Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-08
EARLY LESSONS IN ETIQUETTE.


Iupursanee Of the Proper Training d
Children at the Table.
The manner Of eating is. without doubt,
one of the surest tests Of refinement THIS
test is Is applicable to brutes as to men.
There is Is much difference in the refinement
Of individuals Of the canine and equine ano
bovine and feline species as IN those OF the
human species, and the difference IS seen
most plainly in their personal habits, and
particularly in their habits Of eating There
Is no pain Of the social sort more exquisite
than the pain endured by a sensitive and re-
fined nature when by stress of circumstances
il is compelled TO feed on husks with SWINE
This was the browning agony that brought
the prodigal son to himself, and influenced
him to return to his fathers home, where the
servants even had good food and to spare
The mother who would have her children
form correct habits at the table should begin
early and keep up the training till 1t becomes
second nature to them TO eat properly and
behave faultlessly. She must create a proper
sentiment in them by having the table well
appointed. the food prepared and served
daintily and the order Of the service unvary-
ing As to the table appointments, the cloth
should be scrupulously clean, though it be
only coarse material; it should be nicely
starched and ironed and put on straight, its
folds parallel with the sides of the table and
they with the side of the room The napkins,
Of however coarse material, must also be
clean, carefully ironed and put on in place.
The arrangement of the dishes on the table
must be uniform, regular and tasteful; each
dish, plate, spoon. glass, being in its APP
pointed place and kept there. Any one ac-
customed to orderly appointments by habit
soon learns TO feel the necessity of taste and
exactitude These are fearfully neglected in
many families Table furniture of all sorts
is hustled on without regard to appearance
or order, the napery is disgusting, the care
lessness in disposing it equally so, and the re-
suits are only such as might be expected.
Children who are required to behave at
table every day as they are taught to behave
when company is present, must sit down
every day to as well set table as is set for
company.
AS to food it is impossible to feel polite and
well hammered over unpalatable, coarse i'll
prepared, indigestible food. Every mouthful
Of it provokes i'll humor, resentment, dis
satisfaction. The house mother who insists
On good table manners must give her family
good food How can one be gentle and polite
and sweet tempered on diet of sour bread,
muddy coffee, soggy potatoes, heavy piecrust,
leather batter cakesi Chesterfield himself
would forget his mannersif compelled for any
length of time to subsist on such diet
As to methods of eating, with the assist
ance Of the knife and fork, the food may be
so divided as to relieve the incsors of part of
their work, and make small mouthfuls a
pleasure. The grinders indicate that grind
ing in the mouth is a part of the process of
nutrition. Animals destitute of grinders bolt
their food 1t is not fitting that human beings
should eat as cats and dogs do, since they
have such mill" ready for use which dogs
have not. The lips are SO constructed that
the noise of grinding, which is intolerable to
ears polite, may be effectually disguised
This is point that cannot be too urgently
insisted upon. Food, whether liquid or solid
must be conveyed into the mouth, and from
the mouth downward, silently The position
at the table should be unconstrained and
easy, the person sitting erect or slightly bent
forward when eating, so that the mouth may
be directly over the plate; arms should be
held at the side, not extended at right angles
to the body. The elbows should be kept off
the table. Leaning back in ones chair is a
grievous violation of table etiquette Tho
mouth and fingers must be kept during the
process of eating absolutely clean
The use of the fork to the exclusion of the
knife in carrying food to the mouth is insist
ed on. Leave taking is permissible only by
permission of the hostess. Table talk should
be light, agreeable, general, each person
present contributing his or her quota to the
general fund, and children observing the ex-
cellent rule of being seen and not heard"
unless they are in such majority that the
conversation is keyed to their level Parents
who will be at the pains to set their children
such examples as they wish to see followed,
and will hold themselves to a high standard
of etiquette, will have no difficulty in attain
ing the results they Decentralization Advo-