and kind overture to open a
pleasant conversation.

One should not linger too long at an afternoon tea. Three-quarters of
an hour is a happy medium.

Allied to the afternoon tea are various phases of informal daytime
entertaining. For example, there is the "shower" for a bride-elect
("linen," "culinary," or what you will). A friend of the bride-to-be
invites a coterie of girl friends to meet the guest of honor, giving
each girl time to provide some beautiful or useful gift, the
presentations to be made with amusing ceremonies.

The "thimble bee," a favorite diversion of the quiet matronly set, each
one bringing her own bit of needlework to while away an hour or so in
pleasant conversation. One of the number may read aloud, with pauses
for comment at will. The thimble bee is a modern version of the good
old-fashioned "spend the afternoon and take tea." Both the shower and
the thimble bee may be given in the forenoon, if preferred.

THE DINNER SERVICE

REQUISITES FOR THE DINING-TABLE

_Table-Linen, etc._--Table-cloths of white damask, double or single, as
fine as the owner's purse admits, are used for the dinner-table, with
large square white napkins to correspond.

The table should first be covered with a mat of double-faced cotton
flannel wide enough to fall six inches below the edge of the table, all
around. This under mat greatly improves the appearance of the
table-cloth, which can be laid much more smoothly over this soft
foundation. Besides, the mat protects the table from too close contact
with hot dishes. Small table mats for the purpose of protecting the
cloth are not fashionable at present, though many careful housekeepers
retain them rather than risk injury to fine table linen.

Carving-cloths are used when carving is done at the table, but are not
needed when dinner is served _a la Russe_.

Napkin rings are discarded by many who hold that a napkin should be
used but once, and must be re-laundried before reappearing on the table.

Practically, such a fastidious use of table linen would exhaust most
linen supplies, and overcrowd the laundry. The neat use of a napkin
renders this extreme nicety superfluous as a rule of home dining, Care
should certainly be taken to remove all soiled table linen. Nothing is
more disgusting than a dirty napkin, but the snowy linen that comes
spotless through one using may, with propriety, be retained in the ring
to be used several times. This, of cour