The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-15
A FLOWER DINNER.
The Description of Very Unique Affair
Guests. Menu, Souvenirs, Etc.
o hour of all hours, the most blessed upon earth,

Guests. Menu, Souvenirs Etc.
hour of all hours, the most blessed upon earth,
Blessed hour OF our dinners!
There was time when little brain
power was necessary to plan dinner, says
a writer in the New York World, and there
were more good sensible things to eat and
less style than at present. Alasl many an
aching head has been the result of too
much mental exertion caused by planning
an after Easter dinner. The most perfect
result of hard mental labor on the dinner
question is shown in the flower dinner
The hostess idea is to limit the number
of her guests to sixteen, having four small
white enamal tables and a special spring
flower for the decoration of each table. AT
a certain dinner arbutus, meaning 'wel-
come" was used as the floral decoration
for the first table, tulips for the second
table, yiolets for the third and lily-of-the
valley for the fourth. The first table
was entirely in pink and white.
The dinner-cloth was of the finest OF
damask. A wreath of arbutus was en-
broidered in delicate shades of silk around
the center circle in which a low silver
iardiniere stood. The jardiniere was
filled with moss and creeping over its
sides and all over the mOssby bed was
trailing arbutus, looking fresher than
The napkins were of the same material as
the dinner cloth. The hostess last
initial was embroidered in white silk in
one corner and encircled by wreath of
arbutus. The doilies were of boiling
cloth, and painted exquisitely around the
edge of each one was tiny vine OF trail
ing arbutus. Little sprays OF the fragrant
blossom fioated on the top of the finger
bowls, which were all OF pink.
The after-dinner coffees were possibly
not as elegant as they were dainty. The
tiny cup and saucer were of some rare
china, tinted delicate shade of pink the
handle was formed of twisted spray OF
arbutus, and a vine of the sweet blossom
twined itself around the rims of the cup
and saucer. The dinner cards were quite
elaborate. They were made of a rather
/ ng piece OF mother. of-pearl mounted in
silver. In tiny silver letters at the top
was the word ''Welcome," and each course
was separated from the others by
a painted spray of arbutus. The pretty
souvenirs, which were one of the
features of the dinner, were at each
table suggestive of the flower which was
used. At this table the ladies opened
small pink velvet box and there found an
after-dinner coffee spOOn-a little gem 10
add to their collection. 1t was of gold.
the handle being decorated by sprays Of
arbutus enameled upon it. Each gentle
man had a tiny pin, with just one or two
blossoms of arbutus for its top. There
was not room for a candelabra upon the
tanle, but single silver candlesticks were
used with the daintiest of pink silk
shades The effect was soft and pretty.
On the next table the tulip ruled SUI
preme.
The flower means declaration Of love-"
It's meaning was not discussed as freely as
the other guests talked of the meaning OF
the arbutus; but eyes speak more elo-
quently than lips oftentimes.
At this table everything was in yellow
and white. The yellow tulip was used as
the decoration, excepting upon the linen,
where the tiny tulips were embroidered
in white. The jardiniere was of cut glass,
most eXquisitely cut and filled with ferns
and yellow tulips, which stood up with
queenly grace.
Cut glass was used profusely throughout
the different courses. A very unique
dish, used for sailed almonds, was of cut
glass in the exact form of a tulip widely
opened. The stem of the tulip formed
the handle, and the spoon which belonged
with il was the form of partially closed
tulip leaf. The doliies were of the finest
white Irish linen, and were cut out in the
exact form of a large tulip. They We're
embroidered exquisitely in yellow. The
| finger-bowls represented tulip and were
of yellow tinge.
The dinner cards were in the form of a
white kid book mounted in gold with a
gold clasp. In tiny gold letters on the
outside was the name of the guest with
the date of the dinner. The book opened
and on each page was written one course
of the dinner, while up in every corner
was painted a tiny bunch OF yellow tu-
| lips. The after-dinner coffee cups at this
| table were in exact. imitation of some used
at dinner in Paris given early this
| Spring Each dainty cup was in the form
OF yellow tulip and was made of the
rarest of china. No saucers were used,
| the cups being set in individual gold
| holders. The cup was not removed from
the holder and tiny gold spoon was used
with it. Golden candlesticks, having
shades of yellow silk with gold fringe, ad-
| ded greatly to the decoration of the table.
The little souvenirs of the dinner given
| to tie gentlemen were stick pins with a
| diminutIve yellow tulip for top. The
ladies carried home with them, as a re-
membrance of the dinner, beautiful fans
OF yellow marabout feathers with gold
sticks. In the corner of one stick was a
tiny tulip done in black enamel. The
| decoration of the lily-of-the-valley table
was all in green and white, and at the
violet table purple and white was used ex-
tensively. The hostess idea in using the
small tables was to have four of her most
| congenial friends dine together. The idea
worked to perfection. 1t is not necessary
to talk of the weather in order to fill up
the pauses which are apt to make their
appearance at formal dinner, for there
are none with this arrangement.
Soft lights pretty effects in color, merry
laughter and general good Will are few
| OF the characteristics of a flower dinner.