Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1876-05-27
s;sititsg-Isin,s TO CHESTS and
Hosts.

There are three essentials, says II. H., in ;
! recent article, whi-h must be understood and
| acted on before visits and visiting viii rvcI
inlill tie ideal "i the pleasure they ought tc
/ Je and give First, nothing must be dmoc f1i
I parade or show. No matter how rich mar
may be, if tie sets on his dinrcrrablc ont
thing. either To he eaten or To be looked al
>lnI!y for show, ii IL n challenge rnd ar
"iicm>c. OF course. nobody is - absurd a Il
maintain that the rich must make dinners d
herbs because jhc poor cannot afford stalled
oxen. \ very feast Of good things, both fol
the eye and the palate, can he set on; without
any aicmrt It, or any suggestion of mere
parade nero display.
There aic plenty Of ways in which n nar
may advertise his wealth. it he likes. wi.hnri'
doing II IN hi>pltaIiry. 10 do it there or even
>cem 10 do IT there, is the very essence ul
vui-arlry ANA real inho$pally. Tuavoid by
every possible device aud by the utmost tacr
lhc bare suggestion that the guest l. tire
recipient aud not the cuui,.rer Cf favurs is the
tir>t principle of entcrtainmcnr. To ask a
man To- your houSc and treat him As If he
we've inspector of wines or tax "atilerer on
silver i piece OF very coarse stupidity au,i
> 10 make Il very great difference between ,hc
way you live when you are alone, and the
way you live when you have friend. under
your roof /, surely a very direct way of inur.
IN; one own standard of taste
The second essential Of the ideal visit and
visiting IL, that the host. not the guest, set the
limit of the visit. There i - very false a
notion IN this country on this point that it
almost seems as If it must spring out of a ma
! iioual lack OF dITectnc>> aud sincerity. Every.
body knows. when he asks Il friend Ia his
house, how long he wants him 20 stay. There
may be my reasons combining to asIie him
very "lad uI Il visit three days lG.U. and very
mach u Conv"I.ienced 10y one longer Honest
people ought 10 find ne difficulty in saying
tins, and honest people take no ofrnsc at
hearing II his does away with all possi>
Dl'l'y Of misaOnstruction on either side with
all uncertainties as to welcome, with all fears
Of intrusion.
4 rh!ri essential OF ideal visits and visiting
Is, that there be on the part Of the host 10
strained effort TO entertain or amuse the
guest; on tile part Of the guest no expectation
Of being amused or entertained Simply 20
meet iur the Interchange OF good will aud
cOrhiaiity, the Usual currcut of life going on
uudisruIbed, the !IaDit> of the family remains
ny unchauged---ihG7 is the lrue s5cia visit.
The man who knows how to "drop in" of an
evening, draw his chair up To your hearth as.
II it were his own. and fall into the usual
evening routine Of the household as if lie
were a member of it-huw welcome he
always IL, The man who comes 20 STAY un.
der your roof for a season, aud who, without
being intrusive or familiar, makes YOU feel
r.st lie l. AT home with you, and is content
IN iils usual fashion of occuparon-how de-
iIshtiHl a guest lie il! And the houses
all how few of them into which one can
20 for day or a week aud feel su-e Iha, the
family routine i. in no wise altered, tie family
conIiUrt is no wise lcssened, bur, on the con-
tFary. increased by his preSeme-what Joy it.
IL To- cross their thresholds! What good liar-
bors of refuge they are TO weary wanderers!
When the world mends lis ways in
these regards, when these essentials are full
filed, the lost art Of conversation will revive
hospitality Will be worthy of its name; aud
houschOiding and housekeeping become. as
they ought 10 be, tie greatest pleasure man
can have.