A tablecloth may make a more honiogent*oiis picture than
either doihes or runners, and ii« unljruken wliile surface re-
flects more light than a partly bare, dark table. There is no
other gooc! reason, however, why doihc*s or runners may not
always be used in phiee of the larger cioth to protect the table.
Any rule such as using only a tablecloth at a formal dinner is
pure form. Doilies and runners have some great advantages.
Small pieces of linen are easy to w*ash, and if one is spottc^d it
alone nuiy be washt^d, Furthemiore, the table is easier to set
with doilies, particularly for a small family.
To 8€i the table
If a tabledoth is to be used,
A tablecloth keeps clean and immussed longer if a heai?
cotton or padded cloth, callt*d a silencer or protection cloth of'
"huaher," is useil under it, than if it is placed next to the table*
An old clean sheet may serve this purpose if no other cloth is
available. The tal>le should first be covered with the silence
cloth, care being taken to arrange it so that it will not hang
below the tablecloth, The tiiblecloth is then stretched on the
table so that tlie center fold is uppermost and so that the cloth
hangs evenly on both sides and at Ivoth ends of the table. Care
should be taken to see that the cloth is straight. If possible to
prevent it, a cloth should not hang over the sides and ends much
more than 12 or 14 inches, since otherwise it will not clear the
sejits of the chairs and will spoil the appearance of the t^ble.
Furthermore, it is in the way at mealtime,
// doilies are used.
Doilies that are rectangular are better than round or squaf
ones, since they give a wider f^pace for the arrangement of
silver antl glasses on the table and are a better protection to it.
The doilies should Urst be arraDgc*d at one end and on one side
of the tal>le. On tlie side one should try to space the doilies
A
242
A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING
m that, they are equally distant from earh other. Then, ex-
actly opposite these doilies, thowse to he uwd at the other end
and on iht* other aide of the table stiould he placed. Doihes
ahould be placed so that one edge is about at the edge of the \
table.
The indimdual cover.
The place aiTanged for each individual at the table is called
the cover. After the cloth or doilies have been placed, each
individual cover should be arranged. It is dcsiralile, as a rule,
to place at the iiuiividual cover as much of the silver and china
as may add to the convenience of the meal. If, for example,
spoons are plaeeil at the individual covers inst-ead of in a holder,
considerable confusion may be prevented at mealtune.
Knives are placed at the right of the cover with the sharp
eilge of the blade toward the j>latt\ Tiiis is l>ecause the knife
18 usually hfted with the right hand.
Forks are placed at the left of the cover with the tines up.
This is because the fork is lifted in the left hand when something
is beiug cut with the knife and fork. If only a fork is to Ix? use<l,
a very good reason may be found for placing it at tlie right of the
plate. It i» in general a good rule to try to keep a l>alance be-
tween the silver on each side of the cover, since all the silver on
one bide makes a heavy-kwking design.
Page 129
Presented as published in 1919. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
A tablecloth may make a more honiogent*oiis picture than
either doihes or runners, and ii« unljruken wliile surface re-
flects more light than a partly bare, dark table. There is no
other gooc! reason, however, why doihc*s or runners may not
always be used in phiee of the larger cioth to protect the table.
Any rule such as using only a tablecloth at a formal dinner is
pure form. Doilies and runners have some great advantages.
Small pieces of linen are easy to w*ash, and if one is spottc^d it
alone nuiy be washt^d, Furthemiore, the table is easier to set
with doilies, particularly for a small family.
To 8€i the table
If a tabledoth is to be used,
A tablecloth keeps clean and immussed longer if a heai?
cotton or padded cloth, callt*d a silencer or protection cloth of'
"huaher," is useil under it, than if it is placed next to the table*
An old clean sheet may serve this purpose if no other cloth is
available. The tal>le should first be covered with the silence
cloth, care being taken to arrange it so that it will not hang
below the tablecloth, The tiiblecloth is then stretched on the
table so that tlie center fold is uppermost and so that the cloth
hangs evenly on both sides and at Ivoth ends of the table. Care
should be taken to see that the cloth is straight. If possible to
prevent it, a cloth should not hang over the sides and ends much
more than 12 or 14 inches, since otherwise it will not clear the
sejits of the chairs and will spoil the appearance of the t^ble.
Furthermore, it is in the way at mealtime,
// doilies are used.
Doilies that are rectangular are better than round or squaf
ones, since they give a wider f^pace for the arrangement of
silver antl glasses on the table and are a better protection to it.
The doilies should Urst be arraDgc*d at one end and on one side
of the tal>le. On tlie side one should try to space the doilies
A
242
A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING
m that, they are equally distant from earh other. Then, ex-
actly opposite these doilies, thowse to he uwd at the other end
and on iht* other aide of the table stiould he placed. Doihes
ahould be placed so that one edge is about at the edge of the \
table.
The indimdual cover.
The place aiTanged for each individual at the table is called
the cover. After the cloth or doilies have been placed, each
individual cover should be arranged. It is dcsiralile, as a rule,
to place at the iiuiividual cover as much of the silver and china
as may add to the convenience of the meal. If, for example,
spoons are plaeeil at the individual covers inst-ead of in a holder,
considerable confusion may be prevented at mealtune.
Knives are placed at the right of the cover with the sharp
eilge of the blade toward the j>latt\ Tiiis is l>ecause the knife
18 usually hfted with the right hand.
Forks are placed at the left of the cover with the tines up.
This is because the fork is lifted in the left hand when something
is beiug cut with the knife and fork. If only a fork is to Ix? use<l,
a very good reason may be found for placing it at tlie right of the
plate. It i» in general a good rule to try to keep a l>alance be-
tween the silver on each side of the cover, since all the silver on
one bide makes a heavy-kwking design.