At the head of the table place a stand for the cocoa pitcher, sugar bowl, with tongs, cups, saucers, and teaspoons.
If carafes are used, place one for the use of every two people, and a salt cup and pepper box for every two persons, unless the individual salts are preferred.
Place a small luncheon plate for each person. At the right lay a luncheon knife, with the sharp edge turned towards the plate, a knife for butter, a small soup spoon for oysters, a tumbler for water, another for Apollinaris, and a glass for claret. At the left lay a luncheon fork, with the tines turned up, a bread-and-butter plate, and a napkin.
Place your dessert plates, each with its fork, on the sideboard. On the sideboard have a
water pitcher, extra glasses, knives, forks, and spoons. Have on the sideboard, or at hand in the pantry, everything that may be asked for, as fine sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mixed mustard, and red and white pepper.
See that the right platter is being heated for the beefsteak, and be sure that the tray corresponds in size.
Fill the water pitcher, and have an extra pitcher of filtered water, or bowl of ice, in your pantry.
Cut the bread, and leave a loaf lying on the bread board in the pantry, with the bread knife by the side of it.
See that the oyster dishes are placed to heat in time to be very hot indeed.
See that the luncheon plates are warm, but not too hot to mar the polish of the table; if a cloth is used, they may be hotter.