4) At home leave your napkin folded neatly, or in its ring, if there is
a ring. But, let it lie loose beside your plate when you are at a hotel;
partly folded, when you are a guest in a private home.
5) Never use a toothpick at the table or in the presence of others. If
it seems absolutely necessary to use one at the table, cover your lips
with your napkin; elsewhere, with your handkerchief.
6) Hold your knife in your right hand, not as though it were a
penholder, but so that you may easily press down on the back of the
knife with your right forefinger.
7) In a similar position, when cutting food, hold your fork tines down
with your left hand. But, in carrying food to your mouth, have the tines
curve up, not down, and take your fork in your right hand between your
thumb and forefinger, so that it rests comfortably near the tip of the
second finger.
8) Never should your table knife be used for conveying food to your
mouth.
9) You find your small bread and butter plate and butter spreader at
your left. Never spread at once an entire slice of bread; break off a
half or a quarter and spread it on your bread and butter plate,--not on
the palm of your hand.
10) When your plate is passed for a second helping, let your knife and
fork remain on it, side by side; also, when you have finished. Never
rest your knife or fork partly on the table and partly on your plate or
your napkin ring. Avoid mixing your food on your plate.
11) Use a fork when eating vegetables and salad,--and ice-cream, if an
ice-cream fork is provided.
12) If cutting the lettuce leaves of your salad is necessary, cut with
your fork.
13) Make the least possible noise in chewing, and none at all in taking
food from a spoon. Sometimes, in eating crisp toast, for example, it is
very difficult to avoid a crunching sound, but eat slowly, taking very
small mouthfuls, and you can avoid noise.
14) Don't drink from a cup while it holds a spoon. When not using your
teaspoon, let it lie on the saucer. Do not drink from your saucer. Stir
quietly, and lay your spoon in your saucer at once.
15) At the table, keep your hands in your lap when you are not eating;
toying with articles on the table is bad form.
16) Between courses, avoid lounging back in your chair; keep your spine
straight, your body poised a little forward, and your mind occupied with
the conversation which you are helping to make pleasant.
17) Eat a little less of everything than you might. Shrink from the
slightest appearance of greediness.
18) Use knives, forks, and spoons in the order you find them. When in
doubt, observe your hostess.
19) After dipping the tips of your fingers into your finger bowl, dry
them lightly on your napkin.
20) When the hostess rises, boys, rise and draw back the chair of the
girl or the woman next you as she rises, and let her precede you from
the room.