silver, salts, and carving set arranged as usual. The butter plate is
frequently omitted from this meal, an oblong slice of bread, a dinner
roll, or a bread stick being placed between the folds of each napkin,
or on the butter plate, if used, with the butter ball and knife. If
soup is to be served, the spoon is placed at the right of the knives.
There is a preference for the use of a "service plate" at this
meal--the plate which is at each place when dinner is announced, and is
not removed until the first hot course after the soup--but this is
usually dispensed with when there is but one servant. Proper cutlery
for carving has its place before the carver, the carving cloth being
removed before dessert. If black coffee is served as the last course,
the after-dinner coffee spoons are placed in the saucers before
serving. Finger bowls appear the last thing.

THE FORMAL DINNER

The formal dinner follows the general idea and arrangement of the
family dinner, with considerable elaboration. Out come our dress-up
table linen, china, glass, and silver, and we add certain festive
touches in the way of vines and cut flowers loosely and gracefully
disposed in glass or silver bowls and vases. At the four sides of the
centerpiece go the dainty glass candlesticks, which cost 35 cents
apiece, coming up to 91 cents with the candle lamp, candle, mica
chimney, and shade complete, the shade matching the flowers in color.
The lesser light which thus rules the night casts a witching glamour
over the table, shadowing imperfections, softening features, warming
heart cockles, and loosening tongues. Yellow is always good, green
cool in summer, red heavy, and pink of the right shades genial. Lace
and ribbon have been banished from the table as being inconsistent with
simplicity, but a small bunch of flowers or a single flower at each
place gives a pretty touch. The water glass is moved over to the top
of the plate now, to make room for the wine glasses which are grouped
above the knives. The oyster fork is placed at the right of the soup
spoon, the fish fork at the left of the other forks. Overmuch silver
savors of ostentation; therefore, if many courses are to be served, the
sherbet spoon may go above the plate, the other extra silver to be
supplied from the side table when needed. Fancy dishes containing
olives, salted nuts, and confections are arranged on the table, all
other dishes being served from the kitchen or side tab