Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-09-06
DRESSING OF THE TABLE.
Bright and ainty Dishes Lena a
Charm to the Meal and En-
courage the Appetite.

So great, indeed. is the influence
Of the eye upon the palate that it is
said that at the famous old Beefsteak
club in London there is a standing
bet of a1O0 that no man can
drink a quart of claret out OF a soup
dish with a spoon. The theory is that
the stomach would rebel after a few
spoonfuls, says the Washington Star.
Make the table as bright and dain-
ty as possible. There is no excuse
now for ugly, plain china when you
can get pretty, artistic things for h
same price. Pick up cups and sau-
GERS here and there and pretty in
dividuai plates for dessert. A pretty
cup and saucer, a delicate plate, a
dainty c~enterpiece, a bunch of flow
ers, will brighten the table and af-
ford a pleasant subject of conFersa-
ton. While the correct method Of
setting a table depends to some ex-
tent upon the taste and custom of
the family, and the amount of serv-
ice provided, there are certain gen
eral rules laid down for all houses,
simple or elegant. A dining-room to
be at its best should be well but not
glaringly lighted and thoroughly
ventilated; the chairs, comfortable
with backs almost straight, but not
movements of the waitress. Round
tables are preferred to the square
ones, because they bring guests into
closer relationship with each other,
even as King Arthur and his Knights
of the Round Table had their intel
lects stimulated by close contact until
their converse stood as the epitome
of the wit and wisdom of that day.
If the room is too small to admit of
q round table, an oblong one, with
rounded corners, will answer. A thick
silence cloth of flannel or canton
flannel should cover the table under
the linen to deaden the sound as well
as to protect the polished top from
hot dishes.
The table linen should be as fine as
the purse allows. Poor, sleazy dam
ask never looks well and does not
pay, while good table linen looks well,
even if neatly darned. In spreading
the cloth, see hat it is put On per-
fectly true and even. In the center
of the table a low jardiniere or a
simple arrangement of flowers or
ferns is generally placed. Stiff .bou-
quets or high epergnes are no longer
used. A ten-cent vase, if prettily
shaped, with a single spray of bios
SONS, is quite sufficient and artistic.
The bunch of wild flowers in the hut
of the poorest peasant may be quite
as beautiful as the rarest orchids on
the laden table of the man of wealth.
On each side of the centerpieces at
dinner should be the low compotieres
for the relishes-salted almonds, rad
ishes, olives or minis. Salts and pep
pers may be individual or one for
every two or three. Knives and
spoons should be placed al the right
and all forks at the left, having the
handles even with the edge of the
table, knives with the sharp edge in
and forks turned down.
Tumblers should be placed 1t the
point of the knife at the right; in.
dividual butter OF bread plates at the
left.
Sometimes dessert silver is laid at
the top of the plate, but usually all
silver at the sides. The napkin is
simply laid on the cloth in front OF
the individual. If fresh, it. usually
holds an oblong piece of bread. cut
rather thick, if soup is the first
course. 1t is a matter of taste, when
there is a butler or waitress, wheth.
er the soup is served from the but
ler's pantry or placed in a tureen be-
fore the hostess.
In either case, it is passed at the
right hand of the one served. All
plates are placed by the waiter at the
! right, but are removed at the left
hand. Dishes accompanying courses
are passed at the left hand.
Service, it is unnecessary to say,