The sun., 1909-05-02
FINGER and THUMB DINNERS
SPRING DIVERSION OF PEOPLE
WHO SEEK NOVELTIES.

Reach OF the Guests-The Dinioulties
OF Such Entertainments Not So Great
n as Might Appear to the Uninitiated.
This Is tho season OF the year when
,eople try to impart originality to din
ners. Ono effort In this direction last
xeek was an unoommonly successful spool
men of its class. Perhaps It took the
enthusiasm Of youth to enjoy 1t.
This dinner had a certain originality
IN the dishes but It was chiefly the manner
IN which it was served that made 1t dh-
fsrent from the average entertainment.
M knives. forks or spoons were used.
instead OF tho usual row Of forks and
kn;ves at the side OF every plate these
useful objects lay in the centre OF the
table. They were in sight, but un-
bokily for those who had no taste for
.rperiments they were covered with q
large fish globe.
About the globe were dafodils. and an
electric bulb inside lit the polished silver.
,bich shone through the smilax twined
across the glass. 1t was interesting to
observe the faces OF the guests as the
realiyation OF what they were TO ex-
rect gradually came to them. First they
slanced down with surprise at the vacant
mace beside every plate, then they
,nied the globe and saw inside the aSti-
ces that they had been taught to regard
q Indispensable.
With the hors d9uvres there was no
dificulty. The little caviar sandwiches
and the halves OF hard boiled eggs stuffed
With sardines and the yolk made into
10
Aren't we going to have any at allf'
asked one OF the young girls Of the youth
hl hostess who sat at the head OF the
table, not looking a bit more like q matron
than auy Of her guests. although she had
.rhteen months Of married life to her
credit.
There will not be a spoon, knife or
fork on this table from this course to the
eoHee and we must all do as We were
taught 70 as children and not ask for
ANYTHING we do not see on the table.
was the reply. -.
That quieted the guests and they all
promised to keep their eyes on the sill
-, yer ware under the globe.
It's put there the host said. merely
a an evidence OF good faith. want
people to know that when Mabel does
these freak things it's not altogether
because she has to. ! haven't pawned
her wedding presents or sold them or
otherwise made away with them We
could al! keep our hands clean at dinner
tehe hadn't made up her mind to return
b. the DAYS in which fingers were pre-
TERED to forks
There was something Of a shout when
the clans were brought in. Nobody
seemed quite to know what would happen
until the hostess picked up one Of the
tiny shells and shipped the sprinstime
bivalve down her throat. Then it was
seen that every clam had been detached
from its shell. 80 the problem OF how to
eat them was easily settled.
But the soup?' said one guest. "I'm
70 afraid Of the coup. 1t is so unbe-
coming to a shirt front"
i've heard another man answered,
that eating soup with fork is like kiss
ing a man without mustache. Then
what will it be like TO have to eat it with
out even a fork-like kissing girl with
4 mustache?-
Nobody answered him, for the waitress
had already appeared with the soup.
1t was chicken gumho. strained and
in cups SO the uselessness Of forks
or spoons seemed to be established.
Now the entree was impending. Its ter
ros were discussed before the course ap-
peared on the table. Never before had
the arrival Of the waitress in the dining
room been awaited with such interest.
The minute that either Of the two women
opened the door leading from the butler g
pantry ten pairs OF eyes stared at them
ntenty
Just To think cried the jubilant host.
three courses and not a grease spot
yet! I'll take those forks downtown
Tomorrow and sell lem. Mabel. suppose
Wesell EN- and buy a motor?'
The entree proved TO be large mush-
rooms. none OF them less than three
on thin slices Of toast also round, and
not more than half an inch broader than
The mushroom, over which there was
spread layer Of sweetbread:
Just see how easy 1t is the host ESQ
explained as she lifted up the circular
piece Of toast Its just as easy as eat
hg sandwich
1t was not difficult, and the gayety Of
youth carried the party successfully
over this episode.
am afraid OF that roast beof, one
male guest complained. How can
en piece OF roast beef without q fork or
knite' The next time suspect I'm ooru-
mg 70 a dinner like this I'll 60 to tho zoo
leeding time the day before
>. bis approximations were unnecessary.
bt was not roast beef that came next.
ne waitress handed to every guest a
ue,,cate spring lamb chop.
IL had been made in the manner Of
french chop, "a the butchers call 1t. and
me tiny bone ~es attached~only to ton
ger cIump OF the meat. Ry holding the
ary bone, one could eat with as much
EASE as Il there had been a dozen forks
a ones disposition.
Inc second waitress put on every plate
some potatoes fried in the style that the
rrench call .pommes de pnills, or straw
potatoes They are perfectly dry and
can be eaten quite as we'll with the fingers
as with a fork.
nus Is perfect cinch," called out the
man who had eaten more than ANYBODY
Else and from his appetite might always
nave struggled along without any con-
vehuohal aids TO appetite, @but tell
YOU ono thing. The idea Of salad frightens
NE Tomato mayonnaise in ones fingersl
Wow again,"
W hen Mabel talked about this thing
nik'' the host began. Il. expected To
nave . shirt like Turkish rug, but I'm
sun like driven snow
just wait for that salad before you
n, uon"t,' came from a young girl. ut
VIII soatter So
There turned out to be no more spat
I IIelihg IRON the salad than from any other