The covering for the table may either be a very pretty luncheon cloth with a little color about it, or else of plain white. Of course, should the hostess desire to have any one tint predominate in her table appointments, it is better to have the cloth of that shade or of white. If artificial light is required, candles give a pleasanter light than anything else, and one candelabrum of several branch- es is generally enough for a small table. Should this not sufficiently illuminate the room, the gas may be lighted and partially turned down, or a lamp or two may be placed 99 WHAT TO EAT — HOW TO SEBVE IT on a mantel-shelf or on a bracket. There should always be flowers in the centre of the table, preferably a flat or low dish or vase, for where there are few guests they should be able to see each others' faces, instead of being oUiged to dodge around a tall orna- ment that eflfectually conceals those seated on one side of the board from those placed on the other. —Bouquets de corsage^ while al- ways pretty, are not essential at a simple luncheon, nor are cards necessary. The table should be spread with the dain- tiest china and silver. At each plate must be the usual articles — knife, fork, tumbler, butter-plate, and napkin. A knife and fork for each course may be laid by every plate, the knives on the right side, the forks on the left. A roll or two or three sticks of bread must lie on each napkin. The usual little dishes of olives, salted almonds, pea-nuts or pistachio-nuts, radishes, bonbons, etc., should stand here and there, and by their color or sparkle add to the beauty of the repast. The first course may be either beef or chicken bouillon. This is served in bouillon- 100 A SMALL LUNCHEON cups, with covers and saucers, if one has them, or, if not, in tea or after-dinner coffee- cups. The latter are a trifle small, but one need not go to the other extreme, as was done at a lunch given not long ago, where the bouillon was served in mtigs nearly as large as those commonly used for shaving, and quite as thick and heavy. It was im- possible to help recalling the saying of the woman who declared that when she took coflfee from one of the breakfast cups in use at most hotels she felt as though she were drinking it over the side of a stone wall. Bouillon is usually sipped with a spoon, how- ever, although it is not out of the way to raise the cup to the lips. The bouillon may either be on the table when the guests enter the room, or be brought in as soon as they are seated. It is followed by fish in some dainty form, as creamed fish, creamed or buttered lobster, croquettes of lobster, oysters, or fish ; or oys- ter or lobster ^«^^*. These are not passed in the dish, but are brought in already served, and a plate holding a portion placed in front 101 1 WHAT TO EAT — HOW TO SERVE IT of each gaest. Eolls, French bread, or bread and butter are then passed* The next course in a luncheon of this size need not be an entree^ although one may be introduced here. Sweetbreads, chicken cut- lets, timbales of some sort, a volrau-verU — any one of these will answer, but there is no vio- lation of rules if it is omitted altogether at a gmaU luncheon. In that case the next course — thQ piece de re»ista7ice — ^may follow the fish directly, and may consist of French chops with pease, and potatoes daintily prepared, or chicken broiled, fried, or cooked in some attractive fashion, or broiled tenderloins of beef with mushrooms, or birds. After this the salad appears, and may be of chicken, lobster, shrimps, oysters, or to- matoes, avoiding, of course, any meat or fish that has appeared earlier in the meal, even although in another form. The olives should be passed with this, and, indeed, may have gone the rounds during and between the other course, as have the salted nuts and the radishes.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The covering for the table may either be a very pretty luncheon cloth with a little color about it, or else of plain white. Of course, should the hostess desire to have any one tint predominate in her table appointments, it is better to have the cloth of that shade or of white. If artificial light is required, candles give a pleasanter light than anything else, and one candelabrum of several branches is generally enough for a small table. Should this not sufficiently illuminate the room, the gas may be lighted and partially turned down, or a lamp or two may be placed on a mantel-shelf or on a bracket. There should always be flowers in the centre of the table, preferably a flat or low dish or vase, for where there are few guests they should be able to see each others' faces, instead of being obliged to dodge around a tall ornament that eflfectually conceals those seated on one side of the board from those placed on the other. —Bouquets de corsage^ while always pretty, are not essential at a simple luncheon, nor are cards necessary. The table should be spread with the daintiest china and silver. At each plate must be the usual articles — knife, fork, tumbler, butter-plate, and napkin. A knife and fork for each course may be laid by every plate, the knives on the right side, the forks on the left. A roll or two or three sticks of bread must lie on each napkin. The usual little dishes of olives, salted almonds, pea-nuts or pistachio-nuts, radishes, bonbons, etc., should stand here and there, and by their color or sparkle add to the beauty of the repast. The first course may be either beef or chicken bouillon. This is served in bouillon- cups, with covers and saucers, if one has them, or, if not, in tea or after-dinner coffeecups. The latter are a trifle small, but one need not go to the other extreme, as was done at a lunch given not long ago, where the bouillon was served in mugs nearly as large as those commonly used for shaving, and quite as thick and heavy. It was impossible to help recalling the saying of the woman who declared that when she took coffee from one of the breakfast cups in use at most hotels she felt as though she were drinking it over the side of a stone wall. Bouillon is usually sipped with a spoon, however, although it is not out of the way to raise the cup to the lips. The bouillon may either be on the table when the guests enter the room, or be brought in as soon as they are seated. It is followed by fish in some dainty form, as creamed fish, creamed or buttered lobster, croquettes of lobster, oysters, or fish ; or oyster or lobster ^«^^*. These are not passed in the dish, but are brought in already served, and a plate holding a portion placed in front of each guest. Eolls, French bread, or bread and butter are then passed* The next course in a luncheon of this size need not be an entree^ although one may be introduced here. Sweetbreads, chicken cutlets, timbales of some sort, a vol-au-vent — any one of these will answer, but there is no violation of rules if it is omitted altogether at a small luncheon. In that case the next course — the piece de résistance — ^may follow the fish directly, and may consist of French chops with pease, and potatoes daintily prepared, or chicken broiled, fried, or cooked in some attractive fashion, or broiled tenderloins of beef with mushrooms, or birds. After this the salad appears, and may be of chicken, lobster, shrimps, oysters, or tomatoes, avoiding, of course, any meat or fish that has appeared earlier in the meal, even although in another form. The olives should be passed with this, and, indeed, may have gone the rounds during and between the other course, as have the salted nuts and the radishes.

What to eat, how to serve it