The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-09-30

The newest society fad, only that it
is not a fad at all, Is q style OF serv-
ing tea. Presumably the learner Is
miss Of no uncertain age, for the
pinched skin and honey fingers OF the
old maid or the chubby hands OF the
madam could not be trained down or
Nd to artistic shape or formation. In
fact, the hands play q very important
part In serving tea. A great deal OF
practice is required in private before
a mirror that never tells tales out OF
school. The little finger OF the pour
ing hand must never touch the handle
Of the urn, but remain detached and
be made to keep up constant CULVER
ing-not as II the teacup girl were at
all nervous, but as an innocent ana
unconscious exhibition of finger gym
nastics. While this finger play is go
Ing on, the other hand, with fingers
extended, hovers above and about the
cup not wholly unlike the wings OF
the turtle dove when trying to make
I'D its mind whether or not 1t will
light upon the nearby cherry tree
and nestle among the extended
branches all laden with blossoms. But
the tea has not left the urn. The
eyes of the teapot girl have range
of observation to cover, and yet new
er covering. only seemingly so to give
time to the observers to observe the
several eye-poses. In concert with
the roaming Of the eyes the head has
its part to play, which it does by ap-
parently conforming to the movements
OF the eyes, and meanwhile the tea
cup girl must have a facial express
sion that indicates SO much Joy that
IT is but natural that she should part
her lips just enough to show her pearl
like teeth as through bank Of Ameri-
can Beauties all tangled up in half
laughing smiles Now the tea and
the teapot are ready for service. But
VIC give up the job. We are not pro-
acient enough in word-painting and
let an expert, an eyewitness and
woman, tell the rest of the story,
which runs the ways in her own
graphic style OF telling the truth:
THE teacup girl has the most
charming hands. The fingers have
very pink nails cut in the new fashion.
They are short, but the flesh Is push
ed back to make a very pronounced
moon.
This moon requires daily attention,
for it speedily wanes unless cult
waited. 1t should be half moon and
its color must be a silver, never a dull
blue. This, l am told, Is all a matter
of care and Of amounting the finger
tips at night.
The teacup girl has hands covered
with velvety skin, which must be
clear as cream. The brown hand Is
not fashionable now. The hand must
be of that fascinating white which
holds the eye, 1t Is a plump. voluptu-
Gus hand, the fashionable hand, with
wide deep nails trimmed close at the
finger tips.
Nearly ali great beauties take I'm
ger exercises. Lantry for years prac-
ticed daily the art of separating her
fingers two by two until she could
move them in any group of two, a diff
cult task. The Russian ladies curl
the middle finger. French women
have a trick of closing the third fin
ger while the others curl around It,
These are little mannerisms of the
hands, but they are telling when one
Is noting the beauty of the hand.
"One Southern girl in New York
has learned somewhere the Madrid
art of making rose tea Never have
l seen this made except in Madrid.
She wears always at her left side,
just over her heart. big pink rose.
1t Is in fall bloom with spreading
petals just waiting to be pulled.
AT the critical time in the tea max
ing. which is after the rock candy has
been laid in the cup and the tea has
been poured. she touches the rose
with her finger tips and pulls off a
single petal, which she lays upon the
top Of the steaming cup. The action
Is very taking and the delighted man
In waiting takes his cup and stands
stir more than half step away.
The tea table must be lower than
the one who Is pouring tea. Most
hostesses sit very high and one won.
an has an ice cream soda stool such
as Is used in drug stores, because It
gives her height and a chance to be
naturally graceful. She looks almost
as though she were standing; yet she
is not getting tired. The stool Is hung
with cardinal velvet
THE hat. II hat is worn, must be
tipped toward the light A very bright
glare thrown upon the countenance
will make the tea pourer look hag-
gard even though she be belle. A
big dark hat tipped lightward takes
years off the complexion.
Have your hands charming. Make
them SO lovely that people will want
to squeeze them. Let each finger be
poem. This can be done only by
constant care in front Of a mirror.
Tea pourers should remember that
the figure is plainly on view when
one pours tea and that one should be
slim in the waist. slender in the hips.
and broad in the shoulders-truly di.
rectoire-if one is going to make q
good appearance.