Show English Table Manners No English gentleman would ever put his arms upon the table before a meal or during its progress A jovial raconteur once told me how he was broken of the habit not an uncommon one In this country Having in a moment mo-ment of forgetfulness allowed his elbow el-bow to rest upon the table he was startled by hearing the master in charge call Perkins bring a plate for Master s bones and the plate being brought the unfortunate youngster young-ster had to put his elbow on it and keep i there throughout the meal No English lady would touch anything any-thing but her napkin until everyone had been served and a gentleman would as soon don a pinafore or bib as tuck a serviette inside his shirt collar or spread it across his shirtfront shirt-front A child who places his bread on the wrong side of his plate breaks i off with both hands or butters it in mouthfuls is sharply reproved and watched until the habit is broken Nor would he be allowed to smear his meat or arrange It as a sandwich both of which offenses may be witnessed wit-nessed any day at our firstclass ho tels committed by people otherwise well bred Children are promptly reprimanded if seen to crook their elbows in raising soup to the mouth and sampling tea or coffee with a spoon is something never done outside the servants hall There Is a rigid code for the manipulation lation of fork and spoon I is a much disputed point in this country as to the transferance of the fork to the right hand for any purpose whatever but once accustom yourself to the English En-glish methodthat of never making such a transfer and our American fashion seems awkward and indefensible indefensi-ble The utmost precision Is observed In leaving knife and fork upon the plate when the meal Is finished They must be laid a little to one side the fork in the position in which it would be usedthat is to say with the tines down I is a trifle but it llustrates the careful attention paid by the English Eng-lish to table etiquette When boiled eggs are served the shell is not picked off much less is the egg turned out into a glass or cup The top is cut by a blow from a sharp knife and when one is done eating the shell is reversed in the egg cup so that it may not offend by Its untidy appearance Children are taught as a point of etiquette the hygienic rule to drink as little as possible while eating The invariable rule of the hostess bowing to the lady guest as a signal to rise from the table may be considered con-sidered formal in everday life but it is good form and one to which it Is easy to become accustomedNew York Times I |