Show good taste today BY EMILY EARLY POST author ol of ETIQUETTE I 1 THE BLUE BOOK OF SOCIAL USAGE ETC IN THE DINING EAR mrs airs post Is it important D enough to matter lo in which direction the cutting edge of 0 the dinner knife should be laid toward the plate or away from rora it answer toward it because when picked up it comes more easily to band all details of 0 table setting are arc Import important rint because lack ot of pre precision islo spoils the effect of perfection exactly the whole i ioie as even a few errors mar page of a letter my dear mrs post I 1 had dinner the other night in the house of a host e ess ss who placed napkins on the reighl side of the plate instead of on the left side this Is the first time I 1 have encountered the reversed reer sed practice Is it a new idea if so Is it correct according to etiquette answer there Is no rule as to whether the napkin Is put left right t or crossways above the plate all these positions are permissible only in houses house of limited service in w which it Is necessary that food be put at the places in houses with plenty of servants no food Is put at the places before people are seated and the napkin Is put in its correct position on the service plate 0 0 0 dear mrs airs post A friend tells me that according to latest modern fashion jour column was behind the times in saying that deputy hostesses sere sene the ten tea and chocolate at a formal tea introducing a debutante I 1 am told all serving is done by sen seri ants answer I 1 have no idea who whose se column your friend Is quoting but it was not mine neer in any times have deputy hostesses poured either at a for formal in al ten tea or at a wedding collat loo to quote my own book in the edition published in 1922 at the most formal type ot of tea the tea table Is ex es acely like that at a wedding reception in that it Is a large table set as a buffet and Is always in charge of the caterers cateress cater ers men or the hostess own butler or waitress and assistants it la Is ne neier presided over by deputy lie hostesses ser dear mrs post Is it necessary to use individual butter enles when bread and butter plates are not gsedl answer of course not there would be nowhere to put them |