Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-04-04
pocIal correspendence Of eazot.s ana journal

Special Correspondence OF Gazette and Journal
NEW York, March 29.-It was quite
worth while listening to a stupid lecture
to be informed that Lady Mary Wartley
Montagu not only introduced inocula-
ton for smallpox into England, not only
had the reputation of being at once the
wittest and dirtiest woman of her day,
but, that it was she who presented to
thirsty womankind the always delight
full milk punch. History does not record
whether she found it among the Tur-
keys, or where in the Orient it had its
birth, but it is a deal to know that it
came from there, and that IL has always
been popular The knowing how to
make good milk punch is an art. The
milk must be cool, not cold and, it
must be, If success is aimed for, half
cream and half milk. Then, too, it is
necessary that the maker should know
Just how much brandy is required to
make it Strengthening, and just how much
rum to make it spicy. There are people
who use whisky in place Of brandy,
but these are the people who do not
realize that the best use to which whisky
can be put is as wash. 1t is absorbed
by the skin, which, thankful for its
pleasant qualities, becomes firm in tex
ture and white in color. The putting
: of nutmeg on the top of milk punch is
an insult. When you are smelling rum,
lasting milk and being strengthened by
brandy you don't want to have your at
tention distracted by bits Of spice, which
are really only to be used when it is
necessary to hide the ingredients of
drink or dish.
CATERING TO MANS APPETITE.
If nothing else would prove that we
are growing more civilized, our dinners
would. They no longer represent
millinery shops by cotillion favors, with
poor entrees and worse roasts, or rather
bakes, but hostess, If she wishes men
to accept her invitations, must give
something good to eat. Even if one
only has a single maid, it is at once
easier and in better taste to serve
dinner la russo. Mankind was always
Disguised with what he called shat
ribbon stuff" and which appeared in
the form of strips of plush or satin, and
menus to correspond. Nowadays these
are not seen. The dinner is better, and
If menu appears, it is in the form Of a
small white card; while if there are
flowers, they make low, pretty centre
piece, are not heavy with odor, and arc
of tones that rest the eye.
A good hostess does not forget that
the dinner hour is the restful time of
the day, and so she makes her color
scheme pleasant to the eyes, but not
assertive. Her mahogany is covered by
wide hemstitched cloth, that has, q
little to one side of the centre, the
initials of the hostess embroidered in
white. The napkins. are large, hem
stitched, and done up without starch, so
that they are not dreaded by the young
man whose moustache is young. Cam
dies undoubtedly give the most beau
tlful light but they will drip, they have
way of setting fire to their shades, and
so wise women substitute group of
glass lamps in the centre and one in
each corner for the waxen sticks. TIC
have
A SUCCESSFUL DINNER PARTY,
there should not be over ten people. The
round table is again preferred. II
flowers are at each plate, then there is O
small knot of vio!ets for each woman
and single orchid for each man. The
napkin is never folded in any fancy
shape, for nice people do not think il
dainty for a napkin to pass through
many hands. Just beside il is the long
French roll or the square cut OF bread
without crust. The forks, laid in tn,
order in which they are to be used, show
4rst the oyster, and then two others O.
she ordinary size, two knives on III,
right hand, and small butter knife o
silver is at each place, for after these ar,
used the butler can order fresh ones
and it is more desirable to have onl,
these few, because then there is NOR
room for the glasses. Nowadays thes
are one for white wine, one for sherry
one low-bowled one for champagne, an,
a,tumbler with lump of ice in it, an
into which may be taken apolinalis O
soda. Claret is served as it used to be
after the dessert, when an especially fin
brand is required, champagne, very dr.,
constituting the vim ordinaire. Ju!
before the dessert and fruits are brougl
On. the glasses are all removed, the Blu
gunday and liqueur glasses take the
place, and one is asked as to whetht
one will have Madeira Or claret, Will
with the coffee comes some odd liqueul
Mocha or Weichselgeist being fancie
just now.
TABLE ODDS AND ENDS.
Old-fashioned salt cellars, the quaintt
the better, are placed at different corne
of the table, and tiny Apostle spoons al
beside them with which to help one
self; the individual salt cellars, than
goodness, being relegated to the kitche
Small, round cut glass dishes have
them cracked ice, surmounted by brigi
red radishes, while long ones on Il bt
of cracked ice hold just the hearts
the celery. Little silver baskets conta
fancy fruits, bon-bons and sailed q
monds, and as all these are on the tab
from the beginning, they decorate
very much. A specially handsome pla
is put before one with the individual il
upon it, and this, by-the.by, takes Il
form Of flower, a vegetable or fru
This is quickly followed by another
crystal, on which rests the seryiettc, a.
above it the finger bowls. Womankir
now remains at the table after Il
French fashion, and she drinks h
mixture of Java and Mocha from a c,
the size of an egg shell and quite
thin, and through it she can see,
golden letters, the Christian maine
her hostess, which is, by-thc.by, I
peated on the saucer. This dain
fashion originated with Lady dc Ora
on the inner side of whose cups may
seen, duplicating her own way of wrlti
it, the pretty name of "Gladys," viii
is bit heavier in its gold lines on I
saucer. There are people in New Io
who still use candles. Among them NJ
Aston, whose marvellous candeiabra a
made more brilliant by the use of pi
tapers. The late Mrs. Whitney light