Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-08-10
DR.. Dio Lewis on Evening
Entertainments.

DR.. Dlo Lewis on Evening
Entertainments.
tADr. Dio Lewis has written, and
Harper and Brothers have Just pub
lished, book called "Our Girls"
which is so full, from the first page
to the last, of wholesome and SEN
BILE advice that we wish it could be
placed in the hands of every reader
of the BdzdT.
From its readable pages we make
the folloing extracts concerning the
elaborate suppers so much in
vogue now at evening parties:
If people have beautiful homes
and wealth, and desire to make their
party a recherche affair, are there
not professional players, singers, ac-
tors, readers, florists, etc.? Some
thing grand could be given for half
the expense of an elaborate sup
per.
need hardly hint to bright peo-
pie of less pretentious class that
social singing, dancing, charades,
and a hundred beautiful games are
all open to them. These are ten
fold more enjoyable than the more
stately methods of the rich.
The time will soon come when
people OF rrs.li -.;-,e,- e,-es.l.ass-@~ill-. mot
think of giving their guests a late
supper; of the twenty most intel
lectual and refined homes to which
l have been invited in America and
Europe not one gave any refresh
ments at an evening party, with per-
haps the exception Divine in France
and lemonade in this country.
If people have no brains, but
have good stomachs, then l advise
eating on all occasions; in fact, it is
the only thing left. Such people
may have already eaten three meals,
but when they assemble in the eve
ming at a sociable they had better
feed again, and feed hearty; what
else is there to do? They can't sit
and stare at each other by the hour,
and it wouldn't be good manners to
lie down ON the floor and go to
sleep. After they finish the more
substantial meats and things they
can fill up the rest of the evening
with nuts, dough nuts, apples, cider,
and other trifling things.
But if the people happen to have
a love of music, paintings, CONVEX
sation (the finest of the fine arts J,
bright games, ,charades, ,dramatics, or
any other Of twenty amusements-
if they happen to have love for
any thing above cold pork, then /
advise them, when assembled in q
social way, to give their brains a
chance,and not stuff their stomachs,
the former is human, the latter is
piggish.
Few changes in our social life
have afforded me such genuine
satisfaction rs the recent changes,
among a few of our best people, in
the forms and methods of hOspitali.
ty.
The change from, ''Will you have
a glass of whisky9" which was ad-
dressed to callers fifty years ago, to
eat? which was addressed to them
twenty-five years ago, was, on the
whole, great improvement. The
change which has now been inaugu-
rated of addressing your hospitali
ty to something above the stomach
is greater improvement.
When this has been fairly estab
lished house-keepers can entertain
company In the evening with real
pleasure and profit to all concerned.
When an evening sociable means a j
"big feed" it involves a great sacri-
flee; there is roasting, baking, and
fussing for two or three days, and
the expense is such as only a few
can afford. .Hr. 1.1a
And what is it all for? Why, II
can't think of any thing, unless it is
to make the company sick. Does
any one doubt that eating late in
the evening is injurious? a.'
And does any one doubt that the
preparation and cost of the supper
involve sacrifice to the housekeep-
er? If these are admitted, can't
imagine any decent apology for the
custom. f.. ..
What shall be done? Every i'm
portant movement must be inaugu-
rated by individual action.
Let those who have the idea and
the moral courage excuse them
selves from all evening refreshments
and the fashion will soon become
general. ~ ra
1t is real pleasure to say that al
ready thousands have determined
upon this course, so that now it is
quite safe to entertain company with
out refreshments.-Harpers's Ba-
zdr.