Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-03

white cloth, and at one eud is tea service
with a kettle of water boiling over an alcohol
lamp, while at the other end is a service for
chocolate. There should be flowers on the
table and dishes containing bread and butter
cut as thin as a shaving. Cake and straw
berries are always permissible. One or two
servants should be in attendance to carry
away soiled cups and saucers and to keep
the table looking fresh, but for the pouring
of the tea and chocolate there should always
be a lady who, like the hostess, should wear
a gown closed to the throat, for nothing is
worse form nowadays than full dress before
dinner; and, of course, without bonnet.
Details of the Service.
When tea is served every afternoon at 3
o'clock whether or no there are any visitors,
as is often the case in many houses, the
servant, who, if woman. should always in
the afternoon wear plain black gown with
a white cap and apron, should place small,
low table before the lady of the house and
lay pretty white cloth upon it. She should
then bring in large tray, upon which are
the tea service and plate of bread and but
ter, or cake, or both, and place it upon the
table and then retire, but to remain within
call though out of sight, in case she should
be needed.
The best rule for making tea is the old
fashioned one: Zone teaspoonful for each
person and one for the pot" The pot should
first be rinsed with hot water, then the tea
put in and upon it hot water enough to cover
the leaves poured, which is at the moment
boiling. This should stand for five minutes,
then fill up the pot with more boiling water
and pour it Immediately. Some persons pre-
fer lemon in their tea to cream, and it is a
good rlan to have some thin slices cut for
the purpose in "a pretty little dish on the
tray. A bowl of cracked ice is also pleas
ant addition in summer, iced tea being
most refreshing drink in hot weather.
Neither plates nor napkins ever appear at
this informal and cozy meal.
Utility OF the Five O'clock Tea.
A guest ARRIVING at this time in the after
noon should always be offered cup of tea.
Afternoon tea in small citieso or in the country.
in villages and academic towns can be made
a most agreeable and ideal entertainment for
the official presentation of daughter or for
the means of seeing ones friends. But in
the busy winter season of large city it
should not be made an excuse for giving up'
the evening party or the dinner, lunch or
ball. 1t is not all these, it is simply Itself"
and it should be a refuge for those women
who are tired of balls, of over-dressing,
dancing, visiting and shopping. 1t is also
very dear to the young who find that con-
venient tea table good arena for firtatlons.
1t is form of entertainment which al
lows one to dispense with etiquette and to
save time. A lady or gentleman who re-
ceives an invitation to an afternoon tea, and
mskes his visit, leaving his card Sehind
him, has done his duty; he need not make
another call the acquaintance is established.
Nor need lady do more than leave her
card on the day of the tea; her duties are
then over for the season, unless a dinnehin-
vitation follows. This is a'great boon to an
overworked society woman, who cannot
get around to make all her calls.
In Country Towns and Philadelphia.
Five o'clock teas should be true to their
name, nor should any other refreshmeht be
offered than tea. thin bread and butter and
little cakes. If other eatables are offered
the tea becomes reception. There is a
high tea which takes the place of dinner on
Sunday evenings in cities, which is very
pretty entertainment. In smallIrur cities,
in the country, they take the place of din
ners. They were formerly very fashionable
in Philadelphia. 1t was the5opportunity TO
offer hot rolls and butter. scollopped oysters,
fried chicken, delicately sliced cold ham,
waff1es and hot cake preserves
since the days of canning who offers the
preserves of the Bast?
The hostess sits behind her silver urn and
pours the hot tea or coffee Or chocolate, and
presses the guest to take aHother waffle. 1t
is delightful meal, and has no prototype in
any country but our own 1t is doubtful,
however, whether the high tea will ever be
popular in America. in large cities at least,
with the custom of Z o'clock dinners. Peo-
pie find them a violent change OF living,
\ ioh oil oho11 I'D;
Some wit said that he always liked ''to eat
hot mince pie just before he went to bed, for
then he always knew WI lat hurt him." If
anyone wishes to know what hurts him, he
san take high tea on Sunday evening, after
having dined all the wsek at o'clock, and
4 pain in his chest will tell him that the hot
waffle. the cold tongue, the peach preserve
and that last cup of tea mean mischief.
NJ. y. W. SHERWOOD.