In old-fashioned times people apparently did not mind waiting tranquilly through courses and between courses, even though meat grew cold long before the last of many vegetables was passed, and they waited endlessly while a slow talker and eater finished his topic and his food.  But people of to-day do not like to wait an unnecessary second.  The moment fish is passed them, they expect the cucumbers or sauce, or whatever should go with the fish, to follow immediately.  And when the first servant hands the meat course, they consider that they should not be expected to wait a moment for a second servant to hand the gravy or jelly or whatever goes with the meat.  No service is good in this day unless swift—­and, of course, soundless.

A late leader of Newport society who had a world-wide reputation for the brilliancy of her entertainments, had an equally well-known reputation for rapidly served dinners.  “Twenty minutes is quite long enough to sit at table—­ever!” is what she used to say, and what her household had to live up to.  She had a footman to about every two guests and any one dining with her had to cling to the edge of his plate or it would be whisked away!  One who looked aside or “let go” for a second found his plate gone!  That was extreme; but, even so, better than a snail-paced dinner!

=THE DINNER HOUR=

In America the dinner hour is not a fixture, since it varies in various sections of the country.  The ordinary New York hour when “giving a dinner” is eight o’clock, half past eight in Newport.  In New York, when dining and going to the opera, one is usually asked for seven-fifteen, and for seven-thirty before going to a play.  Otherwise only “quiet” people dine before eight.  But invitations should, of course, be issued for whatever hour is customary in the place where the dinner is given.

=THE BUTLER IN THE DINING-ROOM=

When the dinner guests enter the dining-room, it is customary for the butler to hold out the chair of the mistress of the house.  This always seems a discourtesy to the guests.  And an occasional hostess insists on having the chair of the guest of honor held by the butler instead of her own.  If there are footmen enough, the chair of each lady is held for her; otherwise the gentleman who takes her in to dinner helps her to be seated.  Ordinarily where there are two servants, the head one holds the chair of the hostess and the second, the chair on the right of the host.  The hostess always seats herself as quickly as possible so that the butler may be free to assist a guest to draw her chair up to the table.

In a big house the butler always stands throughout a meal back of the hostess’ chair, except when giving one of the men under him a direction, or when pouring wine.  He is not supposed to leave the dining-room himself or ever to handle a dish.  In a smaller house where he has no assistant, he naturally does everything himself; when he has a second man or parlor-maid, he passes the principal dishes and the assistant follows with the accompanying dishes or vegetables.