The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-04
The Dinner Table.

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gestions as to how the table should be laid
for dinner party, so that things should be
in good form" without laying oneself open
to the charge so commonly made in the
semi-rural districts, that one is putting on
style'' unduly with view to the confusion
of less sophisticated neighbors. It has
occurred to me that perhaps little talk on
the subject may be helpful to many OF us
who wish to strike the golden mean be-
tween ultra city fashion and country
rusticity.
First of all, regulate the number Of
guests according to the size of your room,
for crowding will spoil everything. If
your dining room is not large, a round or
oval table has the advantage Of saving
space. Suppose there are eight people to
sit doWn-a table four feet broad and
little more in length, with two leaves to let
in, is ample. A beautiful tablets the eight
legged Jacobeau, in black, oak, oval, and in
any size required. Another is the large,
old-fash;oned, spindle-legged Pembroke,
which, when fully open, will comfortably
dine eight people, or may be closed small
enough for two. The table, however, is
not of so much consequence as formerly,
except in the matter of size, as the drapery
comes down so long on all sides as to quite
conceal it. Use any napery you hke-and
whatever the fashion of the moment, black
satin, plush, India silk, what not, there is
nothing so pretty as fine snowy white
damask-but be sure to cover the table
first thickly with canton flannel, felt or
something equally heavy and almost cush-
ion like beneath the cloth.
The question of light must next be con-
s;dered. There is no prettier fashion than
that of the shaded wax tapers in their tall
inly ~ nII fashioned dOuI1a panHp-
iabra, placed on the table itself; but when
the latter is small and room for them can
not well be spared, hanging lamp placed
directly over the centre of the table is the
thing; or if you must use garish and unbe
coming gas light. shade it well with some
harmonizing color. The hanging lamp is
m lch to be preferred, and it should be COW
cred by q large silk shade spread widely
enough not to focus the light all on one
spit. II you have pretty candlesticks
which you wish TO utilize, and the table is
TOD small for them, put them on the side
board, where they will be quite as effec
tive.
Now as to decorations-a question which
presents such infinite possibilities that one
can hardly give directions. Nowadays
all dinners, suppers, teas and luncheons art
served a la Russe-that is to say, there ar
NO viands on the table, nothing but china
glass, flowers and other ornaments. Gen
orally some one color predominates, such
for instance, as red-prOduced with lamp
shades of red silk, scarfs of red plush, the
flowers being Jacquiemmot roses and carna
tons. Just now, for the passing month
the most fashionable color for the fiesta
tablets white and yellow-yellow roses ant
white orchids, for instance, in amber glass
or hand painted china, white clover ant
field daisies peeping out of the half-opeI
lids of gilded baskets. An effective nov
city, lately introduced, is the use of large
glass roses to hold roses. lilies to hold lilies
and 50 on ad tinitum. Another fancy is
the dainty slipper of white straw filled
with flowers resting between rake and {
spade Of glass, tied together with bow OF
yellow ribbon. Still newer is a rustic
fence of white china, through the palingS
of which smilaX, ferns and ivy are twined
while in the bars at each end are Kate
Greenaway figures holding baskets which
serve as flower receivers.
Whatever may be your idea OF decora
ton, be sure to have the flowers low. Tit
day Of growing plants and towering pyra-
mids and huge bOquets, so high that one
cannot see his vis-a-vIs at all, and mus
crane his neck around an alleged ornameli
to get glimpse of his host or hostess, is
happily, gone by. The recent craze fol
spreading flowers on the cloth itself is
pretty. if carried out with discretion, ant
nor are too heavy in their arrangement.
/ attended a recent dinner at which the
hostess had initiated what she called the
pompadour style. At each corner was ar
open japanese fan thrown down will
studied carelessness on a scarf of blut
China silk. The delicate pearl and golC
fiecked surface of the fan was covered
lightly with pale pink roses. Each scarf
of blue China silk, after forming a loose
bow around the handle Of the fan, wa!
drawn TO the centre of the table, resting OF
the snowy damask cloth with wreaths Of
roses. In the centre, where the scarfs anC
garlands of roses met, was placed an eX-
quisite ship of pink and blue sevres porce
lain. with delicate ropes and masts of fila
gree gold. This also, is filed with pinl
roses. Dotted about the table were sevre.
salt cellars, surrounded by small pink rose
buds. The menus was printed on shell
shaped cards, lined with pink silk, and sus
pended TO cupids by blue ribbons. PM
roses and blue forget-me nOts formed al
the boquets. The ten courses
were served on glass and china
which were all of the pompadoul
colOrs-5lue and pink-and every lady VIII
sat down TO dinner wore blue and pinl
gown, o. a white one with blue and pinl
ribbons The electric lights fell through
shades Of pink and blue tissue paper, ant
the fairy lamps on the table were alter
nately Of pink and blue glass.
A few words as to the laying of eacl
place may not be useless. 1t is not il
strict good taste TO fold napkins as elabor
ately as in some Italian restaurants, thu
simple, acknowledged folding being suai
GENTLY ornamental; not to pile on spoon.
and forks till each guest is fenced in will
them, right, left and front. 1t is better Il
supply them as the need arises; everybod,
dislikes the huge weapons we have wielde(
for so many years. Dessert spoons anC
forks and cheese knives are large enough
for every purpose. and viii make the tabl
look nealer If only they are employed.
Arrange each cover exactly similar, an'
see 10 It that nothing is askew or ont {
proportion, the lines on either side Of tn
table. between one clacet glass and another