Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-16

or concave side. In England, among
we'll bred folk, the fork is always held
in the left hand. and, with the aid of
the knife in the right hand, food is
placed on the back or convex side of
the fork prongs, then dexterously
lifted to the mouth. In no circum-
stances is the knife laid by and the
fork passed from left hand to right,
as is the custom in the United States
among essentially dainty eaters, in or
der that the food may be lifted shovel
wise Both methods of pro-
cedure display merits and disadvan-
tages."
Some of our ladies of quality in May
fair and the Old Kent road will be
surprised to hear that it is serious
mistake to scrape up juice or gravy
on knife-blade and pour 1t over a
forkful of bread or potato, to dip ones
sticky or greasy knife-blade into a
salt cellar, and to wipe e-blade
on a piece of bread in order to take
up recklessly splashed drops fallen on
the table-cloth or one ones own CLOTH
ing. Strange to say, it is also consid-
cred bad form at a New York dinner
party to pour the contents OF ones
tumbler over ones fingers, or to dip
ones fingers into ones drinking glass.
: Uncompromising frankness is not en-
couraged with ones hostess when she
presses one to take a second helping
of a nasty dish.
Especially at a formal dinner 1t is
not polite to say that the meat is too
strong, or that one detests the very
irht Of thnrafnro or
be made to polite evasion of a positive
expression of feeling. saying for ex-
ample:
Your soup was so nice that l have
already been tempted almost beyond
my capacity'-or
L am really obliged to practice alb
stinence in some of the courses If l
am to do justice to other temptations
to follow"
Vt the end of this priceless chapter
or table manners there is one gem
which should be quoted for the bene-
fit of English aristocrats who may
happen TO find themselves in Fifth
avenue.
Previous to leaving meal of any
formality whatsoever it is not consid-
cred nice to clean up ones place, that
is, to brush up and restore to ones
plate ones bread crumbs, gather up
crusts, fruit skins, nut shells, etc, on
the cloth, and. rising, to shake one
self free of any particles of food. Be
fore getting on ones feet. with the aid
of ones table-napkin, and unseen by
the rest of the company, any crumbs
in ones lap may be scattered to the
floor; and all the debris of the last
two or three courses may be left on
the table as they have fallen
There are some very useful hints on
the art of conversation, showing how
far we have lapsed, in the old coun-
try. from the graces of our forefathers,
which are still maintained in all their
fine flavor in New York. However
closely related or, even If they are on
the friendliest terms, such colloquial
expressions as the following are not
considered quite tasteful between a
lady and a gentleman: You do hear
with your elbows, She said it hap
pened on Thursday"
You may freely and gracefully dit
fe, from any one in an opinion But
to say in plain terms, 1 know better,
or You are all wrong there, Mr.. A. or
That is nonsense is d way by when
you may suddenly and irretrievabiy
destroy all your right and title to a
reputation for good breeding
On the other hand, there is in Fifth
avenue a collection of courteous phras-
es for use in everyday life which put
to shame the abrupt, perky, and care
less words of the English gentleman.
Instead of the How do you do!
which we are accustomed to give when
introduced, the New York gentleman
saws with great gravity. Mr.. G., l
have long cherished a desire to meet
you. This is indeed an honor Ii a
man is congratulated upon his engage
ment ne says,."I will quite agree that
| am blessed beyond my merits. Up
on saving lady from strap-hanging.
or giving her any little attention for
which she thanks him, it is. we are
told customary in New York to Int
ones hat and say
1T has been trif,ing matter,
madam, but i am more than happy at
this opportunity to tender you any as
sistance" Or: Il assure you, MADAM,
I feel it a privilege to have served
Won. My name is Henry B..
Upon apologizing for ones failure
TO attend a dinner party, which is con-
sidered a sacred duty, no trivial excuse
is allowed, and the author of this book
offers her readers one which she says
might be used to advantage:
Dear Mrs. Blanke-It is with the
greatest distress and regret that /
write to explain my inability to keep
my engagement with you for the
twenty-fifth. A grave accident has
occurred in my fathers factory. l
have lust been summoned by telegram
to render assistance to the very dam
aged works, and l am sorry to say
to two seriously injured workmen.
Nothing else, 1 can assure you' than
a matter of such serious urgency
would have prevented my appearance
on the twenty fifth, to which l nave
been greatly looking forward.
Believe me, in sincerest disappoint-
ment at the pleasure foresworn. Yours
very truly, Edward L. Jones.
This seems a very satisfactory form
ula. but one is tempted to. ask, What
abnuf George Washington" Ard why