Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-02-07
THE ART OF HOSPITALITY.


Welcome and UnweIcOIne Guests
and the Way 10 Make Them Feel
at Home.
Philadelphia Times
To be "mistres of herself though
china fall" has long been chronicled
and quoted as the acme of house
wilely sci control; yet none the
less does it argue II still higher de-
gree of composure aud good breed
ing to b. mistress of ones self when
company arrives unexpectedly and
at inconvenient season, The model
housokeeper, perhaps, is never dis
concerted; she sleeps, so to speak,
with her back hair done up, and
never relapses into q wrapper. But
less exemplary women have occa-
sional moments of deshabille for
themselves and for their establish
ments. In such q moment, per-
haps, arrives their husbands aunt
from the country, who has no
echildren and whose own house is
always in order from garret to cell
lar. She has come, with bag and
baggage, to spend Il week. Calmly
disappearing, though silently, she
takes first impression, never af-
terward to be shaken; nothing will
ever persuade her that disorder is
not the normal state of the house
hold, order a sham worn for com.
pany, and henceforth she pities her
nephew as the husband of a totally
inefficient wife. The best of hus-
bands is apt to forget washing days
and Biddy's ebay out" and to
bring home with him friend to
"take pot luck" Especially is this
apt to be the case if the dinner has
been skimFed to meet the domestic
emergency. Like good wife, YOU.
my dear madam, have provided
some little dainty for your lord and
master, but being, like most wo-
men, destitute of the outrageous
hospitality which prompts a man
to ask half a dozen other men to
eat one and the same egg, you re-
member how small a portion that
same dainty is to divide between
two people. Possibly you may be
able hastily to add to your dinner,
possibly not; at all events the guest
is a fixed fact. Remember then
that true hospitality will not let
him perceive that his presence is
inconvenient, not to say unwelcome.
Do the best you can; giving him at
least welcome, and set what you
have before him, served as daintily
as may be, with a word, perhaps, of
explanation-but without profuse
apologies. Warm over the pie left
from Sundays dinner, and remem-
bering that good cup of coffee re-
| joiceth the heart of man, add that
to the repast. He-the guest
may, nay, probably will, take away
the impression that your washday
dinners are by no means sumptu.
GUS banquets; but lie will also re-
gard you as a pleasant and cordial
entertainer, while your husband
will have no cause for modification.
Colonel Sellers, pressing raw tur-
nips and cold water on his reluct-
ant guest, is an exaggerated type,
yet still u type of true hospitality.
No man would invite a guest to
dinner with the cupboard 30 bare;
yet Sellers is not a prudent man,
and, having invited him, he oould
only strive by cordiality to make mp
| foF all other deficiencies. An orlf-
nary woman would, we fear, in Mrs.
| Sellers place, have gone to bed with
headache, so that altogether the
two deserve to be ranked among
the heroes of hospitality.
Doubtless we are less hospitlble
chan were our iorefathers, aud this
is largely due to the increased ex-
pense which company entails. VS.
are not content to entertain simply,
nor is the guGst content with home
! ly fare and housing, sna so we do
not open our homes to outsiders
unless VIC can afford to be lavish,
Yet even where the will and means
90 together it is not eEeFg eHs who
knows bow TO make house \ plaee
to which persons shall like to come.
Dordsol;fv IL a eyraaf NaVf NJ fha co.