Evening star., 1936-06-23
Candles Are
Proper Only
At Evening
ShOuldNever Be Used
as Daytime Deco
ration.
BY EMILY POST.

nEAR MRS. POST-Most of the
books on table setting place the
napkin on the left, you always speak
of it as being on the service plate,
and now I only just noticed a picture
that shows the napkin placed at the
right of the spoons and forks. Would
you please reconcile these three diff
ferent positions for me?
Answer-Formally, the correct place
for the napkin is on the plate If
You are not following the precepts
Of convention, second choice doesn't
matter. 1t is more Usually put on
the left because there is more room.
Sometimes it is put crossways above
the plate.
Dear Mrs. Post-To settle dispute,
will you please give your opinion about
candles being placed on a dining
room table for decoration, either whe'l
the table Is unset between meals or
during meal time If the daylight is
too bright to make lighting them
sensible?
Answer-Candles really have no
place on a dining table that Is not
set They have no place ca lunch
table unless needed because the room
is dark. This does not mean that
curtains should be drawn at midday
in order to make the room dark
enough for candles. On the other
hand, even though Gin June, for eX-
ample the evening meal may be
eaten in broad daylight, candles df
necessary, unlighted) are absolutely
proper. The reason for this is that
candles do not belong en- either 4
breakfast or a lunch table, but they
are part of the evening dinner or
supper table equipment.
Dear Mrs. Post-O) Is a teaspoon
the correct spoon to use for fruit
or a melon cocktail at the beginning
of lunch? If not. what would be the
proper spoon? 90 What are the uses
of the long narrow fork that has
three prongs? believe it Is called
an oyster fork.
Answer-Q) A teaspoon or an
orange spoon is correct. (2) An oyster
fork is a miniature fork used for
oysters and shellfish cocktail. 1t is
the same shape as other forks. but it
is only about half as long and about
half as wide.
Il
Dear Mrs. Post-Are fruit knives
and forks the only kind that can be
used to eat whole fruit at table?
Answer - Although nothing does
quite SO well take the place Of fruit
knife and fork, you can manage per-
fectly with the silver salad knife and
your dessert fork.
y
Dear Mrs. Post: Quite long time
ago you printed suggestions for book
plates that could be used by various
members of a family. 1t never oc-
Cured to me at the time that per-
haps it might be wise for us to mark
our books, and I unfortunately did
not clip the column. Will you write
something again?
Answer. 1neEe Is Iedily LO Tuic sO'-
erning such a design nor the means
Of including the names Of the family
A tree with fruit on it Is of course
an old favorite design. You might
have an open book, with names written
on its pages or row Of books with
names along the length Of the back
know one family that had a line
drawing, very small, made from q
family group picture reading by 9
fireside. These are merely sugges-
tions, which might suggest even bet
ter ones which you yourself can think
| Of The family crest Is, of course
most conventional.
| Dear Mrs. Post: My daughter
in-law insists that she was taught BY
her mother to call widow, whose
son has the same name as that of hi,
| father, Madam. I hardly think it be.
longs to this era even If it was proper
ever. Will you explain?
Answer: Madam was custom oi
other days, but is rarely heard today
Instead she is called Mrs. Smith ant
written to q Mrs. John Smith, senior