Evening journal., 1912-08-22
Good

Afternoon Tea etiquette.

added to the modern curriculum of edu-
cation.
Have simple entertainments gone out
OF fashion. submerged In the tidal
wave Of extravaganza
There have been OF late many refer
ences made to the king and queen Of
England having expressed their wish
that afternoon tea. as a fashionable
function. should be abolished as being
an unnecessary and unheaIthful Gus
tom. whether the king and queen
really did make such a statement and
issue q royal command to that effect
has not as yet been authorItatively
made public. and in the meantime 70
O'Clock teas" flourish apace both In
England and In this country.
1t is possible to give to this enter
tainment such distinctive originality
20 make OF the simple repast a suitable
function TO which invitations are
eagerly sought. 80 that small wonder
Is II that women and men alike fall
victims to its charm.
Every good housekeeper has some
recipe that she guards with jealous
care, and to be known as having the
most delicious OF cakes. biscuits or
sandwiches at afternoon tea is every
whit as desirable as In the olden days
when every woman was taught the art
of making cake. In all well appointed
households the tea table is made ready
at o'clock. even though for the mo
ment the hostess may not have return
ed from her afternoon drive. The tea
service is set forth on low tea table
In winter near the fire, In summer
on the pleasantest corner OF the We
randa. Only the tea service is for the
tea table II there is a lower shelf
the cups and saucers may be placed
on II. A pile of small tea plates. each
with its dainty tea napkin, occupies
one shelf OF the "curates assistant"
a three tier stand. On the remaining
shelves are hot biscuits of dirninutive
size and small tea cakes and one large
cake. All kinds OF sandwiches. from
the wafer thin bread and butter TO the
endless variety OF tomato. lettuce.
cream cheese and nut sandwiches. are
included. Only there must not be too
great a variety served the same time.
The hostess makes the tea. II the
head of the house be at home It IS her
duty. but II she be not present then the
eldest daughter takes her place at the
tea table. The kettle must be boiling.
then the teapot be warmed. A spon-
ful Of tea for each guest and one for
the teapot is the rule. A small guam
tity OF the boiling water is then poured
on the tea and stands for three min.
utcs. and then the teapot is filled with
boiling water. On the tea table must
be cream. sugar, saccharin and sliced
lemon. In winter a small decanter Of
rum Is also added The camomile tea
so fashionable now, must not be for
gotten. for II Is said to have the mos
marvellous effect upon tired nerves and
sleeplessness. It is brewed in the same
fashion as other tea. and no tea table
should be without It.
The older woman or the young girl
OF today who makes OF the afternoon
tea hour an entertainment On the best
sense OF the wordl for her friends finds
nothing pays so well for the time and
thought given It. while FOR the woman
who from forced economy cannot give
dinners and luncheons as she would
there is nothing TO take its place. And
there Is no time nor place where a wo-
man is seen to such advantage. At
tired in becoming gown In front Of a
fire with the tea table and tea service
artistically arranged. she must shine
as hostess. And, May l bring an en-
tertaining friend I'm for tea?" often in
PRODUCES a stranger Of note into the
charm OF the American home life in a
way he could never have found through
formal dinner or dance.
All young girls should be instructed
how TO play hostess at the afternoon
tea. should know how to make tea and.
n not. how TO make the cakes and sand
witches and to tell how they should be
made; to take interest in having the
silver tea service kept IN perfect con
dition and, above all. be taught how to
make the guest feel he or she is well
come TO the home life and not regarded
, as an outsider. And afternoon tea is
possible even with the smallest of IN
comes. for 1t can be most delightfully."-
served in the house where but one
maid or no maid at all is kept