The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-03-08

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their progress in the world and to ascertain their
social age. One of these is the loss of Illusions.
1t may take place very gradually, but before the
age Of thirty Eve has been attained the pleasure
of mere visiting is apt to prove very problem
aiical Hospitality has lost SO much Of its his
torica character that the whole arrangement
savors of contract for two or three days be-
tween host and guest At particular time Of
the year, three or four patches of twenty or
I thirty men and women succeed one another in
the fashionable country house.
Different reasons induce different people to
accept the Invitations which are issued. Some
go because it is on their way home from Scot
land, some because they have no home; others,
because Caserta is q show-house, and they i'm
agine they will see more Of it when staying
there than when they are under the tutelage of
the housekeeper. 1t is true that the hostess is
not equally well Informed about her ancestral
pictures or the royalties who have inhabited the
spare rooms, but then it must be remembered
that she can be got rid Of, while to evade the
eyes of the housekeeper never entered into the
conception of even the British tourist in his
widest moments We always feel tempted, like
Mr.. Pendennis friend to exclaim at last, q And
now, Madam, will you show Us the closet where
the skeleton is ~ In order to secure the active
services of ten men, at least thirty-fve must be
invited and on one occasion an unfortunate
hostess ignorant of these great social statistics,
was seea to enter provincial ballroom at the
head Of seven girls, destined to demonstrate for
once the usefulness of man. 1t is needless to
remark that the ten men and ten women who
ultimately arrive so far from suiting another,
have probably borne particular hatred against
each other for past seasons. general sense Of
antagoaism prevails; not that it matters much
as the visit does not probably extend over three
or four nights during which time cultivated
man with good memory may employ his whole
faculties in successful endeavor to reeollect the
names of the guests. Nothing, perhaps, is more
trying to the nerves than the arrival, and the
entry into halflit drawing room where through
the fog can be seen dimly teacups and bonneted
women. You search for your hostess in vain,
and eventually discuss the dangers of the journey
have never spoken to before After seeing four
relays of women drink tea the unhappy guest is
conducted through innumerable catacombs, up
countless stairs, down corridors like the galleries
of a coai-pit, TO what proves to be somebody
else's bedroom. The search continues, AMI is at
last rewarded by success. More trouble may,
however,, attend him. A neighboring grandee
has been waited for, and dinner does not take
place till half past eight 1t is sad to think that
there should be people who care about their
dinner the ancestors, restored and vanished,
looked. down with proper contempt, saying " We
dined in the middle of the day, but we were
mobiles you are bomgeoiSie, living IN " fash
iOnable middle age" If tue wine is bad
magnificent creature does it out and the imagina-
ton may dwell with pleasure on the fact that the
cold entree first assumed consistency in medie-
val kitchen. In fact, excuses without number
present themselves. The rich man labors under
many disadvantages in comparison with the owner
Of five or six thousands year. His dining
room is often at a greater distance from his
kitchen. His illogical dowager or unreasonable |
a state of painful depression and partial indges-
ton
The ball takes place on the following evening |
Hostesses declare that they must hold out some |
attraction and offer some excuse for the forma- |
tion of party. 1t is cruel to drag a man away
from his business or his pleasures 10 order that he
may take part in rational conversation, live with /
agreeable people, or see beautiful country. He
must either shoot away three hundred cartridges !
each morning, and thus retire to bed with the |
of a well-spent day, or he must be |
taken TO a ball. He may congratulate himself if |
the ball is given in the house at which he is stay
ing, though, should it take place at the country
town, he may employ himself to advantage in
studying the component parts of the society in
which he finds himself Relics of real feudalsm
are often to be observed in provincial ball rooms.
There is a privileged end of the room. with priv
ileged seats where the daughters of the neighbor-
ing baronet and the recently ennobled squire mon
Opolize the fire and recognize the dog. Affecia-
ton can 60 no further. Lady Barney treats the
local authorities with that contempt which they
cAlCCts anu NithOub hulSh tHt eNtulHS NDuiu lOce
its peculiar zest. Her daughter shows her nicely
by stipnlating that her ris-aris should belong to
the unlettered classes, and occasionally sits down
on the floor with her head in her mothers lap in
order to show the country people that all things
are permitted to persons who have spent three
months of the year in town. Men in q=eer coats
write their partners names on queer little cards,
and look excited. The wax candles fall fast up
On them, and the dust from the floor gradually en-
selops them. Odd dances are gone through, in
which the monotony of the quadrie is pleasantly
broken, and great originality prevails. Happily
or everybody, Caserta wiihdraws its august pres
,nce at an early period Of the evening, believing
Is is no doubt the case, that the servants will
,njoy themselves more when they are gone. 1t
5 a complete mistake to suppose that county ex-
usiveness has ceased to exist in sheltered sit
lations in the midland counties it fourishes TO
wonderful extent, and is looked upon as a great
,ulwark against the inrOads of democracy-a word
# doubtful import, but supposed to be an attri-
'u'e of manufacturing putocrais who may desire
o settle in the country. and so become the saliva
ion of mortgaged squres and replenishers of