Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-01-16
Decoration of Tables, the Menu, Etc
"A Gossip Party.

January 10 brought the anniversary
of the birth of one of Americas most
famous men Of letters-Edgar Allan
Poe, man whose short stories have
placed him in the foremost rank of
writer's Of this particular branch of fic-
ton, but whose one poem, The
Raven" had he written nothing else,
would have entitled him to an envied
place among the worlds poets. Poe
was born 81 years ago in Boston and
his name suggests such a variety of
ideas for the American poets luncheon
series that it is difficult to select (which
one" For instance, his eerie express
slons give good chance for a phantom
party; the titles of his poems alone make
possible the arrangement Of an excel
lent series Of living pictures, the poems
to be read in illustration. Either of
these form good material for club en-
tertainment but clinging to the lunch
con series there is an excellent oppor-
tunity for expansion along the enter
tainment idea.
The tables may be made very effec-
tive and odd. THE Bells" give an
idea for one table; the poem to "Val-
entins." another; his Bridal Ballad
suggests all kinds of dainty ideas for
the decoration of another table, and,
of course, the central table must be
decorated in honor of the Raven"
Between courses these poems might be
read in turn, the reader to be seated
at the table thus honored The place.
card notices for each table should be
selected from the poem after which the
table is decorated. So soon after the
holidays the bell place cards. large
enough to serve as menu cards also.
should be plentiful and with Valen-
tines day drawing so near small fold
ers, the outside cover Of which is a
valentine, may be secured easily for
the valentine table. "The Raven" ia
BILE may have place cards of white on
which raven is painted or ravens may
be cut from black cardboard and the
menu written in white ink thereon.
These club luncheons naturally must
vary in elaborateness of service and
decoration according to the community
in which they are served. All lunch
cons, however, must open with bouil-
lon-or bouillon may serve as the sec
ond course, following oysters on the
half-shell or fruit. For the opening
for this particular luncheon serve a
clear bouillon sprinkledS with parsley
and choose for the descriptive line. "A
green isle in the sea- from the poem
ITO One in Paradise" If fish in any
form is served-soft shell crabs are
splendid at this time of the year-take
this from "A Dream Within a Dream"
-"One from the pitiless wave" If
game is chosen for a part of the serv-
ice, Romance" furnishes this line
Hath been-a most familiar bird"
Mushrooms are uainty which the hot
houses must furnish at this time OF
year, but which are appreciated all the
more because they are rare. REWRITING
to their natural places of growth for
the menu card take, @ dwells in lone
ly places" from Silence" If a meat
is chosen 'Tamerlane' gives Roaming
the forest and the wild" For the sal
ad-"Forms we can't discover" from
'Fairyland." and for the dessert and
coffee-"Is but dream within
dream" from the poem of the same
name.
The guests should be given the old.
but interesting request to wear some
token OF Poe-a small raven, a gold
bug, for his story of that name (al-
though that takes it out OF the realm
of poetry, a valentine. a group of
tiny bells. picture of Venice for THE
City in the Sea-" picture of the Coli
scum for his poem to this relic of Ro-
man power, a star for his Evening
STAR" and so on down the list.
A Gossip Party.
According to all tradition the invita-
tions to a gossip party" will make
the women smile and the men frown.
but each individual transcribes tradi-
ton to suit himself, and this special
tradition may be turned round" in
many instances. However, a gossip
party may be made very amusing and
interesting.
In the first place the novelties which
the factories produce these days make
any kind Of a party possible. This
holiday season seemed to have put
forth more than the usual number of
amusing oddities. and the small and
complete telephones are not the least
among these smile-producing knick-
knacks. The candy box phones are
not new, but they may be made useful.
but the small desk phones are a prod
uct of the year. and they make the
cleverest Of souvenirs. The center
piece for gossip luncheon may be a
doll dressed as Dame Grundy, seated
at telephone. the receiver at her ear
and an expression of delight on her
face. Tiny spool wire should be ar
ranged around the table. small candy
sticks being used for telephone poles.
At each place phone of some kind
should serve.as place card and the
wires all lead to Dame Grundy's tele-
phone