For lunch the colored table cloths may be used, though their use has been gradually dropped because the colors do not wash well. White cloths with striped border in colors, or fine gray or brown unbleached damask, with napkins to match, assist the easy half-dress style of this repast. Cups of broth and thick chocolate, with light meats, hashes, croquettes, and stews, salad and fruit are the staple variety, and rather more attractive than the cold meat, tea and cracker fare too often set apart for this hurried meal. Nowhere is negligence more annoying than at luncheon, and the cloth, glasses, and arrangements should be fastidiously neat to do away with the disagree- able feeling that everybody is too busy with drudgery to look after comfort. Insist that the girl who waits on the table has her hair neat, her hands washed, and a clean apron and collar on. An unkempt servant will spoil the best dinner appetite was ever sharp-set for. Ceremoni- ous lunches mean an hour's visit with a meal, at which salads, shell-fish, chops in paper frills, and broiled chicken TABLE TALK. 31 play a part, with ices, tarts and fancy cakes for dessert. Mixed drinks, like Regent's punch, or claret cup, with ale and beer, are more in keeping at lunch than wines. These drinks are served from the side-board, the malt liquors in common goblets, the claret cup in tumblers, the punch in small cups. Beef tea is taken from cups held in very small saucers, or in small Chinese bowls, with little saucers. The absence of all ceremony with the presence of light charming detail makes the luncheon attractive. For dinner, the family table wants to have less the air of hotel arrangements. More delicate napery and ware, whether the latter is only " seconds " or the finest egg- shell china; lighter, more convenient, knives and forks, and heavier teaspoons, nice thin glass for drinking, thick cut crystal for sweets, with above all things a well kept cruet stand, make the difference in favor of home taste and home comfort. Keep all cracked and nicked ware from the table. Buy nothing that cannot be replaced without regret, but let each article be the best of its material. There is choice in the quality of stone ware and blown glass as well as in the shapes of each. The plainest is always most satisfactory in inexpensive things. The old fashion of furnishing dining-rooms in dark and heavy styles is reversed. The room is light, cheerful, warm in color, the chairs broad and substantial, the table lower than it used to be, two points which add sensibly to the comfort of those^who use them. Have the chair feet shod with rubber tips which come for the purpose, or if 32 THE HOME COOK BOOK. on castors, cover the wheel with rubber so that they can move without noise. See that the room is light and especially warm, for people want comfort at meals of all times, and they feel the cold more in sitting. DINNER ETIQUETTE. Directions for a ceremonious dinner naturally include those for the family table, as much form in serving being kept as may be convenient. The number of guests for a state dinner, even such as are given by the President and Secretary of State, at Washington, rarely exceeds twelve.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

For lunch the colored table cloths may be used, though their use has been gradually dropped because the colors do not wash well. White cloths with striped border in colors, or fine gray or brown unbleached damask, with napkins to match, assist the easy half-dress style of this repast. Cups of broth and thick chocolate, with light meats, hashes, croquettes, and stews, salad and fruit are the staple variety, and rather more attractive than the cold meat, tea and cracker fare too often set apart for this hurried meal. Nowhere is negligence more annoying than at luncheon, and the cloth, glasses, and arrangements should be fastidiously neat to do away with the disagreeable feeling that everybody is too busy with drudgery to look after comfort. Insist that the girl who waits on the table has her hair neat, her hands washed, and a clean apron and collar on. An unkempt servant will spoil the best dinner appetite was ever sharp-set for. Ceremonious lunches mean an hour's visit with a meal, at which salads, shell-fish, chops in paper frills, and broiled chicken TABLE TALK. play a part, with ices, tarts and fancy cakes for dessert. Mixed drinks, like Regent's punch, or claret cup, with ale and beer, are more in keeping at lunch than wines. These drinks are served from the side-board, the malt liquors in common goblets, the claret cup in tumblers, the punch in small cups. Beef tea is taken from cups held in very small saucers, or in small Chinese bowls, with little saucers. The absence of all ceremony with the presence of light charming detail makes the luncheon attractive. For dinner, the family table wants to have less the air of hotel arrangements. More delicate napery and ware, whether the latter is only " seconds " or the finest eggshell china; lighter, more convenient, knives and forks, and heavier teaspoons, nice thin glass for drinking, thick cut crystal for sweets, with above all things a well kept cruet stand, make the difference in favor of home taste and home comfort. Keep all cracked and nicked ware from the table. Buy nothing that cannot be replaced without regret, but let each article be the best of its material. There is choice in the quality of stone ware and blown glass as well as in the shapes of each. The plainest is always most satisfactory in inexpensive things. The old fashion of furnishing dining-rooms in dark and heavy styles is reversed. The room is light, cheerful, warm in color, the chairs broad and substantial, the table lower than it used to be, two points which add sensibly to the comfort of those who use them. Have the chair feet shod with rubber tips which come for the purpose, or if on castors, cover the wheel with rubber so that they can move without noise. See that the room is light and especially warm, for people want comfort at meals of all times, and they feel the cold more in sitting. DINNER ETIQUETTE. Directions for a ceremonious dinner naturally include those for the family table, as much form in serving being kept as may be convenient. The number of guests for a state dinner, even such as are given by the President and Secretary of State, at Washington, rarely exceeds twelve.

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