The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-28

NJ wi uAp VLob
get flowers of one color and of not to,
heavy n Perfume, Avoid the tuberose, tn,
orange flower, the jassamine, the hyacintl
and the lilnc, a. their odor is poison t.
some people.
We have used the term footmen to desip
nate a servant called a waiter.
A waiter in England is q hired hote
hand, not n private servant.
And it would prevent disagreeable mis-
takes if we would make this correction il
our ordinary conversation.
n 10 the arrangement OF q splendid
dinner. Now, what should be the bill q
fare?
This ia hard to answer, as the delicacies
vary with the season. But we will venture
on one:
Oysters on the half shell.
~ Soups:
Creme d'AsperSEsi sb. Julio 1nsi,;s
Fried sne'1 Fresh Cucumber. Salmon:
rilet de Boeuf, with IrufHes
and Mushrooms.
Fried Potatoes Claret.
Entrees:
80 Timhalss de- Maccaroni.
Sweet breads.
Vegetables. Artichokes.
sorbet IA Roman Punch).
Wild DUCK with Garrant Jelly.
'N = 'l'NN'' '1 Rudersheimer.
Pate de foie gras.
mol 't Cabinet pudding
u.. Creme glaze aux 1'utti fruttj.
Marion glaces. Preserved ginger.
Cafe. Cordials.
/ apologize to my readers for mixing thus
French and English. 1t is u vulgar habit
and should be avoided. But it is almost
impossible to avoid it when speaking of a
dinner as the cooks being French the menus
are written in French and the names of Ger
tain dishes are usually written in French.
Now, all people understand French or
should do 80. If they d onot, it is very easy
to learn that the "Vol au vent de volaille''
is simply chicken pie, that potatoes are
still potatoes under whatever alias they are
served, and so on.
No such dinner rs this can be we'll served
in a private house unless the cook is a
Chef" a Gordon bleu" (here we must use
French again) and unless the service is
rerfect. this dinner will be a failure. 1t is
better to order such a dinner from Delmon-
zoos or oherry's or from the best man you
can command. Do not attempt and fail.
But the little dinners given by house
keepers whose service is perfect are apt to
be more eatable and palatable than the
best dinner from a restaurant, where all
the food is cooked by gas and tastes alike.
Now as to the number of guests, that is
determined by the re of the room. The
etiquette of entering the diningroom is this:
The host goes first with the most distin-
guished lady.
The hostess follows last, with the most
distinguished gentleman.
Great care and attention must be obser-
ed in seRting the guests.
This is the province of the hostess, who
must consider the subject carefully. All
this must be written out and a diagram
made of the table, the names of the ladies
to be taken in; a written card with the
name of the lady on it is inclosed i'll an en-
velope to the gentleman who is to have
that honor. He must find it on the hall
table as he goes into the drawing room.
Then. with the dinner card at each place,
the guests find their own places.
The lady of the house should be dressed
and in the d~,swing-room at least five min
utes before the guests are to arrive, which
should be punctually.
How long mnst IL hostess wait for a tardy
guest? Only fifteen minutes.
But it is we'll to say to the butler: Dinner
must be served at half-past seven," and
That generally insures the arrival of
all before tho fish is spoiled. Let
the ompany then 60 to dinner, al
lowing the late conner to follow. He must
come in alone. blushinR for his sins.
No great dinner in Europe waits for any
body.
Royalty Is always punctual.
In seating ones guests do not put hus-
band and wife, sisters or relations together.
An old courtesy book of 1890 says:
CONSIDER about placing each person in
the post that BELTS him."
'sBetween relations it behooves to place
others midway sometimes"
And ve ahould respect the superstitiona |!
of the dinner table.
Few are free from the feeling that thir-
teen is an unluoky number; so avoid that
as no one wishes to make a guest uncom-
There is a strong prejudice against spill
the salt; but the evil consequences can {
be- avoided by throwing a pinch of salt over
The left shoulder.
A dinner ia not. however, Il matter of
butler or chef alone.
l have just seen from q person who ought
TO know the following remarks:
Mr.. Elbridge L. Gerry says:
'There ars In society some newly-ad-
ID members who, with the best inten-
imaginable. are unable to do things
in Just the Sroper style. They are persons
Of wealth. fairly good breeding and pos
sessed of n desi,e to entertain. With all
indulge in on this subject, it is
nevertheless a fact hat the art of enter
requires deep and careful study, as
we'll as natural abilities. Some of the
authors have stated this in poetry
prose.
"A typical member of this new class
gave a dime to a number of per-
ions in society. 1t was a very dull affair.
There was p~rodigality in everything, but no
n no refinement. The fellow
unused one by telling one he had no
in getting up a fine dinner; he had :