When bread is passed, one takes a slice as it is cut, and does not break it and leave a portion on the plate. Bread is always eaten from the fingers.
Raw oysters are eaten with a small oyster-fork from the shell. In helping one’s self to salt, the little salt-spoon is used, and the salt is placed on the plate.
When strawberries are served with their stems on, one picks one up by the stem, dips it into the soft sugar at the side of the plate, and eats it from the stem. Bonbons are eaten from the fingers. If a spoon is in the dish from which they are served, then one uses it; if not, the fingers are proper.
An apple or a pear may be held on a fork, and pared with a knife; or it may be quartered, and each quarter held in the fingers, and then pared. Dates are eaten from the fingers.
When one answers “thank you” to an invitation to partake of a certain dish at the table, “yes” is meant.
One should break a small piece of bread off the slice, then butter it and eat it. Only very small children in the nursery bite from a slice of buttered bread.
One need not fear to take the last piece on the plate when it is offered. It would be more impolite to refuse it.
It is very bad form to pile up, or in any way arrange the plates or small dishes put before one, for the benefit of the waiter. She should do her own work, which is to take away the plates without any help.
When one wishes for bread, or anything of that sort, he should simply ask for it, either addressing his request to the servant or, if there is none, to whomever the bread may be nearest, if it is on the table.
Upon leaving the table, and the signal for leaving is given when the hostess rises, one’s napkin should be placed upon the table unfolded, unless one is to remain for another meal.