Many host, however, fails in
this essential requisite for the perfect
accomplishment of dinner, his chief
aim apparently being to get rid of the
pieces before him, regardless of the sex,
age or tastes of his company. A man
of this kidney ought never to be allowed
to give dinner, and it rests with the
guests to decide whether they will ever
a second time be found seated at such
a mans table.
1 have witnessed at private dinner
parties the most egregious plumbers
committed by servants. Plates con-
tanning delicacies intended for certain
specified guests, given by mistake to
those who neither cared for nor appre-
ciated them; while those for whom they
were intended got that which they least
relished. A stupid waiter should be
carved, drawn and quartered.
When the carving is done at side
table hold it a good rule to place the
dish before the master of the house, so
that he, presumably knowing the tastes
of his guests, can properly serve it.
The custom of passing the carved meat
around the table, allowing each person
to help him or herself, / do not consider
wise. Two-thirds, probably, of the
guests especially where the company
is little mixed as regards age and sex
scarcely know the difference between
one piece of meat and another, and,
therefore, naturally take that which is
closest to their hand. Indeed if they
knew the difference, they feel deli
cacy about turning over the various
pieces on the dish in search of that
which they prefer. Whereas, if the
host himself sends it to them, they have
no scruples in accepting it. Of course
the waiter should be instructed, when |
he receives the plates, to place them
making an error before the |
persons for whom they are intended.
The fashion which used to exist of
passing, in the name of politeness, the
plate sent to you by the host, to your
1ni orb hO1 IL NOW haYpi1v ;or,oy.oJ T.
5he old days-say twenty-five years ago
Il have seen a plate of meat handed
% a guest at the right of the host, pass
entirely around the table until it found
resting place in front of the guest on
lis left side. How preposterous was
his! AS the plate passed from hand
o hand its contents deprecated in
-alue, and was little better than 'scold
'ittals'' when it reached its final abid-
ng place.
Another old-fashioned custom which
We have fortunately outgrown, but was
nee regarded as the height of polite
less, was for none at the table to begin
ating until all surrounding it were
elped q like the word helped in place
+ seryed.) Thereby, however, many
t1GO " soup grew COlu Z CT pdrGaKen 4
+; and goodly slices of mutton or beef
Tere chilled, and thus rendered unpal-
table. Of course it would be quite i'm
olite to proceed, the moment a plate
{ soup was placed before you, to 'sguz-
Ie' it down Immediately, instead of :
'aiting a few seconds until your neigh
or, especially if a lady, was served. !
on may employ the moment, if you be !
dull man, with toying with the crust :
bread before you; but if witty one,
ou will critically examine, with one
re closed, the sherry wine in the glass : :
~ uphold, remarking upon the deli !
tie perfume and the nutty flavor of :
ne winea real Amontillado Of high :,
'ade-which it possesses; though in !,
'ur consciousness you may privately
rug your shoulders and whisper to :.
'ursef that it never saw the land of :. =
IN Quixote nor ripened in the town of +
eres under Andalusian suns. Phil " "
elphiG Caterer. .
Marriage Promises in England. 81