The usual refreshments in 1880 were tea and coffee, ices, champagne-cup and claret-cup, fruit, sandwiches, cake, and biscuits. The expected feature was a live orchestra or a small band playing light classical music, even after the invention of the phonograph. The dances included waltzes, tangos, and the Charleston by the late 1920s. They also offset the expenses of a seated supper, wine, and candles associated with a ball. A stiff waxed canvas dancing cloth was considered sufficient when strained over the drawing-room carpet, rather than taking up the carpet and waxing the floor in preparation for dancing. The dining room served as the tea room, with the dining tables arranged at one end as a buffet. Floral decorations were modest.