The Columbus journal., 1882-05-31
WHAT Is HOSPITAE1TY2
BEFORE THE PARTY.


"There, | believe old Mrs Peck ham S
name completes the number! William.
nv dear, will YOU please listen to this
list of invitations, and see if l have
omitted any one to whom we are in
debted?" The poor father-of-the-fami-
", thus addressed, meekly laid by his
spectacles and paper. and prepared to
submit TO the inevitable.
1t was 4 way Mrs. Barnes had of PLAN
ming with her daughter Alice some eX-
rensive indulgence, and, when too late
TO be recalled, springing the subject up
on her husband in an easy, matter-of-
course way, which left him no alterna-
tive but half unwilling consent.
why, you see, my DEAR" she went
on, in answer to his questions of sur
prise, 'we haven't had a large company
in over year, and we are really under
obligations TO all these people fifty
eight make in all"
Il do detest large companies" began
Mr. Barnes.
I'm sure YOU cannot dread this thing
any more than do" put in Mrs. b.,
land all the work and care to come up
on me, too: but it is not 50 bad rs a
number OF small gatherings, just As it is
better to have several doomed teeth all
extracted at once, rather than to keep
dreading them"
What would these people say if they
knew mother compared their entertain
ment TO pulling teethr' from Alice,
in an aside to brother Fred; but. that
young gentleman, who had been to col
legc, assured her that lit was the way
with the world; they all felt just So"
We'll, we must at least study SIM
plicity in our arrangements and that
will ease both your labor : my pock-
et-book," said Mir. Barnes.
Sure enough, let's institute a new
departure, rs Julia DOrr did in Rut-
land" asSented Fred. 'She Just had
dainty bit of cream and fruit, or some
thing, and lots of fellows went home
hungry. not relishing the feast of rea-
son and flow of soul-'''
That is very well for literary people,
whose houses are full of objects of tn
terest," said his mother-..And who
have other ways of entertaining peO-
pie than through their stomachs,"
whispered naughty Alice" but we
must have an elegant supper, or we will
give up the party. OF course we must
have oysters and several cold meats.
besides ices, ice-cream, fruits, coffee
and chocolate. We will pinch some
where else II make up; leave that to
me, William" And the lady went on
complacently reading her list. "Dr.
and Mrs. Rollins; you recollect we
were invited to their daughters we'd
ding
Both which obligations cost us a
pretty little sum for presents to people
we don't care thing about" said Mr.
Barnes, bitterly. MARY, if YOU ever
hear me say word about our having a
mesGL wedding, know at once that | am
either crazy or in my dotage. When We
get so low rs to invite people to give us
presents, | Will 90 round with sub
scription paper, but | will never get up
the modern farce of silver or golden
wedding"
Then here are the Livingstones.
pursued the lady, "whO have Just come
to town, but real quality people, whom
it is best to place under obligations to
US; and Squire Harding"-
"Who invited me to his breakfast, be-
cause he wanted my Vote" put i'm pater-
familias, unpleasantly. But it's all
right, my dear, all right. suppose,
only one cannot help wondering what
the Savior meant, when he said: When
thou makest n dinner or supper, call
not thy friends nor thy brethren, neither
thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbors, lest
they also bid thee again, and recon-
penSe be made thee"
Probably that will all be changed in
the new translation" said Alice, who
was disposed to be 4 bit cynical, like her
father, and to see through the veneer
ing of society shams.
Let us pass lightly over the dreadful
days of preparation; the turning up
side-down of the house from top TO bot
tom, the polishing of silver. the importa-
ton of crockery and extra help ('), and
the endless cooking, cooking. for the
Barnes family could not afford to order
their supper from the local Delmonico's.
So the younger children stoned raisins
ard beat eggs, and enjoyed immensely
the confusion and general air of some
thing coming; and the family subsisted
upon outside slices ofroaStS, unfortunate
biscuits and test pieces of cake. Some
things went wrong, of course, and had
to be done over, and there was hurry
and terrible anxiety for Mrs. Barnes,
who. am sorry to say. lost her temper
several times, and developed unknown
powers of scolding. But everything
was whisked into line at the very last
moment, and the poor lady with rack
ing headache was trying to get dressed
x.-hn
nounced the frs. carriage.
How dreadfully early some people
do come. Here, Alice, help me on with
this lace quick; hoped to have a mo-
ment TO breathe"
Mamma, these new boots hurt me
a,cftiy," groaned little May, an uu-
comfortable child, who had not vet
learned the ways of the world. Il
would rather wear nv old ones"
mo. no, never mind if they do hurt
a little, they are lovely, SO slim and
high, and such a perfect match for Your
dress" And so the poor child stood in
simple misery all the evening, taking
her first lesson in the ways of the world.
AT THE PARTY.
Good evening, my dear Mrs. Rollins
how kind of you 10 come early; we shall
nave time for real little visit before
there are other arrivals"
Mrs. Barnes had headache perhaps
Size had forgotten what she said upstairs.
But why describe the usual routine OF
hollow compliment, of pretty nothings.
oi flattest platitudes, which make up
the conversation of such gathering
Of course, the guests discussed the
flowers. the few pictures, the music the
supper, each others dresses and the
minister. ., much enduring Clergy,
what would society do without YOU. and
tie weather.