Keep Elbows Off the Table!

“You never can tell from where you sit 

Where the grapefruit's juice is going to hit 

so bring along your towels and goggles,”

advises Miss Hazel Clark, the pretty Los Angeles bridge player, 

who is shown here demonstrating how to whiten elbows... but not how to sit properly at the table. 

Lean Arms on Table 

The Little Hemispheres Are Rather Elusive... but if that age-old decree of social etiquette that one should never put his elbows on the table has been proven all wrong. Also now popular idea that a grapefruit's only social usage is that of a morning appetizer, or as one of the innocent concomitants of salad or cocktail, has been proven fallacious. Nowadays, in really smart society, you plaster your elbows brazenly upon the festal board. Furthermore, you plaster them in your grapefruit! A whole one to each guest. Cut it in half to be sure, and one part is employed by each elbow for a parking place. Elbows inspired the new fad. 

Elbows are highly important parts of the anatomy in these days when women's sleeves are usually short or absent altogether. Some one discovered that the juice of grapefruit is softening and bleaching when applied to the elbows, and so efficacious that it seems as though the gods of feminine beauty designed it for arm angles. Someone else discovered that the way to combine business and pleasure is to play bridge with the aforesaid elbows resting in the damp, stinging nests of grapefruit. It is said to be difficult to get onto the knack of it at first. The little hemispheres are exceedingly elusive. With the expanding scope of the new fad it is said that all grapefruit-bridge players will arrive at a party equipped with their own towels and goggles.– Miss Hazel Clark, 1922

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia©️ Etiquette Encyclopedia