Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-10
EVENING ENrERraINvrxr

The recent panic has certainly had one good
ensct socially. IL has caused our evening en-
more enjoyable. The truth u. that in matters
OF true social enjoy ment and arrangement, New
, hork mas never advanced with the progress OF
when we speak Of New York we refer 10 the ga
loritY OF people In comfortable circumstances.
j here always have been marked exceptions 70
our general social tone and mole OF lite. ami
lies who have really understood what pleasant
social Intercourse means, and how II eau be OBJ
tanned and preserved Who have united the mos,
GENIAL hospitality with taste for ali things in
telhgent and genuine. The majority, on the
other hand, are persons nom other parts, who
have made fortunes either suddenly or gradual
ly, but whose early habit OF life was not social.
During the greater part of their lives they have
either taken hurried and solitary dinner iu a
restaurant, or have INDUCED in that nOndescript
meal-a tea dinner"-in q dismal basement
when they returned In the evening. They have
early acquired the dyspeptic habit Of silence At
meals, and of dispatehing food a. seriously and
speedily as possible. Conversation ~ dinner Is
almost an unknowR art.
They have never lived in their drawing
rooms or "psrlOrs," but have kept up the time
honored practice of preserving that sacred room
In condition OF unsulliel purity and silent
ssnctity. As a consequence, their pariors have
an ancient and tomb-hke character, not con-
duciye 70 vain and frivolous convers alton. The
father OF his family and his wife live in a abou-
dom or the dining room, and the stately COM
pany rooms are only lighted W on stately occa-
Sous. In such houses Jhere is no open fire no
center OF life and conversation. no family fire.
side. The house IS warmed throughout with
furnaces. The father returns home al night
Won cut with ovsTwOrk, and either sleeps on
the sofa or reads his newspaper. There Is no
SOC ety. n OF about the house. The very at
mos phere is heavy, aud weighs on the BRAN.
Talk Is stred. II az evening call Is made the
gas is III IN the close, unused draSiDg-ropm.
But the room has 20 air OF home or social life
about il. The furniture Is fresh from the up
holsterer's, and just like taat next door. There
Is no Individuality in the ornaments. No arti-
cles of home use are scattered around nothing
which belong 10 the taste or habits of the owner
without the tireside, and With the heavy, fur
mace air, conversation languShes, and the guest
II glad 70 depart.
AT length, as years go by, and the children
are growing up, our supposed host feels that he
must have society" He attempts a dinner
party. But his whole habits OF life are against
dinners. He Us not accustomed 20 table-talk;
his servants are not trained 10 wait or cook
He hires hls waiter, and takes his cooked dishes
from q restaurant. But nothing moves smooth
ly; nothing is good or pleasant. His wines are
badly selected; his dishes become cold; the con-
versation is colder; the whole is stir and unin-
teresting, and the family vote dinners a bore
He now tries grand party" This being much
less artistic than dinner, and a thing more Of
cess. There are beds Of flowers thrOnging the
house, plenty of walters, gorgeous and waste
ful supper; but, somehow, when II is all over,
both the host and his guests admit that there is
no real society there. There has been no
pleasant conversation, and even no good show
OF toilets and dancing. 1t was simply a crush
ana crowd, ana goUrmandlZtng OF good things
at a very late hour.
This sort OF experience. we need not say 70
our readers, has been all OF society" that vast
numbers of our citizens in good circumst ances
have known anything about. The present win
ter fortunately, is bringing in a reform. Enter-
tainments are of necessity simpler, and, there
fore, more social. But family must be social
at home before they can be social abroad. The
children-the daughters especially-must be
trained 20 the habit which everywhere distin-
guishes women in the higher civilization, of
being interested in cOnyersit on public aud
intelligent topics. They must be taught, also,
from early childhood, that which Is one of the
greatest charms of womanhoOd, the constant
practice OF consideration and care as a hostess
for all guests, whether of high or low degree.
The talent of entertaining Is learnt even IN
childhood. Then the father must expect TO see
his friends OFTEN az simple family dinners. II
is a great mistake 70 suppose that people re
qnlre such elaborate and expensive dinners.
The iOrity of persons could not bear them at
home, and they would be better without them
abroad. A simple roast, and a bottle OF decent
Claret where sOciality is is better than fourteen
where no one can talk. The habit o. pleasant
table conversation Is the great thing needed .
not a multitude of courses.
SO with our grand parties. We want more
music and the show Of toilets, and less Tor
crushing and eating. A hostess who sees two
unfortunate gentlemen having long trtc-d-tsfs.
at once feels that a wrong has been done. aud
separates them. Conversation Is broken up into
| Fragments and people are kept on the move too
much. In well arranged salon q gentlem an
should be allowed TO spend the whole evening
over book of photographs, If he chooses; or
one good talker should be permitted TO amuse A
group. The present winter will doubtless see
more real sociability in evening parties, and
| less fuss and extrayagance.-Aclg Irr, Tim-S.