The Washington herald., 1907-03-17

NlslL 10 l4ilS country Wuen MS eggs We're
served at breakfast TO him in this way,
declared that the custom was so nauseat-
Ing that should he be presented with such
a mess again he thought he should take
the next ship home.
a book Of etiquette published by a
notable woman in the middle Of the last
century notes with regret that napkins
ARE not more frequently used" But"
she added. in case napkins are not
served. IT is perfectly permissible for the
guests to wipe their mouths and fingers
on the edge Of the table cIothr We
have grown since then. and there is
probably no well-Ordered family in the
world where napkins are not part of the
services Of every meal The Germans
Italians, the French too, for that mat
ter, generally tuck their napkins into
their necEs and then abandon themselves
TO an assault upon the viands with but
little thought of what happens. English
and Americans lay them quite properly
across their laps, and they are used 20
collect any possible crumbs, for It is not
supposed that person who has any
knowledge Of table etiquette will soil his
fingers IN eating.
A famous traveller whose books upon
the countries he has visited have been
translated into every language. and are
constantly quoted. told at a Washington
dinner table some time ago the story Of
meeting an old college chum near the
Waldorf. ia New York. They had been
Ia the same class and quite intimate. and
il was a real unhappiness TO the man who
told the story 10 find his old friend ex-
tremely seedy, almost ont al the elbows,
bdggy at the knees, and wearing a per
fectly hopeless expression.
Come. old man" he said, after they
had chatted about old DAYS and their
former associates, Come into the Wal
dorf and have a bite with me"
The man demurred, alleging no excuse.
and evidently feeling that he was too
shabby 10 be in such distinguished com
pany. He was prevailed upon however,
and finally entered into New York's gor-
geous hostery
But said Che raconteur, after he bad
accepted. y was positively worried; there
were dozen Of my friends lunchlng
there. some of whom Z knew would join
me. I had lost sight Of this old chum
.
as 10 NnaJ he would do; perhaps he drank
+ TO eXcess-he looked it certainly. perhaps
he ate with his knife, people who become
degenerate in one way degenerate gen
orally in every way. and il may have
been very cowardly and very snobbish
but | was bit worried when We took
our seats IN the luncheon room.
We were Joined directly by a couple of
distinguished scientific men from Wash
/ iuEtoa. and after We had our cocktails
and lunch was ordered, sat myself 10
studying my old pal. As soon as the
oysters were served, he reached over and
took a piece Of French bread from the
( tray and broke IL daintily. Then l knew
all danger was passed. a man who re-
membeEed TO break his bread had surely
not forgotten all the other refnements of
I the table. ne had learned as "A boy and
| 50 il proved. There was no one Of rs at
l tie table who ate more Conventonally OF
. with more restraint"
The use of bread. indeed, does indicate
/ a persons culture as regards table
etiquette. There is no surer indication
I of in breeding than for one to cut tne
bread that is served him into hunks with
/ his knife
/ There is 50 much to be commended
about the English table customs. that il
] is we'll to note them here. A hostess OF
Britain never reprOves her servants 81
/ table even if only the family are pres.
ent. She is always serene, and if not as
/ brilliant as her American sister. very
/ dignihed. very gracious. and very hos
pitablc. neither does she apologize for
/ thing that may appear. If ii servant
spills wine down her back, or drops a
platter at the pantry door. she seems
/ pc. fectly unconcerned. She never presses
| a person unduIy 10 partake of any dish
nor does she proclaim the fact that sht
\ had "A hand i'm it's manufacture. Not Sd
/ the German hostess; she is dIsconsoIate
/ if her guests seem to have feeble appe-
/ tites, either for food or drink, and sht
! presses them with the warmest hospitality
TO help themselves more literally. and /.
/ apt 10 send 10 the pantry for something
/ that she may have there, if the dishes
! already served do not meet with popular
/ approval. OF course. at the table Of tn,
middle class in England as we'll as nearly
/ everywhere else in the world, the john
/ is served on the table. but in all houses
/ where butler is kept, as well as maids
meats are carved and vegetables ar,
! served from the side
/ Question: L VIII you kindly tell me something
Of carriage etiquette! ON which side Of the car
riSge should young girl sit if she is the guest o
an older LADY! Should she get ont first and hell
her hostess 60 alight should the hostess go first
/ Should She if she j. quite young woman no
I yet ont give the hack seat to any gentleman tha
might be m the party lNFANT.
! Answer; Carriage etiquette. as you cal
/ it, is very simple. In Europe a gentle
man, younger person, or an inferior
invariably sits on the left hand of "A lady
There is no such hard and fast rule IL
( America, but when a young woman j:
with an older woman. she generally take.
the sunny side Of the carriage, giving tht
/ more comfortable place to her elder She
should. OF course, get out OF the carriage
/ first and help her hostess to alight II
she is quite a young woman and the gen
tleman in the carriage is white-haired anC
venerable. she should offer him the bach
seat. but this courtesy would rarely be
taken advantage Of by d man of the
world except in case Of feebleness. auC
/ because riding on the forward seat wOulC
make him i'll.
/ Question: . I have a friend visiting me Would
/; be proper 10 ask for an invitation to a luncheon
for her to which am invited during Easterf Pleas,
/ answer IN your next issue. ! must ask for tn
invitation speedily, if at all. X. /. NJ.
Answer: II would be proper to ask FOR
an invitation for your friend to a lunch.
/ con, provided the luncheon is a very larg,
affair. and you know the hostess iati
lmately If il is a small affair and the In
/ vitatiOHs have been a Ions time out, il