New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-03
DINNER-P PA RITES.
WHAT Mr. G. W. CHILDs SAYS ABOUT THEM.

From Good Housekeeping.
On the evening IN question the guest slouu niac
IL point OF homo. be puntti.al. In flllAitp"ld
where IT anywhere. dining Is u line art, ms hluAV
zion To- be followed. II, - usual inc no." -
- for O'Clock all the guests are certain 10 De- a.
.cmhl,d with their host upon the stroke II the hour
50 dlitoiy person should ur waited Tor more han zen
or nfe,n minutes. ia Sew YORK and also III Wash
inr,u. account Il the pressure % business cio
often delay, 50 that I'm these two cites AZ least
Z or O'Clock means quarter past -
lad.c, attend dinncr-pa parties trained dresses
ana with waist, c-tn,r dcpIctc or "ith square OF
IT,, dr,,,.ns = ON for the ladies. the second hoQr
l,cfor, tho gentlemen leave their dressing room the
a card on Whl,n j, written under his own name INA.
Of the lady whom he i de-, gnatcd 70 c,'orl 10 ''c
table At the door # the ladies' dressins-room ne
meet TIE lady who has accompanies MN - inc ne
house. and both descend Il tie drawing lv'l' III
The .ie next the baIn-tradc or pr'c"d", the lady.
Gentlemen do not wear gloves. but ull dress Is always
con. dcfcd necessary the only variation being, II u.
gentleman /, IN monrn.ns he wears " umcA 'h''e''
II white ncrktlc. -, -,
Meanwhile host ana hostess wait near the Hoor OF
the draw .ae room in order To welcome tnf .onlm5
ca.t.. ia ons,iu. this room Jr the dining ROOM
the lady may lake either the le arm OF .er eSror,
or the right. though 70 me 1t seems halufdi !at w.
most oc, .-ols the lcit should he gvcn to lady
The old chvalho SPIRIT OF leaving the rsht arm lrcc
for defence Is custom which ought sun 10 DC main
1t is frequently necessary to introduce gentleman
,o the Lady whom he Is to escort 70 the table &nd AZ
small dinner parties the envelope containing names
of those no are To sit SIDE 10y sae J., o,',,eu a,
tha, case a word from the host TO ea'h seh'!chah IL
fne custom Of roof intoductlons.' rs they are
termed has been Instituted In this country but To my
mind they are an nadcquatc species of hospitality.
There j. no reason why NIL who assemble at me same
time ana p'ac should not know each Other. Intimacy
Is another different thing but Christian c'uit''y
tcachc, that inilpdnctlon, are incumbent OH '"oso
why do invite people 10 our homes Shrey
in order to give them pleasure. And what pleasure
can IL b, To converse with fellow guest concerning
whose name tastes. habits and interests we may pos
slhly know nothing In those Old countri', "hrr.
ca., line, arc strongly maraed IL may be Thought
- lc these rrope -. bUt III our
republic such social restrictions are needless
When dinner Is announced by the butler 70 tho
host. that gentleman leads the way To tho dining
In company with the most notaol, OF the rlaes.
'Gl pr,cnt the rear being nromEt w 10y ,T
goes without saying that the host ana hostess Sit
opposite each other In IN" c,ifc or a, the eNttcnh
right 81 each In phladclpa the order OF precedence
f. not q, strongly married. A. IN washington. IN u.h.
the chief guest the seat , right AMI each ones
rlac, designated by his name on card at the plate
Two Or three copies Of the menu. written porcelain
tablet, are sometime pa.rcd from hand to hant. II
Philadelphia, Of serving the grape frrit a pre-
lmlnay course. 1t /, cooled on lee, cn, In hslf a,
the cquator, sprnklcd with sugar and tribe %
good sherry and served dessert plate with the
cnt side uppermost ThcIuce obtained by the help Of
tcasp oon l. WELDON" appetizer preceding Tho
o, -tcr, Half Of large grape fruit IS enough for
each cover.
gives quito variety to the entertainment. When
the dinner IS partly over and during the removal Of
host gentleman may change hi, seat with another
either near him al little distance. This breaks
up nonOOny and promotes social converse
I'm this city there is little use made either OF
table OF richly DECORATED lnen satin or velvet
or of drawn work showing coors underneath We
cling 10 line white naprry, which always serves
an effective background for n brilliant table service
and flower decorations. But there i grOwin.
tendency toward the finest porcelain and the richest
+. Dou.sc silver that can be obtained Some dinner
plvcr, a-c beginning 10 gold instead Of silver for
knif - forks spoons and entrcc dishes. A few affect
even soup plate, of gold. but these seem out Of place
The result i, too much like taking soup from "A tin
basin.
. an carving is done IN the buffers pantry and
I'm .erVirg there should be at least one waller for
every tilrce or fOnr guests In England the hostess
frruucntlv carvcs In this country she neither rvcS
nor serves any portion Of the dessert When a par.
ti,ularly rare ish, saddle Of utton piece Of game
* 10 l.. served Il /, often first passed around tho
tuhl. for inspection. Each cqurs. T. offered M the
len ~ the guest beginning with the lady at the rIrht
of the host. and is offered only once
nonhons, fruits, glacc. etc. In fancy gold silver
and crystal glass dishes the table throurhou,
the dinner which should be brought 30 q close Within
the space of two hours from the BEGINNING As far
as my influence extends II is toward the simplncation
of the menu. and service regulated as To have
hours guests grow restless and weary. In Ralimor,
where lengthy there sometimes a, many
~ five or SIX courses Of sweets, and guests remain
az table iii II Or T., o'cOch.
Flowers are always used decoration both In
masses. In colsage bouquets for Indies, and bouton
neres for gentlemen.
In regard TO Wine 10 Is "A truth that more Amer