The herald., 1897-01-23
THE KIND OF A TABLE.
An Oval for Effective Dinners--A Con-
venient Tea Table.

| For beauty, without doubt q round
| table. Do what you will to improve upon
| It, there can be nothing 50 GRACEFUL -
the long curve of an ample circle, and
| the central ornaments are always very
lovely when they conform to It and close
in narrowing circles toward the center.
but when seating the guests 1t Is not al
ways the most convenient form.
A. long, wide oval seems after all the
most easily arranged, and one ID stu
| free from the sharp corners which ~
ungracious and ungraceful. Yet the
most effective table / remember was
square and wide enough for two to sit
at head and foot. Thus paired, each with
| an honored guest the host and hostess
appeared to singular advantage. and Is
their duty, through the perfect service.
was limited to gracious listening and
| kindly promotion of social enjoyment,
| the arrangement was perfectly feasible.
Recently / have heard of a table thir-
| teen feet square, to decorate which run
ners' had to be laid across the board.
| and the decorator walked about on
them while carrying out her plan of dec
grafton, which was on so colossal a scale
| that she could only judge of 1t by coming
| down occasionally and examining at
| distance the result of her handawork.
| This vastnesa must, should think, be
| lnjudlous to general enjoyment. and act
as much ast al means Of dividing the
| guests into groups as II they were seated
| at separate tables.
Not less than six, nor more than ten,
was the rule of famous giver OF de-
| lightful dinners, when advising young
people how to reach his Successful en-
inence as an entertainer, and always
choose congenial people; this ~ more to
be thought of than the menu"
! For o'clock, the amount of ingen-
| ,,i< a art or, ho q hoan dad n
| the manufacture of tables Is really as
| tonishing. The beautiful and conven-
| lent shape to which they have given the
| ugly name of kidney" is particularly
| nice because 1t allows her who pours
tea to sit little nearer, just at the Gen.
| ter. and the delicate gaurd takes two
pretty curves in making the edge. Then
those with strong and yet very decora-
tive handles, by which they may be car
ried. are very convenient, and the va
| riety of little shelves, higher and lower,
broader and narrower, for all the pretty
| accessories, vie with each other to WOO
| us to purchase them There is one which
has little upper shelf, just wide enough
| for a row of acups, where they show to
great advantage. Under this sugar and
cream etc, have their places and a mar
| row plush lined drawer holds extra
silver.
The East Indian teakwood tables,
| though never cosy or very convenient.
have the merit of great beauty and sta
bility. A lamp Is always safe upon
them. or a punch bowl, or anything wa
| fear to break or spill, and they are har-
monious with everything and always
| give an old world touch to a room which
| Is very dignified and takes away the
'brand-new' look so hard to quench
| And let me not forget that genuine
, blessing, the invalid's table. To how
many has 1t made that dreary function,
eating in bed, a comfortable possibility ?
| Perfectly balanced, its one sided iror,
frame can be rolled to the bedside and
an absolutely steady, amply large board
| passes across without touching the bod Y
| of the patient. 1t Is as safe as q dining
table. and after the meal can be made
useful for holding the writing materials,
work basket or books which are to be-
guile the tiresome hours. To persons
confined to chairs they can be readily
adjusted; nothing is dropped out Of the
| crippled occupants reach or sight, and
all their attempts at work or amusement
! are made easier and pleasanter
| Recently students table has been
invented which, under many circum-
stances, ought to prove of great service.
A strong metal rod secured to four
heavy. castered feet, terminates in q
large steady base for lamp. Attached
to this and balanced as exactly as Is the
invalid contrivance. is an nadtustable and
sufficiently large table, which can be
used fiat or inclined as one chooses, and
| which can be lowered or raised to the
| level demanded by your chair