The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-06-16
TABLE MANNERS.
An Important Branch Of Knowledge Which
Should Be Impaired Early Ia the
Life OF the Child.

The first thing a child learns is
the road that lies between its lit
tie hand and rosy mouth. Yet,
despite this early start IN very
important branch of knowledge,
nine out of ten adult persons eat
improperly.
The reason of this, in the first
instance, is that parents have ne.
elected to reprove the first signs
of clumslness, thinking it all
right If the child only eats the
meal set before it.
To eat gracefully, which is to
say nolselessly 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 whatever her age. AS she
represents the ornamental side
of the human race, more is ex-
pected of her than of the other
sex.
AS a well set table is the begin.
ming OF table education. the girl
who finds her home neglected IN
this respect, should take it upon
herself to make the family board
more attractive.
In the land IN which we live
what constitutes bad manners at
table? Eating nolsily, voracious
ly. with the elbow on the table,
with the mouth full when speak.
ing; in the guest dabbing quanti-
ties of pepper and salt and other
condlmentsupon the food served;
IN wearing the napkin as a bib IN
stead 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 1t off IN
morsels and butterlng 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 apologizlng for
the simplicity of the meal and ap.
polntments when they can afford
nothing better; IN the guest not
knowing that 1t is the height of
lndelicacy 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 compliment.
ing the host or hostess upon the
meal.
Along with these graver offens
es, there are some minor ones,
though each, and every "sllp"
counts IN the summing up. For
example, the polite world expects
you to know that you must eat as
paragus with fork aud not with
the fingers; that the spaghetti
must be rolled over the fork and
carried deftly to the mouth with.
out 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 nlbble 1t prettlly, you
would be doing quite a permlssi-
BILE thing, whereas to hold the
bone in both hands and eat greed
lily, is an actual impertlnence.
To sum up the moral signifi-
canoe of table manners, 1t must
be remembered always that the
offer of meal In private family
Is the highest compliment that
can be paid. 1t is lncum bent up
on 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 unaattering dis
cusslon of the entertainers upon
gong home, no ungracious word
concerning the meal or Its man
ner of serving. The hostess
must be equally exquisite toward
the departed guest, letting fall no