The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 26, 1905, Page 6

7 = — AN === 7 «4»,), e N NS D> - S e A S N 222 2IRP 220 27% e —— Dy (2 Z AN e set for one 1 and rock andlesticks, sho fia raises its head r or to its mak d e ts ek fe who sought has grape fr: become ¢ good things that special service glasses bave been designed for ese are long of stem and wide of powl, allowing ample space for cracked e creme de ex top. Smaller glass linings, filled with skinned and it, chilled and nd mareschino fce cup end are , e by tiny stems glasses are of clearest white stems are ; een ribbon, doillies in —a conspicu- this r de- nd the one who exe- aster craftsman. er and lovely silken die s s carry out the dellcate color scheme, and we who are so te as to be bidden to this table us sig € s design a pwer greer roken up even th know that other mar- vels are in store After the o lite and rs come two mnd then orati soups ais- Imost dark inly 1, and witl W g s make is not and th show inner is we d on its course. Most deli- cate of pattern, t slender s have felt the gen tendency of the mode taller than in previous sea- sons. The cr compc with its of- fering of salted nuts, keeps them com- pany, and tallest of all the furnishings the two candlesticks of rock ¥ with handsome ghades of green stk chenille The gpecial fish server with set of ves‘and forks is 2 distinctive fea- of this table. peaking of fish and fishing,” be- gins the gentleman on my right, and we smile and prepare ourselves for a stirring tale of conquest with rod and reel. We must decline to be impressed by anything less than the landing of a 6-pounder by a and unaideg Walton, and so we warn him. He is not deterred. but starts brave- 1y oft with, “I had the best luck of all my career as a fisherman at Catalina two weeks ago,” and proceeds with a tive that must needs be true— every detall is so perfectly filled in. Then some one . most politely, whether he happens to have a photo- graph of the catch, “not to be offéred as a proof, .you know, but merely as fllustrating a tale of thrilling interest,” " he replied, quite without heat, “I hpyen't. You are the third to ask that and I begin to regret I didn’t think of it at the time.” “The Catalina fish I shall remember longest is the sand-dab,” remarks our friend from the East. “I didn't catch any, so this is no fish story, but all my life, it seems to me, I have heard of the Catalina sand-dabs and always with a warning that never must I miss lone a chance to try them on their muative heath, if you'll le; me put it that way. They disappointed me. T felt toward them as the little girl expressed her- self regarding the bit of pudding al- lowed her at tea. ‘Very nice, perhaps, what there was of it, and plenty of it such as it was.'” “I don't like to think of my one jour- ney to that island heaven of anglers,” begins our hostess, “not ‘to-day. It jars the Thanksglving harmony, shat- a wretched sailor,” com- ments our host, “and quite naturally blames the island, when not blaming the weather or the buil@ers of the steamer that took us over.” “Then let’s change the subject,” sug- gests the traveler. "I want to tell you the story of my fishing trip up the Yukon any way, and so long as you all insist upon remaining in the South I can't bring it in; I mean, not with- out seeming abrupt.” ‘We willingly obey his summons to the arctic regions and it is quickly decided that he is entitled to first place for explicitness of adventure. So the fish courne is dispatched and, having lived their brief moment on this occasion, the so lovely furnishings are removed to .make place for yet more triumphant triumphs. 2 The game set. a golden pheasant pattern, holds our admiration from the first glance. shades of the electric candelabra are Quite appropriately the brightest crimson. Crimson, teo, &re the falry lights, tiny candles burning within half-in¢losed flower cups, and crimson. the cranberry jelly in the crystal and gold jelly dishes. Gay carnations in a hammered brass bowl add to the most charming of pictures and we say to ourselves again that we are glad to be here. Never was duck so tender and tooth- some. Our wine glasses are filled anew and delightful stories of hunting achievements seem to relate them- selves, sb naturally and easily do they fit in. One may well wonder how It is, in the face of such heroic devasta- tion as has been visited upon the feathered tribes, according to the un- doubted testimony of our fellow Buests, that there.is a single flock left in these waters. We do not raise the _— \\{\\\\\ — XT3 2L W& | Y/ a& E 1 0 A 'r/, A Y [SSSSSSSE L, ZZEN =y question as to the tales themselves. ‘We know they are all true, or, if they are .not, that they are almost founded on Incidents that nearly happened, which is quite the same thing, we re- mind our critical faculty. We linger over this course, heedless of what will next be vouchsafed us. Our spirits, responsive to the genial warmth of celor, mount to all en- thusiasms and' we hecome proud of ourselves and of each other. Of course we don't really mean to keep back the king of the feast, the great fowl without which Thanksgiving would no more be Thanksgiving than Christ- mas would be Christmas without a Thanging up of stockings. But we know that so long as we dawdle over this we have an even great- er prize in prospect and we do fiot want to hurry. . Our hostess disposes, however, and in good time ‘the roast turkey is borfie steaming from the dumb-waiter. It fills the great platter—plain English china’ with a gold line—and is properly flanked by the gravy boat and uncovered vege- table dish on which all smile alike. Roman punch glasses on plates appear, the high line of our champagne is main- tained by