The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-02-02


Certainly l do" replied Mrs Fuller.
because two or three very wealthy fami-
lies give elaborate affairs it is no reason
why less opulent people should deny them
selves the pleasure Of giving the most de-
hghtful and intimate of entertainments
a dinner. Display does not make success
ful entertainment. Before coming to the
capital had heard much about the extrava-
CANT affairs, but l do not see that it sur
passes other cities, unless it be in the num-
Der Of people who entertain"
MRS. JUSTICE MILLER.
The wife of the senior justice of the su-
preme court was next interviewed. Said
she:
Entertainments are not whit more ex-
trayagant now than they were twenty
seven years ago, when 1 came to Washing
ton. I distinctly remember the elegance
Of the first dinner / attended.
1t was given by Chief Justice Chase and
he escorted me to the table He was then
a member of President Lincoln's cabi-
net. Many time since | have recalled
the menu of that night and l do not think
any subsequent dinner has surpassed
it. Of course there were no terrapin or
canvass backs, as people did not consider
them luxury then. There was one wine
set OF Bohemia glass that was the most
beautiful thing | ever saw on Washing
ton. table. Mrs. Sprague reserved it when
her fathers ELECTS were sold 1t was a
dinner TO be remembered, ''sighed Mrs.
Miller musingly. 1--WE sat nearly three
the modern fad, for it deserves no hsgher
name, OF rushing through dinner in an
hour and a half it is an absurd custom
| People do not go to dinner to feed, but to
talk. and ii the courses are rushed through
a guest will not have time to raise
his eyes from his plate. The feeding
process is death to the success
OF any kind of entertainment. Positively,
| have risen from table hungry although
twelve to thirteen courses had been put
before me. We ought TO take even
| longer time to serve our dinners than the
English for we have so many more cour-
seS''
what makes the successful dinners?"
asked.
First of all, - replied Mrs. Miller, ''the
guests. They should not exceed eighteen
in number, although a high Official must
often have twice that number. Then. they
should know each other so that there can
be current Of talk around and across the
table. l have been at dinners where l did
not know either of my neighbors. Second,
the service. There should not be an in
stant's delay in the courses. The moment
guest finishes one thing the other should
be out before him. Third, the choice and
service of wines. Fourth, chef. l do not
think house can have reputation for
characteristic dim RS if they have a
caterer. Everything should be cooked in
the house and in an indiviual style. When
caterer serves you can shut your eyes
and fancy yourself in my house Now, as
to the expense. a good dinner with wines
with twelve guests ought to be gotten up
| for $50. Wines and flowers in certain
seasons are the greatest expense and next
| to them the meats. The total expense of
getting up dinner has exactly quadrud-
| led since came to Washington and they
| tell me this year that canvass backs are
six dollars apiece, instead of pair"
MRS. JUSTICE FIELD.
| Mrs. Justice Field is also one of the most
noted dinnergivers of the United States.
She said:
"Of course dinner is the most expen-
slve entertainment that one can give. A
| luncheon wonld be next, for tea costs
comparative little. A good dinner can be
served if the host has his own chef at IS
per cover. OF course that does not include
wines. Th0y cost about as much per cover
as the dinner itself.n
MRS. SENATOR SHERMAN.
Mrs. Sherman has lived ir Washington
more than a generation. She said:
| btl4ih DnCIc Ids D0Su d CSlOrm III Uuo
matter OF dinners this year. They have
not seemed to me as extravagant as in the
| last few years and at all the places where
/ have been they have been notably simple
| both IN table appointments and menu. One
| thing, the courses have been shortened
somewhat Washington has always been
noted for its dinner givers and they are
surely the most pleasant as well as the
most difficult entertainments to give. |
should think an admirable one could be
given for Sl5 per cover; that of course in
Guiding wines. If the hostess has caterer
it might cost considerably more. Other
entertainments have varied some The
evening receptions have become larger and
more eXtravagant and the teas less cere-
monious What we used to call high tea
was much more elaborate entertainment
than it is today"
MRS. SENATOR QUAY
said: ''There have been fewer entertain
ments given this year than 1 have ever
known and think it is because people have
been so depressed by the epidemic of infiu-
enza. Some dinners have been given of
course but nothing like the number given
last season. They are the pleasantest en-
tertainment for older people, but it is
equally true that they are the greatest
trouble to hostess. When | have given
them have never had more than eighteen
guests, as l think they lose their intimate.
friendly quality if more are at the table
| With one or two exceptions 1 do not think
| Washington dinner givers are whit more
extrayagant than those of other cities.'
MRS. SENATOR INGALLS,.
The wife of the Senator from Kansas
said:
The best entertainments in Washington
are not the most eXtravagant ones I be-
| linVa Senator EVarts has rho Dtai Of
giving the most successful gentlemen's
dinners and one never hears of their ex-
travagapt qualities but always of the men
who were there and what they said Jus
tice and Mrs. Field give ideal dinners and
there too the guests play more import
| ant part than the menu. A dinner depends
for its success on three things, the service.
/ the wines and TO me the most important
part, the guests. There is some truth III
the statement that Washington entertain
ments grow every year more extravagant
| but the reputation comes from very few
wealthy people who winter here and spend
small fortunes on Single affair Their
sumptous entertainments keep people of
modest income from entertaining as they
would like, but even their doings are
| greatly exaggerated"
MRS. SENATOR HEARST.
found Mrs. Senator Hearst at home and
asked her as to the cost of Washington din
ners. She said:
II gave an entertainment last winter at
which it was reported the flowers alone
cost $25, 000 / was in New York shortly
afterward and friend asked me il 1 had
| heard the account. / told her that l had
received papers from every part of the coun-
try commenting upon my extravaganza and
then she asked exactly what had paid l
told her the exact truth when | said $3.50
| Even if | had been so imbecile | could not