The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-01-10
An Agreeable Guest.

modern days was one which DIR. Isaac
Watts made at Lord Abney's, in the
Isle of Wight. He went to spend a
fortnight, but they made him so happy
that he remained a beloved and hon
ored 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'' when visiting is delightful, but
to leave behind us a pleasant impress
sion is worth a great deal more.
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 real
ly do not know how to make their stay
in another persons home a pleasure
instead Of an Inconvenience. If you
are one of these theughtless ones, you
may be sure that, although your friends
are glad to see you happy, and may en-
JOY your visit on that account, your de-
parture will be followed with a sigh of
relief, as the family settle down to their
usual occupations, glad that the visit is
over.
A great many different qualities and
habits 60 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
x,,loco +ba l,o,,,,
convenience and a WEAKNESS at fifteen,
is seldom a welcome visitor in after
life.
The two most important character
istic3 Of a guest are tact and observa-
ton, 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.''
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 arc
few households in which it is quite con-
vcnient to have friend drop in with.
out warning for a protracted visit. II
they know that you are coming, they
will have the pleasure of preparing fol
you and looking forward to your arri-
val, 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
already begun, or some book that you
are reading, that you may be agreeably
employed 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 a small part at least OF
every day, no one needs to have any
responsibility about amusing you.
A lady who is charming as a guest
and as a hostess once said to me: 81
never take a nap in the afternoon when
| am at home, but I do when l am Wis.
iting, because know what relief il
has sometimes been to me to have com.
pany lie down for little while, after
dinner. Susan A. Broom, in ST.
Nicholas for January.
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