A group of us is creating an archive of periodical articles related to a topic of interest to us (electrical insulators) and one of us came upon the alleged word "erstomaire".

I am including the entire article to add context, but the word itself appears in the couplet in the middle of the article, which appears below.

Any insights into this word or if it is actually another word that has been misspelled or misread, would be greatly appreciated..

I was just sent a link to the original newspaper text as added information if anyone can read this better than we can:

http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cgi-bin/docviewe...;CISOSHOW2=5239

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Mrs. Joseph Conway Hemingray Hostess at Dinner Festival
The Salt Lake Daily Tribune
Salt Lake City, Territory of Utah, Saturday, April 22, 1876

The Festival.

The festival given in the Wasatch Hall last evening by the ladies of St. Mark's Church, was a very enjoyable affair, and was largely patronized. The refreshment tables under the supervision of Mrs. Jenks afforded all the delicacies of the season, and large numbers of ladies and gentlemen, practically, paid them very high compliments. Thirteen young ladies dressed a la Lady Washington, all beaming with smiles and blushes, waited upon the tables. Miss Ella Haydon was the presiding genius of the punch bowl, and it was

Punch, sister, punch; punch with care,
Punch for the plate of the erstomaire.

whose name was legion and he did get punched with the nicely prepared beverage. The culinary department was under the management of Mrs. J. B. McKean, who filled her important trust admirably. The table of fancy articles, presided over by Mdes. J. C. Hemingray, Geo. A. Black, and J. Woodard, was neatly arranged and drew about it a large number of customers. Last, but not least, the floral conservatory of the Misses Sholes, arranged in the center of the hall in arches of evergreen, was beautiful, and was a credit to the tastes of the young ladies who arranged it. To-day the ladies will keep their refreshment tables spread and will furnish a splendid lunch to all between the hours of twelve and two. The admission will be free to all, and the lunch will cost fifty cents.

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Jill Meier
wordsmith@public.insulators.com