Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-12-30
ON TABLE MANNERS
WHERE CLUMSINESS is ALWAYS
UNPARDONABLE.
This Is a Most important Branch OF
knowledge Which Should Be I'M
parted Early in the Life
of Child.

The first thing a child learns is the
road that lies between it's little hand
and rosy mouth. Yet, despite this
early start in a very important branch
OF knowledge, nine out of ten adult
persons eat improperly.
The reason of this, in the first in
stance, is that parents have neglected
to reproVe the first signs of clumsi-
ness, thinking 1t all right if the child
only eats the meal set before it,
TO eat gracefully, which is to say
noiselessly and properly, is one Of the
first accomplishments demanded by
polite society. 1t Is impossible to
know the elegant world without it
that is, to go on knowing 1t, for the
table-boor may have crept In once
somehow And, though one may be
inclined to forgive the clumsy, hearty,
and really big boy somewhat, there
seems no excuse for the girl what
ever her age. AS she represents the
ornamental side of the human race.
more is expected of her than of the
other sex.
AS well set table is the begin
ming of table education, the girl who
finds her home neglected in this re-
spect should take it upon herself to
make the family board more attrac-
tive.
In the land in which we live what
constitutes bad manners at table?
Eating noisily, v0raciOusly, with the
elbow on the table, with the mouth
full when speaking; in the guest dab
b4ng quantities of pepper and salt and
other condiments upon the food
served; in wearing the napkin as a
bib instead of placing it upon the
knees; in not knowing the fork for
this thing and the knife for that; in
buttering the bread in a whole slice
instead of breaking it off in mOrsels
and buttering those when ready to eat
them; in eating the soup from the
tip OF the spoon instead of from the
side; In the hostess or host apologize
ing for the simplicity Of the meal and
appointments when they can afford
nothing better; in the guest not know
ing that it is the height of indelicacy
to ask for things not on the table
suppose there Is no Worcestershire or
mustard or olive oil in the house-and
in their going away without compli-
menting the host or hostess upon the
meal
Along with these graver offenses
there are some minor ones, though
each and every slip" counts in the
summing up. For example, the polite
world expects you to know that you
must eat asparagus with a fork and
not with the fingers; that the spaghet-
ii must be rolled over the fork and
carried deftly to the mouth without
hanging end, and never cut up; that
green salad must also be disposed OF,
somehow without cutting; that fish is
a food for forks and never for knives:
that you ought to understand, if you
don't already, that If you take a
chicken or bird bone In the left hand
and nibble 1t prettily, you would be
doing quite permissible thing,
whereas to hold the bone in both
hands and eat greedily is an actual
fmpertinance
To sum up the moral significance Cf
table manners, it must be remembered
always that the offer of a meal in
private family is the highest compli-
ment that can be paid. 1t is incum-
bent upon the guest, then, to hold all
that has passed at this table as holy.
whether some defects marked the
meal or not. Which is to say, there
must be no unfattering discussion of
the entertainers upon going home, no
ungracious word concerning the meal
or its manner Of serving. The hostess
must be equally exquisite toward the
departed guest, letting fall no word
that would put her in any belittling or
ungTaceful light.