Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-18
Guest and Hostess.

In some cases the hostess can furnish a
pleasanter and more comfortable home to
her guest than that guest can command
elsewhere; in some cases less comfortable
home. But in case the hostess may Justly
feel that whatever guest accepts her hospi.
tality is bound to be content while accept
ing it, with the best her hostess can do for
her, and not only content but grateful
else the guest should change her quarters.
There are many annoyances in country
homes which city people do not have and
which country people cannot well avoid.
These annoyances, when inevitable, must
be patiently borne and not made by guests
an occasion of chagrin to their entertainers.
In cities there are plenty of annoyances
which country people know nothing about,
but which they must patiently submit to so
long as they are guests at city houses.
Every family has its own peculiar regime,
and guests have no more right to meddle
with this than citizens of this country have
to meddle with the customs and laws of a
European country. In family where, for
instance, the Sabbath is rigidly kept after
Puritan standards, the guest should conform,
outwardly at least, to the rule of the family,
and equal concession should be made by
the family to the right of the guest to hold
his own opinions undisturbed. When there
are an abundance of servants in the family
and the presence of guests does not impose
additional manual labor upon the hostess,
guests are not expected to share in the
labors of the household. But where their
presence does materially increase the toll of
the hostess, they may with her consent, and
often very gratefully to her. take care of their
own rooms and help in those lighter domes-
tic tasks which occupy time and consume
strength, such as cleaning away tables,
wiping dishes, sweeping aud busting, and
similar work. No guest demeans herself by
thus tightening the labors she imposes, even
though at home she does absolutely nothing
OF the kind. II the guest has any accom-
plishment which may contribute to the
pleasure Of the family where she is staying
she will of course exercise that accomplish
ment. City people can tell their country
cousins how TO make a great many pretty
things for the decoration of their homes,
can instruct them in many arts and direct
them in many ways how to improve in per-
sonal aud social matters. This instruction
will be impaired, of course, only TO those
who desire it and then in the most delicate
manner and with no affectation of superior
ity on the part of the instructor The guest
is not under obligation to weary herself in
her efforts to be entertaining to her hostess,
any more than the hostess is under recipro-
cal obligation. We have known instances
where guests have been invited purely be.
cause they made themselves useful aud
where they have been SO heavily taxed that
their visit was very little pleasure or rest to
them. The golden rule carefully studied
will serve very we'll as a guide in all these
matters, and those who are really anxious
10 do in all things as they would be done by
will not be likely to offend, whether they
occupy the place of host or guest.--NsW
York Tribune.