Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-11-04
gadies' Column.
Table Manners.

but he took to drink himself" The
first of these propositions may be
true, but it needs qualifying clause.
If she taught him how to eat, she
failed to teach him to do it properly.
And, again, if he took to drink of
his own accord, he failed to appreci-
ate the art of it., more especially
when his drinking is done at the ia
BILE. The best rules governing table
etiquette are the simplest ones, but
they should not attain that simplicity
which comes to US from the time
when forks were unknown and fin
gers were used instead. Those au-
thorities that speak as a matter of
taste, and not according to the edict
of form, tell us, and emphasize their
words by actions, that he who would
eat we'll and eat appreciatively must
so conduct himself that his manner
neither gives offence to others at the
table nor marks a reflection on his
own lack of breeding. Bad manners
at the table are especially character
istic of the summer resorts. 1t is
not so much a matter of rush to get
the best things that are on the table
OF to assert ones desire to obtain
what he has paid or expects to pay
for, but the little and sometimes
gross breaches of etiquette in the
management of table utensils, and
the edibles themselves. Vinegar and
pepper don't look we'll, and certainly
taste worse, to an appreciative palate
on iced blue points or little necks.
The sibilant sound from slipping soup
may be sweet music to a voracious
and ill-mannered summer boarder,
but it is positive discord and agony
to those of more sensitive ears and
stomach. And when from an upturn-
ed plate potage is drawn toward the
holder of the spoon with sound
suggestive of road scraping, the Gull
mination of the spoon act is complete
although there may have been an in
tervening dig in the ribs to the off
hand guest, as result of taking soup
from the end of the spoon.
Almost everyone understands that
fish is to be eaten with fork only,
but very few realize that fish tastes
better when it is taken with the point
of the fork downward. 1t is rather
distressing, in fact, to see a fork
used as a shovel, and one might as
well return to first principles, using
the knife for the fork, and do what
someone has graphically described as
the sword-swallowing feat.
The greatest test of one CONVEX
sance with the better table etiquette
is when he has to dispose of the
roasts and entrees, while the manner
in which vegetables are eaten is a
test of only secondary Importance.
Meats are cut, not hacked or sawed.
Vegetables, as rule, are eaten from
the fork, not from the spoon. En-
trees, excepting when of too tieshy
a character, seldom require the use
of a knife, much less of a spoon. 1t
is considered quite the proper thing
in the eating of small game, to use
the fingers instead of the knife or
fork in disposing of the wings and
other small parts, but it is matter
of fact that very few, even of our
better-looking women, appear to adj
vantage while knawing at bones, and
besides, they are very apt to get
grease on their faces, while very few
even of the best adapted complex
ions, can stand this test. Desserts,
of course require less careful hand
ling, although too often is the spoon
brought into requisition, while even
the fingers sometimes play an inap-
propriate part. And when it comes
to the finger bowl, the napkin is too
often used as a towel, while the bowl
itself sometime serves the purposes,
if not the form, of diminutive wash
bowl, and some extremists in the art
of vulgarity have been known to use
it as a cuspidore. AS finale, the
toothpick comes into play, and is
too often as dentists tool, without
even THE intervening excuse of an
upheld napkin. These observations
are not intended entirely as criti-
cisms, but are made as cold blooded
statements of fact, not at all temper
ed by the disgust that their recollec-
ton incites.
A good general rule to observe at
the table is to never use the knife
where a fork will serve as well or
better Don't eat succotash, for in
stance, with a knife, as is frequently
done.
BAKED BEANs.-Soak one quart of
beans over night with one teaspoon
of saleratus; in the morning change
the water and put in one-half pound
pork, tablespoonful sugar, one tea
spoon each salt and saleratus, and
bake in a slow oven.
FISH PIE.--Cut any firm-feshed
fish in slices, and season with salt
and pepper; let stand in cold place
for two or three hours, then put the
sliced fish in baking dish, with a
little cream OF water. and butter and
flour mixed to a cream, with minced
parsley and hard boiled eggs sliced !;
line the sides of the dish halfway
down and cover with q nioe pacta