Evening star., 1926-04-30


still in good form, or a lace table
cloth with an under slip of color har-
nonizinG with the flowers used is a
fashionable cover. Double damask is
handsome table linen. and, although
q little more expensive in the first
place. it is less expensive in the end
heCauSe ii wears so much better than
cheaper damaSk. Dinner napkins of
damask are preferably folded square
shape, but it is also permissible to
fold them in oblonS shape. They
should further be folded in such a way
that it will lie easy for the guest 10
open halfway the napkin on her lap
or on his knees. As to table illumina.
tion. do not have the lights too dim,
and have candle or lamp shades to
harmonic with the other decorations.
Hostess and Guest.
At q dinner when host and hostess
are present the host should be the
first to enter the room. and the hostess
the last. but at a luncheon, or at any
meal where the hostess assumes the
position of the host. she should be the
first to enter ID dining room. accom-.
panied by the guest of honor The
guests should wait until the hostess is
seated before seating themselves or
their partners.
If fork or spoon is dropped. not
even the waiter should attempt to
pick it up until the guests have left
the dining room. If lady drops her
glove or handkerchief when she rises
to leave. 1t is the duty Of her escort to
look out for this. Never should she
pick up anything herself. A guest
should never push in chair upon
rising from the table. This is quite
an infeXible convention.
What VaiterS NuSf Enovr
When dealing with unframed wait
erS or mattresses. two special points
have to he insisted upon: First, that
the right hand must be used in plac.
ing or removing from the right of
the guest. and the left hand used in
placing or removing from the left.
Second, that waiter must never
stretch across a guest for any pur-
pose whatever.
The perfect waiter will not move or
touch the water glasses or gobletS.
Also, they will be refilled without a
drop of water going anywhere except
in the glass, and this without the
slightest inconvenience to the guest
and without allowing the water to
make noise in pouring. This calls
for Skillful work on the walters part.
1t also calls for the right kind of a
water pitcher. a pitcher not too large
or too tall, and one that pours easily.
Not all handsome pitchers are good
pitchers. If it is necessary to move
goblet, it should be moved by press
ing two fingers on the fat standard
and by means of this pressure draw.
ing or pushing the goblet over the
tablecloth. If a plain, unstemmed
glass is used, the fingers of the waiter
must touch only the thick part at the
base. the rule in both cases being that
no other person than the guest may
touch the glass al the part where his
or her own fingers touch it when
lifting it while drinking.
To remove crumbs from the ia BILE
in the old style of performing this
function is decidedly out Of date. No
longer are the tray and brush used.
The crumbs are still removed. but
with a difference. A small apkin
folded still smaller is used and the
crumbs are brushed onto a very small
plate of the bread-a nd butter size.
The whole performance takes place
with such light touch that a guest.
engaged in pleasant conversation with
her dinner partner, may never realize
that it is being done. On the other
hand, a perfect guest does not spill
crumbs to be removed.
Table Cutlery.
Among the allowable foods listed to
eat with the fingers are: Radishes,
olives, salted nuts, pickles, celery, and
asparagus when the little tongs are
not provided, and lettuce, endive, or
Romaine when cut to dip in French
dressing or in salt. Also strawberries
when served with the hulls on, and
pears. peaches. plums, apricots, ap-
pies and grapes, as well as biscuits
and all small cakes. Usually the
large seeded fruits are pared and
chartered. An orange one hardly dare
approach without one of the spoons
devoted TO its use. An ear of sweet
corn may he held firmly in one hand,
If corn holders are not provided. 1t
Is also correct to use the fingers in
taking lump of sugar from the bowl.
but II the walters or waitress puts a
lump in your cup. or an olive on your
plate. or if the hostess does so, the
olive fork, and the sugar tongs must
be used Legs and wings of fowls
and birds may be taken in the hand.
but this practice is not much in favor.
The firm cheeses, dry cakes and bon.
bons, and sandwiches cut in fancy
shapes, are all permitted under this
privilege. This about completes the
list of finger freedom which modern
table etiquette grants.
1t is preferable to use a spoon with
long, slender handle and a small
bowl for eating fruit cocktail.
rather than a fork. A cocktail usually
has lot of good fruit juice which it
IL very eXaSperatinS to have to leave,
and which, of course, il is impossible
to convey to the mouth with a fork.
A spoon can be used both for the fruit
and it's juice.
A spoon should be used in helping
ones self to potato chips. Dessert
spoons are used to eat sweet puddings
rice puddings, or steamed fruit pud-
dings, or custards, or any kind of
pudding. Dessert forks are used to eat
pie. or rich frosted cake, or cream
puffs eclairs and such food Cottage