Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management

shining glass and silver, we involuntarily anticipate a good dinner. In households where it is necessary to economize, it would be better to buy plenty of less expensive linen, and spend extra time in doing it up, than to have a scant supply of fine material. Untidy table-Unen is as intolerable as it is inexcusable : until the water-courses run dry, and there is no more sunshine and fresh air, there will be no good' excuse for soiled tablecloths and napkins. Better a bare wooden table perfectly clean, than a creased and spotted cloth ; and we might take a lesson in neatness from the Celestials, and substitute their paper napkins, which are used once and then burned, rather than omit to supply fresh ones at least once a day. This is a point too often neglected in well-to-do households. TABLE-NAPKINS. When there is an abundance of table-linen, differentsized napkins are used at the various meals. Dinner-napkins are the largest, and in quality should be heavy enough to obviate the necessity for using starch ; of this the least quantity should be employed in doing up table-linen which will insure smoothness after ironing. At some very English dinners, the napkins are changed when the Roman punch comes on, a small, rather fine one being placed before each guest with the punch ; with the game, comes another large one ; and with the dessert, a soft finer fabric of medium size. At ordinary dinners, the change of napkins is made when the dessert is served ; when the special dessert-napkin is used, it should be a little smaller and finer than the dinnernapkin, which is removed with the second course. The fruit-napkin is laid upon the finger-bowl or on the plate which contains it, a small fancy napkin, or doily, being directly under the bowl ; when the finger-bowl is lifted from the dessert-plate, the doily is placed under it on the table- cloth, a little to the left of the dessert-plate. These doilies admit of many fanciful embroideries, outlines, and sketches made with a fine pen and indelible ink. For formal breakfasts, large dinner-napkins and fingerbowls are used ; for standing breakfasts, the usual breakfastnapkins, but no finger-bowls. Ordinary breakfast-napkins are smaller than those used for dinner : they may be quite plain, or bear the etched or embroidered initial or monogram of the hostess. For elaborate late breakfasts, the napkin may be richly embroidered to match the tablecloth. Luncheon-napkins are intermediate in size between those used for breakfast and dinner : otherwise they resemble breakfast-napkins. For the various teas and kettle-drums, small fancy napkins are used. Embroidery, etching, and fringes are quite in good taste. The tray-cloths should match the napkins. Japanese paper napkins may be used for out-door refreshments where there would be danger of losing or spoiling good linen ; but they are never so acceptable.