Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-03
WIT AT THE DINNER TABLE.
Mrs. John Sherwood on the INTEL
lectual Components Of a Dinner.
A Dinner Card with Poeticai Quotations
What Is Expected of the Host and
How to Make Your Dim
q Success.
ICoPYRIGHT. 1911

ner a Success.
ICoPYRIGHT. 1871
ut has often perplexed me to mag
Ine," writes Nathaniel Hawthorne,
show an Englishman will be able to
reconcile himself to any future state of
existence from which the earthly insti-
tuition of dinner is excluded. The idea
of dinner has so Embedded itself among
his highest and deepest characteristics,
so illuminated itself with intellect, and
softened itself with the kindest emo
tons of his heart, SO linked itself with
church and state and grown so majestic
with long hereditary custom and GER
emonies, that by taking it utterly away,
death, instead of putting the final
touch to his perfection, would leave
him infinitely less complete than we
have already known him. He could not
be roundly happy. Paradise among all
his enjoyments would lack one daily
felicity, in greater measure. than Lon
| don in the season"
No dinner would be worth the giving,
that had not one witty man or one wit
| ty woman to lift the conversation out
of the commonplace. AS many more
agreeable people as one pleases, but
one leader is absolutely necessary.
Not alone the funny man whom the
''enfant terrible silenced by asking:
| mamma would like to know when
you are going to begin to be funny"
but those men who have the rare art of
being leaders without seeming to be,
who amuse you without your suspect
ing that you are being amused, for
there never should be anything profess
sional in dinner table wit.
The dinner giver has often to feel
| that something has been left out of
that group about the table-they will
not talk. She has furnished them with
food and wine, but can she amuse
| them? Her witty man and her witty
woman were both engaged elsewhere,
(they are apt to Beg and her room is
too warm, perhaps.
| , She determines that at the next din
ner she will have mechanical adjuncts,
even an empirical remedy against dull
ness.
She tries dinner card with poetical
quotations, conundrums and so on.
The Shakespeare club, of Philadel-
phia, inaugurated this custom, and
some very witty results followed. Be
ginning with ENTER froth" (before
champagne), "What is thine age" (Ro-
meo and Juliet, brings in the Madeira.
In the lobster stew, "Who hath created
this indigest."
pray you bid these unknown friends well
come for it is the way to be better friends
Winters Tale.
Roast Turkey.
"See here he comes, swelling like q turkey
ck."-Henry ".
York Hams
Sweet stew from York's great stock. -
Henry vi.
"Silence Is only commendable in q meats
tongue dried. Merchant Of Venice
Braised Lamb and Beef
What say you TO piece OF lamb and mus
tard, dish that love to feed upon."-Taming
the Shrew.
Lobster Salad.
"Sallat was born to do me good."-Henry w.
and so on. The Bible affords others, we'll worth
quoting.
Oysters.
HE brought them up out of the sea"-Isaiah.
"And their mouths were opened immediate
ly."-Luke :4
Bean Soup.
Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of len
ills"
Fish, Striped Bass
I'VE remember the fish we did eat freely
Numbers
THESE with many stripes."-Deuteronomy
Stcinburger Cabinet.
"Thou hast kept the good wine till now
John 2:10.
Boiled Capon.
Accept it always, and in all places. Acts
g4:a
Pigeon Braise.
Pigeons such as he could get."-Leviticus.
Succotash.
'They brought corn and beans."-II Saraael
P5:ss.
Quail Larded
Even quail came"-Exodus.
"Abundantly moistened with fat"-Isaia
Lettuce Salad.
"A pleasant plant, green before the sun. -
| Isaiah.
Pour oil upon it, pure oil, olive."-Leviticus.
Vinegar and salt without presenting to
much."-I1zra 7:22.
Ice Cream.
lice like MOSES. "-Psalms
Royal dainties n."-Genesis.
Cheese.
Garry those two cheeses to the capita in
Samuel
| , Fruits
"All manner of fruits, new and old."-Canti
cies
| Last of alL"-Matt. 81 81
'"They made an end Of eating fnally."-Amcs
7:2.
'"They should make smoke. "-Revelation
| SLY
"And become like dust and ashes"-Jobn
3o:19.
And so on. Written conundrums are
pretty good stimulants to conversation,
the dinner cards might be greatly his
torical, not too learned. A legend APP
propriate to the day, as Lady Day."
Michaelmas, New Years and Christmas,
| Whitsuntide, ETC., all these are not a
bad promoter of talk.
1t requires very civilized people to
| veil their indifferences and ennui under
general mask of good humor.
But to have unity, one must first have
units, and to make an agreeable dinner
party, the hostess should invite agree
able people, and her husband should
be good host, and here, we must
again compliment England. An Eng
lishman is churlish and distant, self
conscious and prejudiced, everywhere
else but at his own table. There he is a
model host and the most agreeable
| guest. He is the most genial of crea-