Foods and home making

A young man had been commended to a business man as a skillful secretary. The business man invited the applicant to lunch with him in order to talk over some of the duties his secretary would have. When the business man noted that the applicant showed no training in table manners he decided at once to look elsewhere for a secretary. The young man lost the position because his crude manners made a bad impression. Good table manners count in society, in business, and in the home. Why should we be careful about table manners at home? A wise person once said : “ Eat at your table as you would eat at the table of a king.” Why is it important to take care how we eat when no one except the home folks are at the table? We eat every day ; therefore the way we eat becomes a habit. If we do not eat in the correct way at home, we get so used to eating the wrong way that we repeat our mistakes in the presence of friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Also, since we usually eat in the presence of other people, we owe it to those about us — whether our associates be home folks or company — to eat as noiselessly and in as pleasing a way as possible. No school boy or girl can a ford to neglect table manners. The way a person eats brands him as well brought up or as lacking in training. We are good-mannered when we are thoughtful about others. It is worth while to learn how to conduct ourselves at the table so as to be as considerate of others as possible. How and where shall we be seated at the table? Custom makes some things correct. It has been customary to stand behind the chair in which we are going to sit at the table. Stand until the hostess starts to sit down. Then, unless it is incon- venient, move to the left of your chair and be seated. Rise from the left of the chair, also. Sit straight in your chair with your feet resting on the floor — not on the rungs of the chair. If this 28 Breakfast position is not comfortable, you may cross your feet, but not your knees. If there are both men and women or boys and girls at the table, each man or boy may adjust the chair for the lady at his right, as she seats herself. At the home table, each one has his place. When there are guests for a meal, the hostess makes it more comfortable for the guests if she will let them know just where they are to sit. She may do this by telling the guests where to sit when they come into the dining room, or she may place at each cover a card with the guest’s name on it. Such cards are known as place cards. In setting the table, put the place cards on the napkin or behind the plate. A dinner is often given in honor of one of the guests. It is customary for a lady guest of honor to be seated at the right of the host. If a man is the guest of honor, he is seated at the right of the hostess. In entering the dining room for a formal dinner, the host with the lady guest of honor enters first, while the hostess and her escort are the last to enter the room. How shall we use the napkin ? We may be so hungry when we go to the dining table that we want to begin eating at once. But this would not be considerate of the other persons at the table. Wait until the hostess begins to eat.