the observant butler, and in the soft yellow light from candle shades we begin to appreciate the true sengse of the day we celebrate. back to other Thanksgiving days—last year’s and . these in the farther-away ‘glasses except that fer champagne, Qur thoughts hark - NG W) ,\\ NV \TeLpirE past—always with some pleasant remem- brance. He would be lost indeed who dared bring up for our attention any but a happy story. All the year long we are meeting and overcoming difficulties and troubles, forgetting them, too, if we are wise, and to-day—well, to-day we re- member only our blessings, you and I and all of us. There is no place for the faintest feels ing that we are fortunate above our fel- lows. This I8 a good-cheer season for every American, one mo more than an- other. &nd now the gessert. With the roast, are carried away our the only addition being a tiny glass on a tall stem for creme de menthe. The ice cream service in exquisite crys- tal and gold (a large, round platter and individual plates) holds first place in the table’s setting, with Dresden nut dish and the rarest of after dinner coffee trays to share the honors. Finger bowls and almond dishes follow the pattern of the other crystal, the ideals of delicacy and lightness being here made manifest. So perfect has been every appointment, we are inclined to credit the hostess with powers of witchery. Fairy lights, pink in color, shining against the whiteness of the linen, comports bearing gifts of bon-bons, baskets of cut flowers— how shail it be decided which ministers most gratefully to our sense of beauty and fitness. Of particular interest are the silver ac- cessorles for the dessert table. Bon-bon spoon, ice cream server and forks, des- sert knives and forks, nut picks and pearl nuteracker shine as if conscious of their correctnes: It would seem that all the loveliness of all the furnishings, every \separate monument to the skill of the in- genious chef, hias served but as a pre- lude to the dessert, best of theaters for perfeet goodfellowship. So if ever a story with power to make for joyousness has been overiooked, we are ready to do it justice, The racon- teur's task is made an easy one by the <ympathy of his listeners. ‘We do not know how long we sit at ta- ble. The hours are brief as minutes, but at length our friend from the East and I follow the hostess into the drawing-room, while the gentlemen light fresh cigars and the Traveler commences another tale of his first visit to S8an Francisco, “Just fif- teen vears ago to-day.” “It is sacrilege to mention gost in con- nection with the lovely things you have arrapged for us,” says she from the East, but I do want to know.” “And I shall be glad to tell you, if T can,” replies our hostess. “What interests you most?" “That perfect grape fruit service.” “That pleases me, too. It seems so suitable. You see the styles in table fur- nishipg are not changed arbitrarlly and (ol R RIETEED SN A2 . NAGSSSSNAN & SN \’&_ N\ 2 We are given these departures only whea a new dish is brought out or whea an old one finds a new lease of faver. The table as you saw it was worth about $200 and you may be sure I think tde money well invested since you are se pleased with what it bought.” “But there are some new ideas, amn't there? The place plates?” “If they are pot entirely mew, at least they have not before been so generally used. They may eost almost any ameunt and I really think they are the mest beautiful pleces I possess. I ltke best those of the dessert service, which are worth 3250 a dozen. It is in the realm of tabis appointments and table decorations as in everything else, the newest ideas, the artistie, have to be pald for liber- ally, but surely no housewife could regret any seeming extravagance in silver, glass- ware, china or linen to be used in serving her gnests.” ““As for me,” I said, “if I were a thief and could break through and steal, I should unhesitatingly select the after dinner coffec set as my share of the spoils.” “It is a favorite of mine,” replies our hostess. “I think that with every year that passes the effects achleved in the Dresden china are more and more lovely, but surely nothing so perfect as that will be surpassed for a long time. Are you wondering about its cost, too?”" she turns to the Easterner. “I am ashamed to say,” responds that exponent of specializeq interest. “The set proper conmsists of the tray, the coffee, creamer and sugar, with only two cups, and I think cost $5. The other four cups cost almost as much, I've for- gotten just what. But, my dears; do you want me to think that the tables were everything 7" The laugh with which she put the ques- tion proved she was not reaily frightened at the possibility she had suggested, but nevertheless we told her, and with con- vineing fervor. We had not before appreciated how en- tirely the service of artists has been en- gaged in planning table appointments, how our standards have been raised un- til nothing is too costly, nothing too rare to find place of service. Individual taste in dinner giving dif- ters as widely as individual taste in any other question that engages the attention of womankind, as widely as the individu- al pocket-hook that must assist In de- ciding how lavishly the new things may be indulged in. But since nothing is pos- sible withcut a standard, an ideal, the accompanying reproductions of photo- graphs are offered as representing the very best that has been evolved, without regard to cest. ‘Whether you entertain simply or lav- ishly you will be interested in the ideally perfect setvice as a gauge by which to measure; whether you entertain simply or lavishly the dinner of Thursday, No- vember 30, is a special function, calling for your best endeavor.