Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-09-22
Dinner-Giving-

As a general rule, we believe that an ap-
preaching dinner party is more agreeable
TO the hostess than to the host. To a
woman there is something pleasant in the
fuss which precedes her entertainments
She is mistress of the occasion, and her
orders are implicitly obeyed. with a man
il is different. What amuses his wife fid-
gets him he is restless and uneasy
When he goes TO his study for quiet hour
before dressing, he finds il has been taken
possession of by his wife's maid, and con
verted into temporary ladies cloak-roOm.
On the very altar stone OF his sanctum,
right in the center of his writing. table,
stands looking glass. His precious hand
books and dictionaries, his papers. note
books, ct cetera, are profanely piled in g
corner of the room. Finding his study
desecrated, he wanders about the house q
burden both to himself and TO Others. He
is in a fidget because his wife has not yet
returned from her drive, and he fears she
may be late for dressing. He is himself
dressed far too soon, and finds nothing to
do in the drawing-room, which is all pre-
pared in state fer the reception of guests.
he employs himself in opening and shut
ting windows, regulating lamps, and very
possibly upsetting 8 flOwer-vase. As the
party arrives he begins to talk with each
person. but he is too pre-occupied with the
grouping of his couples for dinner to be
able to give his mind to any contil Gus con-
versation. Somebody has not arrived, and
keeps nervously loOkInging at his watch
When all has come ne snyly walks from
70 Ear with If
led paper in his hand, at which he casts
sheepish glances, and tells them, in mys-
terious whisper, whom they are to take in
to dinnel, with the air OF a man who is
doing something of which he Is ashamed.
Arrived in the lining room, instead of
quietly directing his guests to their allotted
seats he orders them to their places like a
sergeant major, a1d after making an apo
logetic grace he sits down. Once seated at
the table there is not much left for the host
and hostess to do. They may try to at
tract the attention of the butler and ask
him to open the windows wider; but, If
things go badly, all they can do is to look
on grimly. 1t might often be well If hosts
and hostesses were to endeavor to make
themselves more agreeable at their own
tdults. Dul, u, u luic, pcOplC al plc1o1utCi
companions III the houses Of others than in
their own. At their own entertainments
they are apt to be too much pre-occupled
TO be able to give their whole minds to any
subject which may be mooted. They are
freuing because the soup is cold, or becau &c
an entree is over-fiavored. they are in
agonIes at a long pause which occurs be-
tween the courses; they are observing that
a coupe at the oihe end Of the table are
not talking to each other; or they perceive
that the best judge of wine at the table Is
drinking light claret, instead of the best
champagne which has been produced for
his special qualification. We lately saw a
hostess much perturbed in spirit. She had
provided the best of meats and drinks; but
some of the guests failed to do justice 10
them. One gentleman had taken up total
abstinence; and instead OF enjoying the
excellent wines, he lcctdred upon the sub
ject of his favorite hobby. 1t happened TO
be Friday, and two of the other guests
who were Roman Catholics, touched neither
soups, entrees, JOINT nor jellieS, to the great
sOrrow of their hostess WIN did not per-
ceive that they made capital dinners on tiSh,
vegetables, sweets and wine.