The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-08
FASHIONABLE DINNERS.
The SPLENDID RESOURCES OF
THE CATERERS ART.

Some Costly Eutertsinm ents-How a
Mansion Was Hired for Twenty four
Hours and Sumptuously Furnished
for q Wedding Reception.
(CopvrighEl
NEW YORK, Jan. S.--"You eau have any
thing in the world that you want. IL you
are willing to pay for it,"
That is the rule that governs nearly every
fashionable catering establishment. You
can order a dinner for one or dinner for
100. You can have cake and fees, or you
can have terrapiu and canvasbacks. You
can have full brass band or string or
chestra, or only a harpist. You can have
some one to play the castanets or you can
have Emma Eames or Paderewski. You
can have anything and everything you
went--if you are willing to pay for IT.
With this grand choice in the selection Of
entertainments it is no wonder that the
fashionable woman hesitates when she at
tempts 10 decide how she will entertain her
gueets. And so IL happens that in niue
cases out of ten the caterer is told TO plan
the entertainments, provide the music, look
after the floral decorations and even inform
the hostess about the number Of guests that
can be nicely accommodated at the enter
tainment which has been planned. The
cate er has full sway, and full RESPONSE
bility also. II all things go right he is
lauded to the skies and his bill is generally
prom )unced far too small. If things go
wrong or If there is hitch anywhere the
caterer is blamed. His bill is grudgingly
paid and patronage is withdrawn.
He must even so plan things that the
guests neither weary at the length of a din
ner nor chafe because the entertain ment ia
the same as was provided elsewhere. For
the time being he must be all things to all
people. And woe to him and to his bust
ness il as much as one flower be withered or
strain OF music strike into discord.
WAYS AND MEANS.
To accord with the peculiar tastes of the
season the fashionable caterer has cut down
the fashionable dinner until it is only nine
courses loag. 1t lasts only an hour and a
half. Many dinners are by special request
only seven courses long and Just an hour is
occupied in serving them. The correct hour
for dinner is s o'clock-neither earlier nor
later Following the customs of some En-
Rilsh houses few New York hostesGes have
made the ceremony OF entering the dining
room 8 very simple one. instead of being
stately and cerenonious The hostess her.
self leads the way, followed by the ladies Of
the party. Then come the gentlemen, fol-
lowed by the host, who comes last. The
hostess herself indicates the places at the
table, ana all IS done IN q uellghmully sim
pie and unassumiug way.
Very large dinners are as much liked this
season as they we're disliked bali a dozen
seasons ago. It is not unusual now 70
| serve a dinner for sixty or seventy people,
and to remove the tables afterwerd so that
| there can be dancing. These dinner dances
| are very popular, and last year [ served a
series Of four OF them at the homes of some
Of the most elegantly fashionable women in
New York.
The cost of such dinner varies greatly.
| For as low as $40 or S12 cover very re-
spectacle dinner, with wine and pretty
decorations, can be arranged. The series
| Of dinners OF which speak cost S75 cover.
This sum included music. flowers. fsvors
and decorations OF all kinds.
Usually the question IL not How much
will IL cost" but chow nice can You make
itr' | must constantly devise something
which shall be entirely new and pretty
enough to excite even the blase admiration
Of those who dine and wine on the costliest
and hAndsomest tables in the world.
COLOR DINNERS.
Color dinners are very popular. The
flowers which are used IN the decoration OF
tho table must correspond 10 the color
which "a chosen as the prevailing hue OF the