The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-07-13
Hosts and HOstesses.


To most men the duty of entertaining
friends aud aequaintances in their own
houses is an ordeal preceded by dread and
accompanied by annoyance of no slight
kind. Men at their clubs can, by dint of
"a good dinner and good wines, both enjoy
themselves and confer enjoyment without
much trouble and without risk of failure
But it becomes different consideration
when man has to turn his house topsy-
turvy at regular intervals for the benefit
Of his i'circle, and finds his rooms thronged
with faces that he hardly knows aud does
not much care to know. Fortunately for
mankind the chief part of such social bur
den is willingly borne by the hostess. IF
it were left to the husband there would be
few such gatherings. But the wife argues
that the husband must not think of him
self only; he must return eiyilities that he
1 ha.s a.i.as.slf received, if from no higher
motive, in order to secure future invita-
tions, and the girls must have a chance as
well as their neighbors. To most ladies
the selections of who shall and who shall
not be asked, the writing Of the requisite
notes, and the hustle and excitement Of
preparation have strong fascination. But,
willing and eager as ladies are to under
take the part of hostess, there is an art in
making such social gatherings "go Off
successfully by no means common to either
sex, and which not even long experience
in such matters can insure. 'a
The first duty Of a hostess ought to be to
see that her guests emixr She knows, or
ought to know, something of the tastes,
likings, and sympathies of her guests as
well as their autecedents. This, it may
be said, is absolutely impossible. consider
ing the mammoth proportions of fashion
able evening parties. But in party of
moderate dimensions, where it is the in
tention that there shall be intelligent hu-
man converse, hostess worthy of the
name will at once, By instinct, know who
win match with whom, and what is most
likely to interest this, that, and the other;
and will make it a rule that gentlemen
shall not all "clump" sheepishly together
to discuss subjects, without giving ladies
an opportunity of joining in the converse
ton. A nervous hostess forgets to intro
dnce her guests to each other, and, as our
countrymen have hardly yet learned to
enter into conversation. evenina. drawing
room, without sOmsintrOduetiOu, there is
danger that they may stand the greater
part of an evening blankly staring at each
other without utteranee 1t is by no
means easy, as most people know who.ar
not masters in the art of srnall-thlS, 10 en-
gage in conversation with another to whose
history or predictions there is not the
smallest elae. i'i. F-ft5Ft
Perhaps the mistake 4 hostess is most
apt to falliato when her company is large
andshe has giving up the resource. of
dancing, IS 10 oyerao the ;amusemeuts; in
her eagerncss that all shall be entertained,
there is danger that all win be bored. She
Is apt to imagine that if she provides one
group with portfolio of water-colors or
photographs, if she engages another in dis
cussing drawerful of shells or coins, that
the end of their coming together is an
swered; and failing in these, she falls back
upon some game, the suggestion Of which
brings on yawning fit and longing for
the hour when the carriage has been or
dered. Private theatricals or a charade
on such occasions are pretty certain to
keep the actors amused; and il the perform
anee does not serve to cause a smile to
light up the face of the audience, it, at
any rate, forms a text for cynical, If not
complimentary, remarks between the acts.
1t is the inanity of conversation arising
partly from naauraise honte, and the alb
surd habit of waiting for formal introduc-
tions before free and unrestained talk is
set afoat, that make the people, whose
presence might be most welcome at such
gatherings, either refuse point blank to go,
or 90 with sense of being martyrs to the
nsages of society, and painful conscious,
ess of useful hours fFittered away, A
nl hostess can do much to make her
b. popular rendezvous for men whose
soc y is most worth having. Without
dwell ng upon DIR. Johnson's characteristic
dictum as to the necessity of providing
faultless cuisine on such occasions Ga sup
per infallibly loosens the most languid
tongues, sharpens the dullest brain, and
may send the majority Of guests to their
homes satisfied they have spent an agree
able evening it must be selfevident that
to sit sternly silent for long evening,
listening to Indifferent music, or to the
feeble joOularity of an eKtemporiEed char
ade, cannot in the long run be oxhilarat-
ing or beneficial to any human being.
YEAST FROM GRAPE LEAvEs.-It has
been discovered that grape leaves make
yeast in some respects superior to hops, as
the bread rises sooner and has not the pc