the dinner, that she should, before it begins, make sure that they are entirely conversant with the wants of guests and the capacity of the establishment. This point is especially essential when temporary attendants are brought in : they should be well informed concerning all the facilities of the house which can in any way affect the comfort of the guests. These details of service as closely affect the perfection of dinner-giving as does the deportment of the hostess when she stands ready to receive her guests. If the resources of the establishment are limited, a per- fectly quiet entertainment should be given, the requirements of which come within the capacity of the household. A good hostess never inflicts tlie chance of failure upon her friends, and never makes experiments with her guests. Her servants know just what they have to do, and do not either cause delay by being unprepared, or make a noisy haste in performing their duties. If any accident occurs at the table, they know how to remedy it quietly ; and they do every thing necessary to the comfort of the hour, without prompting. If the hostess knows that her servant will spread a fresh napkin over sauce spilled upon the cloth from a dish, or cover a claret-stain with salt, and conceal it with a napkin, she will naturally be easier than if she thinks such possible mishaps must go unremedied ; in a word, if she feels sure of her service, she can give every thought to the enter- tainment of her guests. All this is very easy to suggest : it is possible to accomplish if the hostess has tact and manage- ment, and sufficient good sense to limit her social ambition by her own abihty to carry out her plans. She will never attempt to exceed her means in dispensing hospitality : her table appointments will be abundant and suitable, even if they are simple. Her choice of dishes will be confined to those which she knows can be well made at home, or she will call in competent outside help to insure success Id THE ETIQUETTE OF DINNERS. 1 37 specialties. She will never affront her guests by serving a dish that is not absolutely good ; and, unless for very formal occasions, she will place before them delicacies such as she is famous for making or ordering. Unless they are intimate friends, she will not urge them to partake of her fare, or in- vite comments upon it ; but she can none the less stamp her dinners with her own individuaUty. The novice in dinner- giving should confine her first efforts within small bounds, beginning with few dishes, a very simple service, and a small number of guests ; as she gains the confidence which follows frequent efforts, she can safely extend her hospitality; but she should take care that it never becomes ostentatious. Efforts to make a lavish display are vulgar. The model hostess gives well-chosen guests the best of her fare, and so marks her superiority ; but the parvenice exhausts the market to overload a table, and yet fails to create enjoyable dinners. The formal dinner-invitation is a courtesy which a guest even of intimate standing has a right to expect from the hostess : it may either be written upon fine stationery, or engraved in script. The prevailing form is : — Mr. & Mrs request the pleasure of Mr. &■ Mrs _ company at dinner. yamtary Second, at Eight o'clock. No. 500 Madison Avenue. The favor of an answer is requested.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

the dinner, that she should, before it begins, make sure that they are entirely conversant with the wants of guests and the capacity of the establishment. This point is especially essential when temporary attendants are brought in : they should be well informed concerning all the facilities of the house which can in any way affect the comfort of the guests. These details of service as closely affect the perfection of dinner-giving as does the deportment of the hostess when she stands ready to receive her guests. If the resources of the establishment are limited, a perfectly quiet entertainment should be given, the requirements of which come within the capacity of the household. A good hostess never inflicts the chance of failure upon her friends, and never makes experiments with her guests. Her servants know just what they have to do, and do not either cause delay by being unprepared, or make a noisy haste in performing their duties. If any accident occurs at the table, they know how to remedy it quietly ; and they do every thing necessary to the comfort of the hour, without prompting. If the hostess knows that her servant will spread a fresh napkin over sauce spilled upon the cloth from a dish, or cover a claret-stain with salt, and conceal it with a napkin, she will naturally be easier than if she thinks such possible mishaps must go unremedied ; in a word, if she feels sure of her service, she can give every thought to the entertainment of her guests. All this is very easy to suggest : it is possible to accomplish if the hostess has tact and management, and sufficient good sense to limit her social ambition by her own ability to carry out her plans. She will never attempt to exceed her means in dispensing hospitality : her table appointments will be abundant and suitable, even if they are simple. Her choice of dishes will be confined to those which she knows can be well made at home, or she will call in competent outside help to insure success in specialties. She will never affront her guests by serving a dish that is not absolutely good ; and, unless for very formal occasions, she will place before them delicacies such as she is famous for making or ordering. Unless they are intimate friends, she will not urge them to partake of her fare, or invite comments upon it ; but she can none the less stamp her dinners with her own individuality. The novice in dinnergiving should confine her first efforts within small bounds, beginning with few dishes, a very simple service, and a small number of guests ; as she gains the confidence which follows frequent efforts, she can safely extend her hospitality; but she should take care that it never becomes ostentatious. Efforts to make a lavish display are vulgar. The model hostess gives well-chosen guests the best of her fare, and so marks her superiority ; but the parvenue exhausts the market to overload a table, and yet fails to create enjoyable dinners. The formal dinner-invitation is a courtesy which a guest even of intimate standing has a right to expect from the hostess : it may either be written upon fine stationery, or engraved in script. The prevailing form is : — Mr. & Mrs request the pleasure of Mr. &■ Mrs _ company at dinner. January Second, at Eight o'clock. No. 500 Madison Avenue. The favor of an answer is requested.

Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management