For evening parties it is often less expense and trouble to place supper in the hands of a regular confectioner, but for small,card or literary parties the trouble need not be great. For regular reception evenings, ices, cakes and chocolate are enough. In all cases where no ‘“‘help”’ is employed it is better to have some one of the family wait upon the table, the daughters taking turns in serving, as the pleasure of a meal is greatly marred by two or three persons jumping up every now and then, for articles needed. TABLE OUTFIT. ; In the selection of table-wares, there is a wide field for the exercise of. taste. and those whose purses permit, need not be at a loss to find the most elegant and artistic designs. An admirable table outfit is an elegant dessert- -set, all the pieces of which, except the plates, may decorate the table during the whole dinner, and the rest of white and guilt china. Some have table- “ware decorated to match the colors of the dining-room, or sets of different ‘patterns for each course, or harlequin sets in which each piece may be of dif- ‘ferent pattern or even of different ware. Chinese and Japanese sets are also fashionable. In every case, ware should be the best of its kind, and for eco- momiy’s sake should be plain, so that broken pieces may be readily and cheaply replaced. Light knives and forks, heavy tea-spoons, and thin glasses for water are most elegant. The chairs should have no arnis to interfere with ladies’ dresses, and te prevent noise the legs should be tipped with rubber. CLEARING THE TABLE. Gather up the fragments that nothing be lost or wasted. When each _ meal is over, if you do not have a crumb-cloth under the table, which, when : the chairs are removed, can be lifted carefully at the edges and the crumbs shaken into the center, it is best to take a broom and sweep the crumbs lightly under the table until the dishes and victuals are removed, then brush J WODEARING THE (TABLE, «°° ). 397 on a dust pan. To clear the table, bring in a dish-pan, gather up all the silver, cups and saucers, butter and sauce plates, and glassware, carry to the kitchen, place them in the sink and return with the pan. Scrape the plates as clean as possible and put in, add platters and vegetable dishes, saving all the remnants of food that are to be kept, on smaller dishes, to be taken to the cellar or refrigerator. To wash the dishes, have clear hot water in the pan, and first wash the silver without soap or cloth, using only the hands; if any are greasy, wipe with a soft paper before putting in the water, rinse in clear hot water and wipe off immediately on a perfectly dry, soft, clean towel; insthis way the silver is kept bright, and does not get scratched. Add some soap in the water, make a suds, wash the glassware, rinse and wipe dry. Next take cups and saucers and so on, leaving those most greasy till the last. Always keep.a clean dish-cloth. One lady writes, ‘“‘I have smelt a whole houseful of typhoid fever in one sour, dirty dish-rag.” Many pre- fer the use of three dish-cloths, one for the nicest articles, one for the greasy dishes, and one for the pots and kettles, keeping each cloth perfectly sweet and clean, and, after using it, washing, rinsing, and hanging to dry on a small rack kept for this purpose. The towel for wiping dishes may also dry here. A dish mop or swab for washing small deep articles is convenient.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

For evening parties it is often less expense and trouble to place supper in the hands of a regular confectioner, but for small,card or literary parties the trouble need not be great. For regular reception evenings, ices, cakes and chocolate are enough. In all cases where no ‘“‘help”’ is employed it is better to have some one of the family wait upon the table, the daughters taking turns in serving, as the pleasure of a meal is greatly marred by two or three persons jumping up every now and then, for articles needed. TABLE OUTFIT. ; In the selection of table-wares, there is a wide field for the exercise of. taste. and those whose purses permit, need not be at a loss to find the most elegant and artistic designs. An admirable table outfit is an elegant dessert-set, all the pieces of which, except the plates, may decorate the table during the whole dinner, and the rest of white and gilt china. Some have table- “ware decorated to match the colors of the dining-room, or sets of different ‘patterns for each course, or harlequin sets in which each piece may be of dif- ‘ferent pattern or even of different ware. Chinese and Japanese sets are also fashionable. In every case, ware should be the best of its kind, and for economy's sake should be plain, so that broken pieces may be readily and cheaply replaced. Light knives and forks, heavy tea-spoons, and thin glasses for water are most elegant. The chairs should have no arms to interfere with ladies’ dresses, and te prevent noise the legs should be tipped with rubber. CLEARING THE TABLE. Gather up the fragments that nothing be lost or wasted. When each _ meal is over, if you do not have a crumb-cloth under the table, which, when : the chairs are removed, can be lifted carefully at the edges and the crumbs shaken into the center, it is best to take a broom and sweep the crumbs lightly under the table until the dishes and victuals are removed, then brush J WODEARING THE (TABLE, «°° ). 397 on a dust pan. To clear the table, bring in a dish-pan, gather up all the silver, cups and saucers, butter and sauce plates, and glassware, carry to the kitchen, place them in the sink and return with the pan. Scrape the plates as clean as possible and put in, add platters and vegetable dishes, saving all the remnants of food that are to be kept, on smaller dishes, to be taken to the cellar or refrigerator. To wash the dishes, have clear hot water in the pan, and first wash the silver without soap or cloth, using only the hands; if any are greasy, wipe with a soft paper before putting in the water, rinse in clear hot water and wipe off immediately on a perfectly dry, soft, clean towel; in this way the silver is kept bright, and does not get scratched. Add some soap in the water, make a suds, wash the glassware, rinse and wipe dry. Next take cups and saucers and so on, leaving those most greasy till the last. Always keep.a clean dish-cloth. One lady writes, ‘“‘I have smelt a whole houseful of typhoid fever in one sour, dirty dish-rag.” Many prefer the use of three dish-cloths, one for the nicest articles, one for the greasy dishes, and one for the pots and kettles, keeping each cloth perfectly sweet and clean, and, after using it, washing, rinsing, and hanging to dry on a small rack kept for this purpose. The towel for wiping dishes may also dry here. A dish mop or swab for washing small deep articles is convenient.

Buckeye cookery