The Washington herald., 1915-02-21
The Successful
Dinner Party

Invite only as many guests as you can
comfortably entertain. II your dining
room is small. II your kitchen is made
Guate, II you have a limited amount Of
china or silver. il your servants are few
or not perfectly trained, do not attempt
anything elaborate.
Three or four simple dinners. to which
two or four guests are invited. will be
much more pleasant for every one con-
cerned than one big one badly given.
Invite persons who are congenial. Do
not invite sworn enemies to sit at the
same table with each other even II they
are separated by the most charming per-
sons in the world. II you invite middle
aged man, do not seat him beside a
debutante. Give him as dinner partner
an older woman who looks at life from
his point Of view.
Never attempt to give the sort of dinner
persons with more wealth than you would
give. Make your dinner typical of your
self. and it will be honestly successful.
Keep Within Means.
Do not go in for any unusual features.
If you have the wealth of a king-unless
he be a poor one-you can introduce new
dishes and deck your table with exotic
owefirs and have a dancing maiden
emerge from the centerpiece. But other
wise you will do better to keep to the
sane road of simplicity.
Your most attractive china, shining
silver. and cleaning glass, good linen.
well laundered: fresh and beautiful flow
ers artistically arranged. a few reliable
dishes well prepared. simple but dainty
place cards-these essentials should all
he looked after carefully. and your din
ncr will be a success.
Do not have overscented flowers on the
table. They are overpowering in their
fragrance and sometimes really cause
faintness.
Have the dinning-room well ventilated.
Nothing is more uncomfortable in the
social world than a dinner table in a
room where the temperature is 50 de-
Srees-unless. indeed, it is a draft blow
ing on bare neck and shoulders.
Have the room moderately cool when
the guests are seated. and If possible
have a window or two open a couple OF
inches at the top. Have a window open
in an adjoining room and use screens to
shield the guests from direct drafts.
Do Not Reprimand Servant Publicly.
Never reprimand a servant publicly
for an error. If II is necessary to make
immediate corrections. speak to the serv-
ant quietly and call her attention to
the mistake she has made. II possible
wait until the next morning to reprimand
her. She will appreciate your kindness
All but the most highly trained servants
are little nervous when they have the
responsibility of serving dinner.
Do not show anger because of delays
in the kitchen. They generally pass
practically unnoticed. IL the hostess
passes them off by filling In the gap with
pleasant conversation.
Do your best to bring all the diners
into the conversation. Seat them with
this end in mind. By putting a good
conversationalist between two rather dull
ones you can often bring out latent con-
versational gifts in your guests
Always commend your servants
whether you and your maid of all work
have prepared the dinner beforehand and
she has played waitress with a char
woman in the kitchen to help her. or
whether you have a butler and a chef,
and they have each half a dozen as
sistants-for whatever Is commendable in
their service. Concentration goes farther
than blame.