The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-12-08
THE ART OF SERVING AND WAITING.


not receive the attention it deserves
from either mistress or maid. 1t is
not until noting the manner of wait
ing at the different tables of many
friends that one appreciates how often
what should be we'll done is perform
ed either in slop- dish manner or in
a careless laisse1- -Gl2ey way. Mistress
and maid are both to blame for this
state of affairs. The former dislikes
to find fault, and, moreover, takes it
for granted that the servant who has
once learned to wait properly will
continue to do so. Therefore she
ceases to watch for the little 1apses
of which her maid may be guilty.
The best>of uneducated hirelings are,
after all, to a certain extent, eye
servants, and, when allowed free
sway, grow careless.
The rules for proper waiting and
serving are very simple, and should
be as punctiliously observed in the
privacy of the family as at a dinner
or luncheon party. Since practice
makes perfect, the servant whose
daily waiting is unimpeachable will
not be nervous or made mistakes at a
formal function.
The table for the simplest of home
dinners should be laid with white
linen cloth over one of table felt or
very heavy Canton flannel. In the
middle of the table is a hand wrought
center piece, and on this may or may
not rest a table mirror, on which
stands vase or bowl of flowers.
Lacking the mirrow, the vase is set
upon the center-piece. Ifcut flowers
prove too expensive luxury,
pretty potted plant, such as a gera-
MUM or cyclamen in bloom, or deli
cate little palm, may take their
place.
Tablespoons and salt and pepper
cups may be placed upon the table,
as fancy dictates, as may also small
dishes of olives, pickles, and other
Aoys d. 1euvye. Then at the place of
each person to be seated at the table
is laid a plate, a folded napkin,
bread-and- butter plate and knife, and
a tumbler of iced water. At the left
of the place go the requisite number
of forks, at the right the knives,
while the soup-spoon may be laid at
right angles to the knives and forks.
In front of the mistress of the house
lies the soup ladle by the hosts
place the carvers and steel.
When the family is seated, a warm
soup plate is set in front of each per-
son, and the tureen put in front of
the hostess. AS she fills the plate
before her, the waitress removes it
and substitutes an empty one, and SO
on until all are served. This course
ended, the tureen is first removed,
then the plates, and warm meat plates
are put in their places. The platter
containing the roast goes in front of
the master of the house, and the
dishes containing vegetables are set
on the side-table. While the carver
is cutting the meat, the waitress
stands little back, at his left, ready
to remove the plate before him and
to put clean one down. This done,
she passes the vegetables, one dish at
a time, on her tray, to the left-hand
side of each person. Then the dishes
are returned to the side-table. Pick
les, etc., are next passed.
When all are served, the waitress
must stand back Of her mistress, tray
in hand, and always watchful and
ready to fill the empty glass or to
pass the vegetables. 1t is her bust
ness to note when one has no more
bread, or when he has any want
which she can supply. Should a
knife or fork be dropped, she must
quickly bring another in its place.
and, above all, be always on the alert
for a look or motion from the mis-