River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-04-21

convenient and DufdenSOme, as To de-
mand public denunciation. Nobody
likes them, everybody desires to be re-
heyed of them, and all seem to be pow
erless to reform them. Their burden
someness forms a serious bar to social
intercourse, and their only tendancy is
to drive men and women out of society
altogether, and 10 worry and weary
those who remain subject to them.
\ person is invited to an "informal "
reception. Special pains may be, and
often are, taken TO impress him with
the idea that such a reception is, in
deed " informal. The idea is very
good. The proposition is to bring to-
gether a circle of friends III familiar
way, without expensive dress on the
part of the guests, or an expensive
entertainment on the part of thehostess.
1t Is an attractive sort of invitation, but
woe to the man or woman who accepts
it according to its terms. The man or
woman who attends in anything but
full evening dress will find themselves
singular, and most uncomfortable.
They have taken their hostess at her
word, and find, instead of party of
familiar friends, who can sit down and
enjoy an hour of social intercourse,
highly dressed liam which comes
late and departs late, and which finds
itself treated TO an elaborate supper.
People have, at last, learned that if
there is anything that must be dressed
ton, and there is really no greater
cheat than the invitation which called
them together The consequence is
that we have really no informal gather
ings of men and women in what we call
"eoclety."
Again, when we invite guest TO dim
ner at six, we expect him to come at,
or before, that hour. 1t is counted the
height of impoliteness for n guest 10
keep dinner waiting 4oment. This
is Just as it should i but when we in
wife a guest at eighy o'clock, to a recep-
ton or a party, what then? Why, we
do not expect him until nine, we do not
ordinarily get him until half-past nine,
and are not surprised at his entrance at
any subsequent hour before the compa-
NY breaks up Why the rule should be
good for the dinner that is not good for
the assembly does not appear, except
that in the case Of the dinner it is
question of hot or cold soup that is to
he decided. At eight the host and host
ess are in their vacant rooms, be-gloyed
and waiting. They are there for an hour,
wishing their guests would come. At
last one makes his appearance, and with
a guilty look whips up stairs. Then he
waits until another joins him, and an
other, and another, and so at last he de-
sends. All have lost the only oppor-
tunity they will have for a pleasant
chat with those who have invited them
lost, indeed, the only chance they will
have of a look at the flowers, at the pic
lures, and the enjoyment of an undis-
turbed chat, with comfortable seats and
surroundings. All dread to be first,
and so all wait, and thus thrust far into
the night their hour of departure. The
company that should be at home at
eleven, and in bed at half-past eleven,
DO not find their beds until one the next
morning.
10 the man of business such hours Us
mingling in social life imposes are sim
ply killing They are the same to
women who have family duties to per
form They-wipe the bloom of youth
from the cheeks of girls i'll from one to
three seasons: and thus social life i'll the
great cities, instead Of being blessing
and a delight, MS it should be, becomes
a burden and bore. Many are driven
by considerations of health and comfort
ont Of social life altogether, and those
who remain rely upon the rest of sum
mer to restore them sufficiently to stand
another campaign. We submit that
this is an uneXaggerated representation
of the present state of things, and pro-
test that il demands reform.
Every hour that man spends out of
his bed after half-past ten at night is a
violence to nature. They have learned
this in Germany, where, III many
towns, their public amusements ter
inmate at half-past nine, and, III some
eases, even earlier than this. II is in
I Il is direction that a reform should be
effected i'm America, SO far as every va
riety Of public and social assembly il
concerned. An invitation at eight
/ should mean what it says, and be hon
| ored IN its terms. In this way social
( life would be possible 10 many To whom
/ it is now practically denied, and be-
come a blessing 10 all.
1t is not hard 10 institute a reform of
this kind. All it wants is leading ;
and half q dozen of our social queens
could do the work in a single season.
n used 10 be deemed essential 10 a
social assembly that huge, expensive
supper be served at its close and this at
au hour when no man or woman could
afford 90 eat hearty meal. We have
measurably outliyod this IN New York.
It is "quito the thing now TO serve
light aud inexpensive refreshments.
The man who dimes at six needs no
heavy supper before he goes 10 bed.
lie not only does not need it, but he
cannot cat il without harm. Its expen-
siyeness Is "a constant bar to social life (;
and let us be thankful that this abuse,
ut least, is pretty we'll reformed al
ready Other abuses and bad habits
can Ice reformed just as easily as this,
because reform is in the line Of COM
mon sense and the common desire.
The leading, rs we have said, is all that
d wasted, and when we commence
another season such leading ought 70
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