Guests should arrive at the hour named or within five minutes afterward. It is usual to wait a quarter of an hour for a late-comer. To delay longer might interfere with the engagements of the other guests, besides spoiling the food. If the hostess has inefficient servants or only one maid, she may find it necessary to excuse herself in order to inspect the arrangements of the table at the last moment. In this case it is well to have a friend who will take the place of the hostess during her brief absence.
The luncheon is announced in the same way as dinner (see Chapter IV). The entrance to the dining-room is informal, the hostess leading the way, taking with her, perhaps, the oldest lady or the guest of honor. The others follow without special order, save that married women precede young girls. If there are men present they come last. Usually a relative or familiar friend of the hostess takes the foot of the table opposite the latter. The guest of honor sits at the right of the lady of the house; the other places of distinction are at her left and at the right and left of the assistant hostess. Unless the occasion is a very formal one, however, a hostess will pay more attention to seating her guests beside congenial neighbors than to arranging them with strict regard to precedence. It is now usual to serve coffee in the drawing-room at the conclusion of the luncheon in order to avoid the fatigue of sitting too long at table.
The guests depart soon after the conclusion of the meal, as the hostess may have other engagements to fulfil. In New York the whole lunch-party may vanish in ten or fifteen minutes. If the ladies are not in haste or are having a very pleasant time, they remain longer. In the country they would be very apt to do so. At a formal luncheon the guest of honor should be the first to take leave. A lady who has some pressing engagement may excuse herself without waiting for the former.
A buffet luncheon is served from the sideboard or from the dining-table, the guests sitting about the room. It is a convenient form of entertainment where many people are to be provided for, or where it is uncertain how many will be present. The bill of fare should consist for the most part of articles that do not require cutting up, since it is difficult to manage this with a plate resting upon one’s knees. Sandwiches, salads, oysters, croquettes, and bouillon are all appropriate, with coffee, ices, cake, and bonbons. At a simpler luncheon, jellies or other sweet dishes may be substituted for the ices. Terrapin, cold salmon, and other expensive dainties may be added to the bill of fare if the host desires. If only a small number of persons are present, so that all can be seated at the same time, guests have everything passed to them by the servants in attendance. The fashion of the moment is to use little squares of soft, embroidered linen for luncheon; but these do not afford enough protection for the dress where one eats from the lap, and larger napkins are to be preferred for this purpose at a buffet lunch. Where no servants are present the lady of the house, assisted by one or two friends, waits on the guests. It is less formal, however, when the hostess asks all to help themselves. If there are men present they wait upon the ladies. This method of service is apt to be extravagant, however, since the amateur waiters often give portions that are unduly large. It is better to have some one possessed of knowledge and experience to help to the various dishes at the table, the gentlemen then passing the plates to the ladies.
