Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-04-28

be formed which it will be dlthcult 10
snake off when in company.
To make noises when eating, drink
ing soup with gurgling sound, chew
ing meat noisily, swallowing as if with
an effort, smacking the lips, or breath
ing heavily while masticating food, are
all violations of proper rules.
It is a bad habit to put large pieces
of food into your mouth. If you are
addressed suddenly with your mouth
so filed, you are obliged to make an
awkward pause before answering or to
run the risk of choking by swallowing
the great mouthful too hastily.
Sit neither very near nor very far
from the table. To lean back in the
chair is rude, and surely no gentleman
would ever be guilty Of tipping his
chair at table. Sit erect, not stltily,
but in an easy position.
Bread must always be broken, never
cut, and certainly never bitten.
To eat very fast is inelegant; to eat
very slow bears an air Of atiectation.
1t is against all rules of etiquette to
sop up gravy with bread, to serape up
sauce with spoon, or to take up bones
with the fingers.
Never hold your knife and fork
erect in hands at each side Of your
plate when conversing at the table.
To blow soup to cool it, or to pour
tea or coffee into a saucer for the same
purposes, are acts of awkwardness
never seen in polite society. Wait
until they are cool enough to be pleas
ant.
Use the salt spoon, butter knife and
sugar tongs even when you are alone
If you want to cough, sneeze or
blow your nose, leave the table. If
YOU have not time, turn away your
head and lean back in your chair.
At home, if you use a napkin ring
fold your napkin and replace it in the
ring when you have done with ii. If
you are dining out, never fold your
napkin, but place it besideyOur plate.
None but a clown would use the
tablecloth for a napkin, pick his teeth
with his fork, put his fingers in his
plate, or even wipe his face with his
napkin.
Put your spoon in the saucer and
your knife and fork on the table until
you are served.
If you are unfortunate enough to
find anything disgusting in your food
"a hair in the soup, coal in the
bread, a worm in the fruit, or fly IN
your coffee-remove the offending OBJ
ject quietly or change your cup or
plate without remark.
TO eat with the knife is ill-man-
nered. Caution is given against put
ting the knife to the mouth. Carry
ing food to the mouth with knife is
scarcely more tolerabIe than drinking
from a fnger-bowl.
When a dish is offered it is better
to accept it, even if you do not desire
it, since it is the best means Of mani
testing your appreciation towards your
host. But if you refuse merely say
"No, thank you" and never, 81 do
not care for ii.
If you do not drink wine, turn your
glass bottom up.
Whenever anything is passed to you
do not fail to say, THANK you, even
if it be to a colored waiter. You can
show your refinement to a servant as
well as to a host.
Gentlemen should stand behind their
respective chairs until all the ladies
are seated.
Soup must be taken from the side
of the spoon, and without any noise OF
slipping. Gentlemen with heavy nous
taches may take soup from the point
of a spoon, since it Is much less un-
slightly than dripping mouth. Never
tilt the soup-plate for the last spoonful.
At the close of the meal finger
bowls, one-quarter full Of tepid water
should be set before each person upon
a dolly in plate. Remove the dolly
to the left hand side, dip the tips Of
the fingers into the bowl, and then
wipe with the napkin. After so doing
set the fnger-bOwl upon the dolly.
Fish must be eaten with a fork.
In eating asparagus it is proper tc
use the fingers.
When oranges are served, an orange