The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-28


To fasten - many drsgs Is possible TO the social
machinery Of todss, seems to be the first idea OF
hospitality which there il every reason TO fear,
will gradually be slnothered in the process.
Are you going 10 Mrs.. Jones' dinner partyt
asks Mrs. Smith u ter friend. No, Why no,
Oh. simply because can't return such elaborate
dinners. / have neither the means nor the time;
and though admire Mr.. Jones and his wife ex-
ceediDgiy, II seems not right 10 accept tnen invi-
istion under such circumstances. And so srealiy
pleasant acquaintance is gradually dropped.
Perhaps the lady who gives the dinner party
would really prefe; plain dinner with her friend
Mrs. Jones than 81 the elaborate dinners she Is 10
band likes wines and French cookery. and would
consider anything else Q poor compliment 10 q
guest; and so there's an end.
And now. what are these hne dinners! JUST
this: a pleasant CLEAN of silver and china; q
lovely disposition OF fruit and flowers; great
deal Of dress and undress on the part OF the Ia
dies; much swailow-tsil. and an exquisite DIT OF
cravat and kid glove on the part OF the gentlemen
Brains--ss the gods please; but always process
zion of dishes. marched on and marshalled on,
for the requisite number OF tedious hours, during
which you eat you know not what, because
YOU must be ready with your answer Tor your ell
bow peighbor or your visa Wis; during when you
taste much wine and nibbie much confectionery,
and finish up With coffee; and under the combined
influence of all this you sink supinely into soft
chair or sofa, and the " feed T" 10 over.
Everybody there feels just as you DO. Every
and be let alone, till the process OF digesuon mas
q chance.
iDsiesd-shey throw q too transparent enthq:
siasm into the injury, How's your mothers ~ IL
the gods are kiph, and there has been an inroad
of measles or fever, the narrator may possibly
give you ten mir utes' reprieve from pumping up
from beneath that dinner another query about
1.-THE baby But II he--or she, tools iaboring
like yourself with duck and quail, and pate and
oyster, and wine and fruit and bon. bons, then
may good Providence put it into the distracted
brain Of the hostess to set some maiden a-foul OF
oh, but that is blessed no matter what she
plays, how hard she thumps, or how loud she
screeches. Blessed-to lean back, and fold your
Kid gloves over your belt, and never move them
till you applaud the performance. of which you
know, nor careI any more than who struck Billy
This over, yoS see gentleman coming toward
you. You know by his looks be too Is suffering
The pangs Of reelection. Good heavens how full
Of deceit ia his smile, he fastens you, think
ing you will talk! Mistaken man! .yon smile too,
and both together agree that "the weather has
been fine of lsts.r This done. you look helplessly
with the untold pains of dumb animals, In each
others faces. SID then glance furtiyely about to
see If that pist young woman really means to
| leave your slguish unassuaged She does.
| Hum!-you mike an errand across the room 10
pick Up o suppSsititous glove you dropped-and
At Iast-reli{t-there ia your husband. How
glad he lie to Sd yaul It's really worth going to
The dinner parry to witness that mans affection
| for you at that moment. Now he can yawn be.
| hind his glove Now he can take seat 30 near
| that no man or woman can interrupt his lazy
| heaven. He even smiles at you from very glad
nees of heart, and in thick utteranee tells you, 10
order 70 keep you from going from his side, that
| "he don't see but you look as well as nywoman
| in the room" You only needed that uawon,ed
| display Of galentry from the hypocritcal wretch
| to rise Immediately and leave him 10 his fate,
| though you should, In doing II, rush msdly on
| your own.
and this is "dinner party" For this men aud
| women empty:ther purses and all their decanters
| and wardrobss, and merge their brains In their
| stomachs, and--are In the fashion!
Better is leg Of mutton and csper sauce, and
i mach lively talk, wheoeoever and wheresoever q
friend, with OF without an invitation, cares enough
| about you ana yours with impromptu friendship
| 70 /" drop in" Best clothes best dishes, best
vine. best psrlors-whst are they, with rare ex-
| captions, but. extinguishers Of wit and wisdom
and digestion and geDisltyi Who will inaugu
rite Us little common sense FANNY FERN.