The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-17

preservation. Sometimes a scene from one
OF Shakespeare's plays, sometimes q copy
of some famous French picture, in either
case giving something delightfully."- artistic.
For supper after dance or during it,
the dishes are placed on the table, and it
is served en- buffet; but for a sit down
supper, served at little tables, or large
ones, the service will he exactly like a
dinner, except that there Is no soup or
fish. Oysters on the half-shell and
bullion In cups, represent these two
courses. sweetbreads and green peas.
cortellettes la financiere, and some sort
of game In season, such as reed birds in
autumn. canvasback ducks. venison and
woodcock, salads of every description. are
served in order. Ices and fruit follow.
Cheese is not in order. A large center
piece of flowers is placed in the middle of
the table. Champagne, iced, is poured
from the beginning to the end; and old
fashioned people put sherry and MADEIRA
on in handsome decanters. A slice of
pate de foie gras with tomato salad is
indispensable.
The use of flowers in America for these
entertainments is simply bewildering. A
climbing rose will seem to be going every
where over an invisible trellis; delicate
green vines will depend from the chande-
Tier dropping roses. Roses cover the en-
tire table cloth, or the flowers will be
massed, all of yellow, or of white, or red,
or pink.
Nothing could exceed the magnifcence
of the great baskets of chrysanthemums of
white and yellow, the roses, the violets,
the carnations, at a breakfast given to the
Count de Paris at Delmonico's on October
20. and at the subsequent dinner given
him by his brother officers of the army of
the Potomac were his royal arms in white
flower, the ''feur de lis" of Joan of Arc on
blue ground, all of flowers; jaqueminot
IL
the words: "Grand Army of the Poto-
mac" in white flowers.
The orchid, that most regal and expen-
sive of all flowers, single specimen often
costing IS. was used by a. lady as an imita-
ton fire, the wood, the flames, and all
made of flowers placed in most artistic
chimney piece.
Little Ieghorn hats filled with them and
hung on the arm with a ribbon are used as
favors in the german, and basket of or
chids for dinner costs 800. Indeed, the
cost of the cut flowers used in New York
in one winter for entertaining is said to be
$5,O0O,O0O. Orchids have this advantage
over other fiowers-they have no scent
and that in a mixed company and hot
room is an advantage, as some people can
not bear even the perfume of a rose.
Bags of plush gaily embroidered, heavily
trimmed with lace, screens, and all sorts
oflittle charms for the watch chain, SMELL
german. The owl is favorite emblem.
His power of looking wise and being fool
ish fits him for fashionable society. He
now carries the day, having always owned
the night; every kind of reticule and chat
elaine, embroidered, painted and shaded,
are given and mandolins and tambourines
are very favorite fayors.
Imitation rackets, battledoor and shut
tlecock, banjos, fans in every shape and
form, watches in bracelets and to hang at
the girdle in crystal. all are utilized.
Amongst the ladies who do not wish to
spend so much money on favors for the
german and menus for the dinner, it is a
pretty fashion for them to make these
things themselves.
In a country house it is good way to
get rid of rainy week to buy the ribbons
at the village shop, paint them with mon-
ograms and devices, make pretty drawings
and embroider the reticules, and out of
gold paper and tissue paper construct the
grotesque caps and hats and turbans
which come concealed in French bonbons
Make wooden baskets of thin bits of
wood or straw; fill them with wild flowers
and ferns, draw your ornamentation from
the forest; large lump Of ice with flowers
trained over it is acknowledgements
adornment for hot ballroom. In grand
party decorations, even one given by the
Prince of Wales to the cZarina of Russia,
ten tons of ice were used as an ornamental
I rookery. In smaller rooms the glacier can
be cut out and its base hidden in tub,
lights put behind it and flowers and green
vines draped over it.
The effect is magical. The flowers are
kept fresh, the white column looks always
well and the GOODNESS it diffuses is de-
Gcious.
1t might, by way of contrast to the Dark
Continent, be complimentary decoration
for supper to be given to Mr.. Stanley, to
ornament the ballroom with Arctic bowl
ders, around which should be hung the
tropical flowers and vines of Africa.