The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-01-19
An Agreeable Guest.

ISusan A. Brown in st. Nicholas for January.l
The longest visit that we read of in
modern days was one which Mr.. Isaac
Watts made at Lord Abney's in the Isle
of Wight. He went to spend a fort.
night, but they made him SO happy that
he remained beloved and honored
guest for forty gears.
Few of us would care to make so long
a visit as that, but it might be worth
the while for us all to try and learn the
secret of making ourselves agreeable
and welcome guests. To have "a nice
time F." when visiting is delightful, but to
leave behind us pleasant impression is
worth great deal more. 4f
An agreeable guest is title which
any one may be proud to deserve. A
great many people, with the best inten.
tions and the kindest hearts, never re-
ceive it, simply because they have never
considered the subject, and really do not
know how to make their stay in an
other persons home pleasure instead of
an inconvenience. If you are one of
these thoughtless ones, you may be sure
that, although your friends are glad to
see you happy, and may enjoy your visit
VI ohoo aSSouAo, yOui uCPdi IuIc Will Dt
followed with sigh of relief, as the
family settle down to their usual occu-
pations, glad that the visit is over.
A great many different qualities and
habits go to make up the character of
one whom people are always glad to see,
and these last must be proved while we
are young, if we expect to wear them
gracefully. A young person whose
presence in the house is an incon-
venience and WEAKNESS at fifteen, is
seldom a welcome visitor in after-life.
The two most important characteris-
tics OF a guest are tact and observation,
and these will lead you to notice and do
just what will give pleasure to your
friends in their different opinions and
ways of living. Apply in its best sense
the maxim
When you are in Rome, do as the
Romans do" I,. ..fs 4 ..
Unless you have some good reason for
not doing SO, let your friends know the
day, and, if possible, the hour when
you expect to arrive. Surprises are
very well in their way, but there are
few households in which it is quite con-
venient to have friend drop in without
warning for protracted visit. If they
know that you are coming, they will
have the pleasure of preparing for you
and looking forward to your arrival, and
you will not feel that you are disturbing
any previous arrangements which they
have made for the day.
Let your friends know, if possible,
soon after you arrive, about how long
you mean to stay with them, as they
might not like to ask the question, and
would still find it convenient to know
whether your visit is to have duration
of three days or three weeks. Take
with you some work that you have al
ready begun, or some book that you are
reading, that you may be agreeably en-
ployed when your hostess is engaged
with her own affairs, and not be sitting
about idle, as if waiting to be enter
tanned, when her time is necessarily
taken up with something else. Make
her feel that, for small part at least of
every day, no one needs to have any re-
sponsibility about amusing you.
A lady who is charming as a guest
and as hostess once said to me: 81
never take nap in the afternoon when
| am at home, but do when am visit
ing, because know what relief it has
sometimes been to me to have company
lie down for little while, after dinner.b