Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-14

h AN AFTEhNOON STHOLL.
crusty old bore, cast about IN your aos
quaintance for the incest, prettiest girl you
know. Brown may not be ambitious ex.
acting socially, but he Is usually able to
appreciate the compliment of charming
vis-a-vis across the candles and will digeGS
his dinner and tell his best stories all the
better for an audience that has bright eyes,
silky pompadour, a gay little laugh and
becoming frock.
When to Limit.
As a rule, when the home has r. by-1A-
foot dining room, 1t Is the part Of discrs.
ton, as well as comfort, to limit the dinner
company to four.
You will do well to lay the board your
self. Put on your best Of everything and
be guided in the arrangement by the eye o
an artist and q mathematician. Use plenty
Of light, for that pleases the men. but b
thoughtful OF your women guests, and temA
per it to a becoming. caressing glow,
Don't use the overhead gas Or electric
chandelier, unless you swathe 1t in masses
Of pink, or yellow, or pale green silk. OF
expensive recourse Is the white or color$Q
paraffine candle Five or six OF these, with
pink or pale yellow paper shades, are ade4
Quate to the needs Of q quartet at dinnef,
little beforehand, to avoid accidents on the
dinner evening.
We have grown past the barbario stage
In table decoration, and now the most eie.
the simplest. A light lace piece 10 put exe
actIy In the center Of the cloth, On this
goes a three-branched candlestick, and At
the base is laid a carpet Of wild fern fronds
long-stemmed carnations.
The next most important point Is the livs
cry suitable for the maid. A plain black
frock, an apron that Is as daiutily white al
a magnolia leaf, a little diamond-shaped,
6-cent, tarlatan cap, white turnover GUNS
and a white collarsis her orthodox costume
The world over.
Not Too Ambitious.
If you are wise In your day and genera
ton, and II 1t Is your first dinner party
you will not attempt ambitious dishes. Re-
member that you are going to have men at
dinner, and men like the substantials well
cooked. The masculine appetite demands
SOUP roast, salad and a sweet. you can add
shell fish on ice IL you like, but do not att
tempt fancy dishes.
A perfect-roast is the king pin Of a dim
ner, whether it is rib of beef or leg OK
lamb. A couple of vegetables should sup
port the roast. A tomato and lettuce salad,
with a mayonnaise made by yourself,
should form the third course. Ice cream.
with cake and coffee, will round off the
hot things hot and the cold things cold.
Light up the table five minutes before
dinner is served and then. when the guests
are spreading their napkins, let the soup be
brought in, one plate at a time. After soup,
the head of the house ought to carve the
roast while the maid passes the dishes OK
vegetables. 1t is only polite to invite the
guests to second helping of meat and
vegetables and to pass bread, celery, etc.
While soup is under discussion the wine
If there is sany-Should be introduced one
wine Is ample at such dinner. Claret, sau-
terne champagne are all good choice.
oIo 10 irlSf a a
gerous for the maid to handle. The safest
way with white or red wine Is to uncork
and decant 1t beforehand and put the de-
center on the table. or to draw the CORK.
place the bottle on the sideboard and have
It passed to your husband when the soup
comes In. He will first ill the glass of the
lady on his right and then his own. After
this Brown gets the bottle and fills your
glass and his own. Thereafter Henry keeps
the bottle beside him and sees that the
glasses to the right and left Of him are
properly filled.
Be sure, as4you value your reputation
as hostess. to prepare an extra strong.
clear, hot and stimulating quality of after
dinner coffee. Serve it at table. 1t is as
important as the soup and the roast and
the quality of your husbands cigars. 1t
makes merry the heart of the guest and
draws a cheerful veil of oblivion over the
possible dash of salt IN the Ice cream, or
the long wait between soup and roast, or
the little accident with the Ice water.
What to Wear.
If you want to make this veil of oblivion
thicken still you must be sure to wear your
smartest gown to dinner: Not every din
ner party requires a decoIlete frock. For
little intimate function of four it is much
better taste for the hostess to wear some
thing high in the throat, with long or ell
bow sleeves, a graceful train and care
fully ironed and becoming coiffure. When
you are asked out to dine, it is then your
place to assume fun dress, and the frou-
frouest you have. Acting the part of hos
tess however, you leave your gloves in
your bureaus top drawer, wear your most
wreathing smile, and never lose your cues.
You are the first to shake hands with your
guests, you give the signal for going in
and out Of the dining room, and it is in
your power to show deal of grace and
good sense or iarnentable awkwardness In
doing these simple things.
If long, narrow, dark hallway leads
from parlor to dining room, lead the way
yourself. let your guests follow. and your
husband bring up the rear. Should the din
ing room open with folding doors into the
parlor, the, woman guest goes in on your
husbands arm and YOU follow with Brown.
Ask Brown to take the chair on your right,
and the lady the chair on your husbands