Evening star., 1923-01-24
T is said tha. table manners in

Vt Is said that table manners in
variably denote the manner in
which one has been brought up.
y But to me bad table manners in
oicate carelessneSs and lack of obser
walton as well. a persons early
training is usually a matter of luck.
but carelessness is ones own fault. l
know many people who have been
trained correctly. but permit them
selves to become careless in table
manners at home, so quite uncon-
sciously they forget themselves when
they are out.
Often people who appear to be most
careful about their dress and other
obSerFances seem to give absolutely
no thought 20 their mode of eating.
Such an attitude / cannot understand,
because IN reality II is even such
relatively unimpcrtant things as the
manner in which one eats that help
to make ones association with other
people more agreeable.
] never realized how many careless
people there were until few even
ii.gs ago. A friend and / were dis
cussing table etiquette and lie aston
ished me by declaring that about 60
per cent Of all the people do not
know how to eat properly. l thought
that he was exaggerating and told
him SO.
ITO prove his point he suggested
i that we go and dine at one OF
the hotels. We chose what we con-
sidered the best-or. rather. one Of
the best-in New York. To me 1t
go in search of bad table manners,
but we found plenty to Justify my
friends claim. at least as far as the
place was concerned.
We had no sooner sat down than
my friend drew my attention to a
nearby table at which there was a
perfectly groomed man. He was
even while he watched he tilted his
plate so that he might obtain the last
drop of the soup. 1t is needless to
say that, in spite OF his excellent ap-
pearance, we both knew Immediately
that he did not belong to the stratum
OF life he was affecting.
1t Is always proper to dip your
spoon from you and not toward yon.
and the soup is taken from the SIDE
OF the spoon.
SOUP served in a cup, one may, a1ter
taking several spoonfuls, raise the
cup to the lips and drink the rest.
Later we saw a man and woman
eating their meat course Win tnelT
knives and forks poised In the air
while they were chewing their meat.
When a knife Is used for q soild
piece Of meat, only small portion Is
cut at time, and the knife is then
laid across the edge Of the plate, the
blade pointing toward the cen5ea' ch1s
The handle must not rest on the taple.
It is permissible to hold the fork IN
the left hand for the cut meat. but
vegetables are always eaten with the
fork held In the right hand.
The fork should be used to ctt
ties, croquettes, sweetbreads. etc.
And the ash knife should be Of silver
and used only to separate the pones
from the fish.
Another important consideration; a nI
particularly to be remembered py
thin armed ladies', Is not to pro1ect
or crook the elbow in raising food to
the mouth, for this is not only oao
form, but looks extremely awkward.
To avoid embarrassment IT Is
from the plate on the left side as
each course is served
Lettuce should be cut with fork.
The leaves of an artichoke are to De
eaten with the fingers and only fe .ne
end Of asparagus should be eaten with
the fork and the remainder taken be-
tween the fingers. Olives are also
taken with the fingers.
A dessert fork should always De
used In preference to q spoon which
is used only for puddings, berries and
other soft desserts.
When eating in a public dining
room ones napkin is left unfolded
at the left Of the plate on leaving
the table. The same rule applies TO
a friends private dining room. But
II one is uncertain as to what to DO
with the napkin he should watch the
hostess and do as she does. even II
she folds hers.
At the end of a meal In a private
home or restaurant the hostess rises
first and her guests follow her exam
pie, but she should always make sure
that her guests are quite finished
with their coffee and dessert.
At formal dinners or luncheons
n where many people are present
round -the-table conversation Is i'm
possible, because one would actually
have to shout to be heard. That is
the reason the conversation at such
times is confined to those sitting or
either side OF US. But at the small OF
informal dinner OF four or perhaps
] six persons the. tete-a-tete converse.
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