2. The tablecloth should be placed over the silence cloth and should be absolutely smooth, straight and even, with the center fold of the cloth exactly in the middle of the table. TABLE SETTING AND SERVING 109 3. A few cut flowers or a small fern or a dish of fruit in the center of the table will add to its attractiveness. Only fresh flowers should be used and care should be taken not to have the bouquet or fern so large as to obstruct the view across the table. If flowers are used, select those that will harmonize with the main color in the luncheon. For example, purple asters would not look as well on the table when the meal included tomatoes, beets and possibly cherries as would a vase of red or white asters or a small fern. A little thought in matters of this kind helps to make housework interesting and keeps it from becoming drudgery. 4 A doily or centerpiece should be placed under the center decoration unless the tablecloth is a pattern cloth and has a figure woven in the centet, in which case the doily will not be necessary. 5. Usually all of the silver to be used during the meal is placed on the table before the guests sit down. For an elaborate luncheon where a great many pieces of silver would be needed, only the utensils needed for the first course are on the table, the rest are placed as needed. 6. The plate should be placed right side up, one inch from the edge of the table at each place. The knife (or knives if more than one is used), should be placed at right of plate with sharp edge towards the plate; the forks, tines up, at left of plate. The spoons should be at the right of the knife in the order jn which they are to be used, the one to be used first, farthest from the plate. The silver should be the same distance apart and the ends of the handles in line with the lower edge of the plate, one inch from the edge of the table. 7. The glass of water is placed at the tip of the knife and the bread and butter plate at the tip of the fork. 110 --FOOD AND COOKERY 8. The napkin should be iolded square and placed at tho left of the fork with the open corner towards the handle of the fork. Note. — The plate, knives, forks, spoons, glass, bread and butter plate and napkin, properly arranged for one person is called a "cover." 9. A salt and pepper shaker should be placed between each two guests in line with the upper edge of the bread and butter plates. 10. The gentleman of the house is called the host and usually sits at the head of the table. The lady of the house is the hostess and sits opposite the host facing the pantry door. 11. If all the serving is to be done at the table, the cups and saucers, the sugar bowl and cream pitcher should be placed in front of the hostess and a stand for the coffee on the table at her right. A carving knife and as many spoons as will be needed in serving the vegetables should be placed at the right of the host. The carving fork should be placed at his left. 12. A plate of butter with butter knife (or butter fork if the butter is served in balls) should be on one side of the table and the bread plate on the other. Serving. There are three ways, in which a meal may be served, known as (1) the English style of service in which the food is all served on the table, (2) the Russian style, where all of the courses are served from the kitchen or sideboard, and (3) the compromise style which is a combination of the first two. The English style is the pleasantest way of serving where there are few guests and not many servants. It adds to the TABLE SETTING AND SERVING 111 pleasure of the meal to see a genial host skillfully carving the roast and the simplest dessert gains in flavor when dished by the liands of a smiling hostess.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

2. The tablecloth should be placed over the silence cloth and should be absolutely smooth, straight and even, with the center fold of the cloth exactly in the middle of the table. 3. A few cut flowers or a small fern or a dish of fruit in the center of the table will add to its attractiveness. Only fresh flowers should be used and care should be taken not to have the bouquet or fern so large as to obstruct the view across the table. If flowers are used, select those that will harmonize with the main color in the luncheon. For example, purple asters would not look as well on the table when the meal included tomatoes, beets and possibly cherries as would a vase of red or white asters or a small fern. A little thought in matters of this kind helps to make housework interesting and keeps it from becoming drudgery. 4 A doily or centerpiece should be placed under the center decoration unless the tablecloth is a pattern cloth and has a figure woven in the centet, in which case the doily will not be necessary. 5. Usually all of the silver to be used during the meal is placed on the table before the guests sit down. For an elaborate luncheon where a great many pieces of silver would be needed, only the utensils needed for the first course are on the table, the rest are placed as needed. 6. The plate should be placed right side up, one inch from the edge of the table at each place. The knife (or knives if more than one is used), should be placed at right of plate with sharp edge towards the plate; the forks, tines up, at left of plate. The spoons should be at the right of the knife in the order jn which they are to be used, the one to be used first, farthest from the plate. The silver should be the same distance apart and the ends of the handles in line with the lower edge of the plate, one inch from the edge of the table. 7. The glass of water is placed at the tip of the knife and the bread and butter plate at the tip of the fork. 8. The napkin should be folded square and placed at tho left of the fork with the open corner towards the handle of the fork. Note. — The plate, knives, forks, spoons, glass, bread and butter plate and napkin, properly arranged for one person is called a "cover." 9. A salt and pepper shaker should be placed between each two guests in line with the upper edge of the bread and butter plates. 10. The gentleman of the house is called the host and usually sits at the head of the table. The lady of the house is the hostess and sits opposite the host facing the pantry door. 11. If all the serving is to be done at the table, the cups and saucers, the sugar bowl and cream pitcher should be placed in front of the hostess and a stand for the coffee on the table at her right. A carving knife and as many spoons as will be needed in serving the vegetables should be placed at the right of the host. The carving fork should be placed at his left. 12. A plate of butter with butter knife (or butter fork if the butter is served in balls) should be on one side of the table and the bread plate on the other. Serving. There are three ways, in which a meal may be served, known as (1) the English style of service in which the food is all served on the table, (2) the Russian style, where all of the courses are served from the kitchen or sideboard, and (3) the compromise style which is a combination of the first two. The English style is the pleasantest way of serving where there are few guests and not many servants. It adds to the pleasure of the meal to see a genial host skillfully carving the roast and the simplest dessert gains in flavor when dished by the liands of a smiling hostess.

Student's manual in household arts