Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-13

there are reasons why a wedding should
take place before, the bride wears a white
dress to be married in and can resume her
mourning after. At the wedding receptions
in England the brides mother would wear
red and resume her mourning the next day.
No one should, however, go to wedding in
heavy veil; the thing is incongruous.
Mourning can be laid aside for the day and
reception be given, if the bride choose,
is recent does not generally include recep-
tion.
''K. G." asks: s1s coffee served during
dinner with cream and sugar."
Never. Black coffee is served after din
ner.
"Amv" asks: "How soon must I answer
letters of coincidence? I have about 100,
and do not feel like answering them"
The afflicted should never be expected to
answer letters. They should be allowed to
wait until they feel like writing. They
should receive all the words of earnest SYM
pathy which kind hearts could pour out,
but nothing should be demanded of them.
BIG BOUQUETS.
"Debutante" writes: care big bouquets
in fashion, and how do you carry
such?"
Monstrous and inconvenient bouquets are
in fashion. They are the scalps which the
modern belle or brave wears at her belt, to
tell of her conquest too often. They also tell
of ruined and fallen foe. Several young
ladies have adopted the plan of attaching
their bouquets by long ribbons and hang
ing them on the arm.
Margaret Sidney" asks: "Are brocade
silk napkins, edged with lace, proper, and
where can one buy them?"
We should prefer linen, which can be
washed. The use OF linen for dinner tables
is one Of the oldest of fashions, and one Of
the most universal. The early Italian ta-
bles were served with such beautiful drawn
work napkins that we cannot reach them
to-day. Queer. Elizabeth's napkins were Of
linen, edged with lace, made in Flanders,
and were an important item of expense in
her daybook. Fringed, embroidered and
colored napkins made of silk are used by
Chinese and Japanese magnates. These ar
ticleS are, however, washable or are cleansed
by detergents not known to us.
But brocade cannot be washed, so we
should think a brocade napkin would be
very inappropriate.
Mamie" writes: IT have Just moved
into very grand house with two footmen,
and do not know what to tell them to do"
When the footmen are in attendance, the
head footman answers the bell, waits on his
mistress when she drives out, carries notes,
assists the butler, lays the table and clears
it, washes china. glass and silver. The un-
der footman makes the fires, cleans boots,
trims and cleans lamps, opens the shutters
and the front door, sweeps down the steps
and does the rougher part of the work before
the family are up. Both should be without
mustache, clean shaven and clad in neat
livery. The linen should always be i'm
maculate when the footman appears to wait
on the family.
The same lady asks: "When should the
servants leave the room at dinner?"
The servants retire after handing the
desert, and a few minutes's free conyersa-
tion is allowed. Then the lady of the house
gives the signal for rising. The gentlemen
no longer remain long in the dining-room,
but join the ladies for coffee Immediately
after. The two footmen can, during the
dinner, make the round of the table in
pairs. handing condiments, sauces, vege-
tables and other things, as the butler orders
them. NJ. E. W. SHERWOOD.