little dinners soon becomes famous; men admire her and envy her husband, women dote on her, for an invitation means brightness and merriment as well as a congenial companion. The young married woman who is expert in blending sauces, is just as clever in mixing the human elements of attraction and amalgamation.

Refreshments, daintily served, stimulate conversation; ice cream breaks the ice, so to speak, and warms the company. Serving food is a visible demonstration of hospitality which all the philosophy in the world cannot cover.

Gorgeous ornamentation of dinner table is conceded to be bad form. The embellishment—the ornate, if you will—has been overdone, and now there is a reaction which tends to simplicity extreme expressed by a handsome centerpiece and a moderate exposition of not common flowers.

A different kind and color of china with every course is affected by those whose cabinet is crowded and who are proud of it, but this pride has its limitations among people of refinement and culture. This class does not give dinners simply to exhibit earthly treasure and create envy, and, perhaps, covetousness, too.

The larger the table napkin the better. A yard square is none too big, and pleasantly recalls the Parisians, whose liberality in damask is proverbial but not a characteristic in anything else. The material should be the best obtainable, and the design the most beautiful. Any lace edging or embroidery, plain or colored, is just as bad taste as quinine.

Knives, forks and spoons now-a-days, for almost everything, are somewhat confusing to those who do not dine out with sufficient frequency to keep up with the continually advancing procession. Some of these knives, forks and spoons are quite unnecessary, not to say silly, but the business of the silversmith must be considered.

Place cards at dinners should be retained because the host or hostess has had them prepared in expectation of their being retained and preserved as souvenirs. Ignoring them would be disrespect, and such disrespect, under the social circumstances, would be unpardonable.

In planning a regular dinner the fact should always be remembered, that a heavy soup will so far cloy the appetite as to render one indifferent to the rest of the dinner, while a clear soup refreshes, and prepares one for the enjoyment of the succeeding solids. The fish and entrees should not be substantial enough to satisfy hunger entirely; the relishes will then stimulate the appetite for the heavier dishes. The service of Roman Punch before the roast refreshes the palate, and prepares it for the more perfect enjoyment of the succeeding dishes; it is as necessary to the service of a good dinner as cheese is with plain salad. When olives are on the table, they go well with entrees of game; French chestnuts boiled, are excellent with poultry; and almonds, blanched and roasted with salt, are enjoyable with Madeira or Sherry before the sweet entrements. Only a plain vegetable salad should accompany the roast or game; and a bit of any old cheese may be passed with the salad. Cheese straws or cheese crusts may be served with the salad. Although the cheese belongs with the salad, it enters into some delicate dishes, such as fondus and souffles, which may come to the table either after the oysters or soup, as relishes, or before the large sweets at dessert, previous to the service of the nuts and fruit. Then comes the dessert. If the dinner is a small one it is perfectly permissible for the hostess to make the coffee at the table, or it may be served in the drawing-room later. Even with the best chosen menu, the success of a dinner depends on the skill of the cook. A good cook appreciates the value of sauces, and will give much care to their preparation, and, above all, will endeavor to preserve the natural flavors of the different dishes. All mingling of flavors is objectionable, except in sauces and salads.

First Course Dishes.—Following are the names of the different courses which make up the detail of the regular dinner, both the English and French names being given. The complete detail of service is indicated, so that the most inexperienced can succeed. The Shellfish (Huitres), includes small raw oysters, and little neck or hard-shell clams on the half-shell at the same time, brown bread, cut very thin and buttered, and cut lemons, salt, cayenne, and some sharp table-sauces are placed upon the table in the original bottles. The Soup (Potage) is varied according to the character of the dinner, either a perfectly clear soup, or consomme, and the other a rich thick one, such as a bisque or cream. A thick cut of bread, or a roll with crisp crust, is placed upon the napkin when the cover, or place, is laid; this is not eaten with the soup usually, but is generally used after it with the shell-fish, hot entree, or at any time during dinner. The Fish (Poisson) may be of any large kind, boiled or baked, and served with a good sauce and plain boiled potatoes. If shell-fish is used at this point of the dinner, this dish should be large and hot, like broiled lobster. The Relishes (Hors d'oeuvre), which are placed upon the table as part of the decoration in the American dinner and the service a la Russe, include all kinds of table-sauces and catsups, salted almonds, pickles, olives, caviare, vinaigrettes, small cold entrees, such as bouchees and pate-de-foie-gras, pickled fish and small tongues, and individual escalops; all these are arranged on the table in little dishes. The Removes (Releves) consist of boiled, baked and braised meats, poultry and large game, large veal, ham, game and cold ornamental fish pies and large cold joints, such as boiled tongue and ham, generally served with a garnish of vegetables; the remove at a small dinner may consist of an elaborately dressed cold fish, if the regular fish service has been omitted. The Side-Dishes (Entrees) are the small hot meats garnished, such as cutlets, chops breaded or larded, sweetbreads garnished, fricandeaux, fricassees, ragouts and escalopes, all hot; hot raised pies, patés, and rissoles, combination salads of vegetables, salads with mayonnaise, such as chicken and lobster; in brief, any dish in size less than a joint or a roast. Roman Punch (Sorbet). There are many delicious ices served under the general name of Roman Punch, all having a combination of frozen fruit-sherbet and some fine liqueur, cordial, wine or spirit; served in the midst of the dinner, when the palate needs the sense of refreshment they impart to it; they prepare it for renewed enjoyment, and render it capable of appreciating the intense flavor of the roast and the bouquet of the Burgundy or Champagne that follow these. The Roast (Roti). For family dinners the roast may be a joint of any meat preferred; but for special occasions it should be of venison, larded hare, or some large game bird. If wild duck is served, there should be more than one, because only the breast is carved; when canvas-backs are used, half a breast cut in one piece is helped to each guest. Smaller birds, either roasted or broiled, may be served in this course. All game should be underdone. A garnish of watercress or celery is used with birds, and always currant-jelly and special sauces should come to the table with venison and hare. Salad (Salade). A green salad is the proper accompaniment of