The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-10
DINNER PARTIES.
What George W. Childs Says About
Them.
From Good Housekeeping.

On the evening in question the guests
should make it point of honor to be pune
tual. In Philadelphia, where, if anywhere,
dining Is a fine art, this injunction is sure
be followed. If. as usual, the hour is set
for z y clock, all the guests are certain to De
assemb led with their host upon the stroke
of the hour. No dilatory erson should be
waited for more than ten or NIT en- minutes.
/ In New York and also in Washington, on
account of the pressure Of business, there is
often delay, so that in these two cities at
/ least Z or s Gel OK means quarter past.
! "Ladi attend dinner parties In trained
dresses and with waists either decollete or
with square or pointed fronts A maid is
| always in attendance in the dressing room
for the ladies. on the second fl or. Before
the gentlemen leave their dressing rom
the servant in charge gives TO each an envel-
/ ops containing card on which Is written
under his own name that of the lady whom
he Is deSlg nated TO escort 10 the table. At
the door OF the ladies dressing room lie
meets the lady who Mss accompanied him
to the house, and both descend to the draw
ing-room. In passing down the staircase
the gentleman either takes the side next the
baluStrade o. precsdes the lady. Gentle
men do no, wear gloves, but full dress is
always considered necessary, the only vari-
alton being, If gentleman is in mourn
ing, he wears black instead Of white
necKtie
"Meanwhils host and hostess wait near
the door Of the drswing-room in order to
| welcome the coming guests. In entering
this room o. the dining room. the lady may
take either the left arm Of her escort or the
| right, though 10 me il seems natural that
upon most occs,iOns the left arm should be
given TO lady. The Old, chivalric spirit
of leaving the right arm free for defense is
q custom which ought still to be maintained.
| 1T Is frequently necessary to introduce
gentleman 10 the lady whom he is to escort
10 the table, and at small dinner parties the
| envelope containing names of those who are
| to sit side by side is emitted. In that case a
| word from the host 20 each gentleman is
sufficient.
The custom Of roof introductions.' as
they are termed, has been instituted in this
country, but to my mind they are an made
quate species OF hospitality. There is no
reason why all who as emble at the same
time and place should not know each other
Intimacy is another and different thing; but
christian courtesy teaches that introduce
lions are incumbent on those who would
entertain at their best.
why do we invite people to our homes /?
Surely in order TO give them pleasure. And
what pleasure can it be to converse with a
fellow-gues concerning whose name, tastes
habits and interests we may possibly know
nothingl In those old countries where class
lines are strongly marked 1t may be thought
best to be conservative in these respects
but in our republic such social restrictions
are needless.
when dinner is announced by the butler
to the host, that gentleman leads the way
to the dining room, IN company with the
most notable or the eldest lady present, the
rear being brought up by the hostess on
the arm of the most prominent gentleman.
1t goes without saying that the most aud
hostess sit opposite each other in the center,
or at the extremities of the dining-table,
with the houored guests at the right of
each. In Philadelphia the order of prece-
dence is not as strongly marked as in Wash
iagton. In dinners given to gentlemen ex-
clusively, the host escorts the chief guest to
the seat on his right, and each ones place
is designated by his name on card at the
plate.
"Menus are out of date except at large
dinners. Two or three copies of the menu,
written on porcelain tablets, are sometimes
passed from hand to hand.
"a new custom Is now growing preva-
lent in Philadelphia Of serving the grape
fruit as preliminary course. 1t is cooled
, on ice, cut in half at the equator, sprinkled
! with sugar and trlfis of good sherry. and
+ served on de sert plate with the cut side
! uppermost. The juice obtained by the helr
: of a teaspoon is a welcome appetizer, pre-
, | ceding the oysters. Hail of large Crane
fruit is enough for each cover.
! There as also been introduced fashion
which gives quite a variety to the enter
tainment. When the dinner is partly over
, | and during the removal of the plates of any
+ special course, at signal from the host q
a | gentleman may change his seat with an.
other, either near him or at a little distance
. This breaks up monotony and promotes
q social converse.
= "In this city there is little use made eithe,
. of table-scarfs of richly decorated linen
in of lraxx ,.ly eE,D-
! colOrs underneath. We cling to fire white
a napery, whIcn always serves as an effective
| background for brilliant table service anC
flower decorations. But there is a growing
= tendency toward the finest porcelain anC
a the richest repousse silver that can be OBJ
4 tanned. Some dinner givers are beginning
TO use gold instead of silver for knives
forks, spoons and entree dishes. A few
affect even soup-plates of gold, but these
n seem out of place. The result is too mucf
: like taking soup from a tin basin.
"All carving is done in the buffers pan
try, and in serving there should BE- at least
o one waiter for every three or four guests
r In England the hostess frequen ly carves
h In this country she neither carves MOI
. serves any portion of the dessert When ,
h particularly rare fish, saddle of mutton o,
It piece of game is to be served it is Otter
n first passed around the table for inspection
:, Each course is offered at the left of thu
|
o of the host, and is offered only once.
! ''Bonbons, fruits, gace, ETC., in fauc7
r gold, silver, and crystal glass dishes are OF
o the table throughout the dinner, which
i, should be brought to close within tn,
IS space of two hours from the beginning. A
d far as my influence extends, it is TOWARD
. the simpifcation of the menu and servic
a so regulated as to have only brief pauses be
Y tween the courses After two hours, guest.
r grow restless and weary. In Baltimore
: where menus are lengthy, there are some
t times as many as five or six courses o.
Q sweets, and guests remain at table till II OF
- II o'clock.
|. FLOWERS are always used as decoration
q both in masses, in corsage bouquets 70,
r ladies, and boutonnieres for gentlemen.
q 'Il regard to wine, it is a truth tina
a more Americans than English are addicted
/ to its use at dinner. In England frequentl7
t not more than two-thirds OF those at table
take w1ne while at home it is seldom re
fused. Those few VINO, like myself, ar
abstainers, are sometimes put ia embarrass
: ing POSITIONS by having tnelr glasses fllet
@ duri the dinner, although they never
n even look upon the wine cup when it i
|, red l dispose of the matter expeditiousl,
$ and without verbal explanations by turning
d down the glasses at my plate"