The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-19

she then has perhap6 4 few dnyH before the
dinner TO receive tho unwolcone news that
J0tasa has q cold, Mrs. Brown has lost q
relative, and Miss Malcontent haa gone to
Washington. The dinner has to be recon-
structed; deprived of Its original intention
II becomes a halloon which has lost ballast.
II goes drifting about, and there IL no
health In ~. aud no purpoae. This ie especi-
ally .true also Of those dinners which arc
conducted on d%obt-paying principles.
How many hard-worked rich men In AM
erica are bored to death by the gilded and
Ovs~rburdened splendor of their wives din
nars and those to which they are TO go.
They sat looking at their hnnds during two
Or three courses, poor dyspeptics who can
into communion with their next ~ncighbor
with whom they have nothing in common,
what shall one dor
On! that depressing cloud which settlea
over tho jaded senses of even the conscien-
tious dinner M no fails to make his neigh
Dor on either side say anything but "yes''
or mop
We must, perhaps, before we give the per-
feet dinner, give up the idea that dinner
should be on n commercial basis. VI
course our social debts must be paid. It
IL a large subject dixie the lighting of the
CITY, the cleaning of the Streets and must
BIO approached carefully 80 that the lesser
evil may not swamp the greater good. Do
not invite twelve people to bore Thorn.
The dinner hour differs in different
cities. From seven to half past seven, to
eight and eight and a half. All these have
their Hdherents. In London many a patty
does not sit down until nine. Hence the
necessity Of a hearty meal at five o'clock
tea. The royalties" all blessed with good
appetites, eat eggs OF toast, hot scenes and
other good things a five O'Clock. And, in
deed, il dinner 10 not until nine, they lake
something at eight.
In our country half-past seven ia eener-
ally the most convenient hour, unless one ia
better. A dinner should not last moro h
an hour and a half. But it does last some-
times three hours.
Ladies' dress for a large dinner, often in
low neck and short sleeves, wear their jew.
els and altogether their finest gowns.
Smart gowns, as the English say.
For a small dinner, the pompadour half
open dress, at the throat, with a few jewels,
ia in better taste.
Men should be always in full dress, black
coat, vest and trousers, and a white crayat.
There Is no alternative for the dinner,
large or small.
But for ladies in delicate health, who can
not expose throat or arms, there is always
the largest liberty allowed; but the dinner
dress must be handsome.
In leaving the house and ordering the
carriage. name the shortest time rather
than the longest. 1t ia better to keep ones
coachman waiting than to weary one's
hostess. 1t is quite impossible to say when
one will leave. as there may be music, reci-
tations and so On after the dinner. 1t is
now quite the fashion, as in London, to ask
people in after the dinner.
And everybody should go to a dinner in
tending to be agreeable. It is a poor re-
quital for hospitality to allow any personal
ill-temper to interfere with the pleasure of
tho fonuk Cnvnn hooknunou darNI nr0v1vN1 tho
champagne early to unloosen the tongues,
and this has generally a good effect If the
party be dull. Excessive heat in a room is
the most benumbing of all overweights.
Let the hostess have plenty of oxygen to
begin with.
Now, for a little informal dinner of
eight, we might suggest that the hostess
writes:
DEAR Mira. SuLLIvAN:-Will you and Mr.. Sui
Ivan dine with us on Thursday, at half past
seven, to meet Mr.. and Mrs. Evarts quite inform
ally. Ever yours truly,
This accepted, which it should be in the
first person cordially, as it is written, let US
see what we would have for dinner: '"
Sherry, soup--sorrel q l. essence de vesn)
Lobsters, ssute a la Honneyfoy, Chablis,
Veal 'q Fried : Po ts z I Champagne,
uaret. Curled Celery in glasses. Olives,
Frozen Puddina
Coffee, Liquors.
A plate Of boiled Mushrooms.
A sorbet of Maraschino, "
Cheese, Ice Cream, Fruit. =
It is not q bad lookout, is it?
M. E. w. SHERWOOD.
Copyright.