The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-05

know anything more embarrassing than
10 open your napkin at a dinner and
gayly and Unexpectedly send your
bread flying into the middle Of the
NO butter appears on the formal din
ner table
1T is not correct to salt and pepper
your food at formal dinner table. But
people are so determined to be incor-
rect in this respect that II is gener-
ally necessary to have pepper and salt
on the table.
Never leave a guest without a plate
before him until the table is cleared
for dessert. The service plate always
stands there, and the other plates are
placed on it
Use a napkin to remove the crumbs
before desert, not brush or a knife
Never try to serve a formal dinner
with only one main who has already
cooked the dinner. II you cannot have
outside people come in for the serving
It is better to have the little dinner
the informal dinner, which, when il IS
right, IS one Of the incest things
known.
The little dinner properly served, Is
infinitely better than the formal din
ner slopptIy served.
IF you have sloppy service for the
family you will have sloppy service
when there is company.
The reason we do not have good ser
vice every day is because we live in a
perennial and eternal rush. L you are
not wiling to give time to its attain
ment. It is not worth while to ATTEMPT
to perfect service
The ideal dinner has simple menu
and simple decorations, without osten-
tar1on or DrOfuston but with perfect
cookery and perfect service, an oppor-
tunity for the injection of a flavor OF
that personality of the hostess which
gives to every function its individual
ity
Answers to a dinner Invitation
should be sent within twenty-four
hours.
IT is a shame that r. s. V. p has
10 be placed at the bottom of invita-
tons. II is almost an insult TO re-
celvs an invitation SO marked Yet it
Is necessity. because Of the rudeness
or soma people in not answering.
EIght-thirty is the accepted hour
fer the formal dinner in Washington:
O'Clock in London. T. 7.30 and are
correct according to local custom
A wife should not accept dinner
invitation If her husband can not go
II leaves the hostess under the nee
essIty Of providing an an unattached
man
1t is an imposition to keep people
eating and talking for three hours. as
they must for twelve course dinner
Two hours Is long enough; an hour and
half IS better
Dinner Invitations are sent to The
third person The personal note is per-
Missile: the tele1hone never.
Twenty inches of space should be
allowed to each person
There is nothing so pretty as a
round table Round pine tops and round
table cloths can be hired at a tremen
dous price.
Felt should be placed under the
cloth, both for appearance and noise
lessneSs' out 1t should never be long
enough to touch the laps.
The butler or maid should know how
many guests are expected. and an
nounee dinner when all have arrived
But II one guest is late, the hostess
must intervene
At large dinner the butler gives
each man on entering an envelope con-
tanning the name of the woman he is to
take to the table On the card also is
R or L. indicating that he is on the
right or left side of the table. II is
embarrassing to search all around 3
big table for ones place.
AT a small dinner the hostess may
! tell each man as he enters the name OF
the woman he is to take out But she
should not attempt this unless she Is