Instructing the Maid.—­If the mistress finds her maid’s education in her duties is deficient, she should teach her to open the door wide, as if the visitor were welcome; to have her tray ready to receive cards; to be informed as to whether the mistress is at home or not that she may answer the visitor’s inquiry at once.  She is to usher the visitor into the drawing room or parlor, take the card to her mistress and return to say that “Mrs. Blank will be down in a few minutes,” never alluding to her mistress as “she,” as some ill-trained girls do.

If a lady who keeps but one maid entertains at all she must instruct the girl in the proper serving of meals.  In the first place, everything that is necessary for the service must be ready; there must be no getting out of extra silver or china at the last moment, with its upsetting confusion.  The menu must be so carefully planned that most of the food to be served can be prepared beforehand.  For a six o’clock company dinner, the soup may be hot in the kettle; the fowl or joint in the oven; the entree waiting the finishing touches on the back of the range, the vegetables in the warmer, and the dessert in the ice-box.  All the china and silver being in readiness and the table properly laid, the maid slips into her black dress and apron, and presents herself at the drawing-room door, announcing “Dinner’ is served.”

The Maid’s Serving.—­The guests being seated, she brings in the soup tureen, uncovers it, taking the cover to the pantry as she goes for the hot soup plates.  She then stands at the left of the mistress with a tray, covered with a doily, in her left hand, a folded napkin under the tray; takes the soup plates as they are filled, passing them to the left of each guest, taking the plate from the tray with the right hand.  She then removes the tureen.  Removing the plates she takes them from the left side of the guest.  The roast is brought in and served in the same manner as the soup; the vegetables are passed, each guest helping himself from the dish.  The salad is usually served on the plates upon which it has been arranged.  After the salad the table is cleared and the crumbs brushed with a napkin upon a plate or tray, and the dessert brought on for the hostess to serve, The latter starts the little dishes of bonbons or salted nuts on their travels, guests passing them along.

Chocolate is a good beverage to serve on such occasions; it can be made in the morning, or even the day before, and heated without in the least impairing its quality.

Given a capable, willing girl, one anxious to learn and not too self-conscious, a woman may entertain two or three or four guests very adequately if she will plan her menu carefully and see, personally, that everything is in readiness.  She should, however, avoid any overelaboration.  Better a simple meal well prepared and served than a more pretentious one that fails in these particulars.

[Manners and social customs 781]