Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-02
a Barto Social Evenings.
Louise Stockton in the Century. I


Louise Stockton in the Century.1,
Has there ever been a time when-at
least outside of our cities-it was not con-
sidered an essential of hospitality to offer
food to guest? 1t is the savage instinct
of hospitality, and civilized nations have
pampered it into an imperious custom.
Among savages it is well enough. These
Hvers from hand-to- MOUTH are often
half famished; and naturally, 'after the
famine, the feast" There is no expense.
and the trouble is not to be considered.
Hunting game is only sport to the men,
and the simple manner of living
gives the women of tribe very little else
to do or think of besides
manual labor and preparing food; the
children take care of themselves. In warm
countries they do not even have to be pre-
pared with clothing, and in colder ATTITUDES
their garments are of the simplest kind.
But where women have TO make a great
variety of under and over garments, with
seams and gussets and bands, ruffles and
pockets, button-holes innumerable, thin
summer wear, and thick winter wear for
two, three or four children, who are all the
time growing out of said clothing, with no
seamstress, probably. and only one servant
to do the homework, it will be readily un-
derstood that the company entertainment
is the straw that often breaks the house
keepers back. The expense of a sim
pie refreshment is the smallest part to
consider when parties wish to have their
friends come in often to spend a social
evening. 1t is the care and extra work
which make it impossible for the average
family to entertain guests, as its members
would like. How often it prevents the in
formal sending to the neighbors to ''come
this evening, and have a dance,' or to
come and help Us at charades." It has
broken up many a ''sociable' and given
the death blow to the good fellowship of
whole neighborhood, filled with pleasant
people who would have enjoyed one an
other very much and would have done one
another world of good.
1t is trouble TO both mistress and maid
to supplement sill their various Iabors with
the frequent preparation of even such a
simple entertainment. as sandwiches, coffee
and cakes. An extra amount of bread must
be mixed, twice moulded and properly
baked. A ham must be prepared and
boiled and nicely cut into thin slices, a
process that requires some skill and good
deal of time. The coffee must be roasted.
ground and prepared with nervous nicely
shat is somewhat wearing. The materials
| for the cakes must be collected
from storereoms and closets; and
what a time of anxiety is until
the cakes come out of the oven.
And then, though they look all right
there is the possibility that in cutting ou1
loaves, with the eyes of our guests upon US,
we may find them streaked with dark lines
But even this is not all, Perhaps the most
arduous part, and decidedly the most dis
agreeable, is the cleaning up after the
cooking and after the guests.
When we give large parties much more
than this is cheerfully borne; for the
thought and the labor begins a long
time before the event, and usually extra
help is hired. But we are not now
considering large parties. We want to
meet our friends frequently. We would
not eat after our supper Tor dinner) if We
had remained at home. Why should We
find it necessary when we go out? If we
drop in" at a friends house for an even
ing we do not expect or think of it. But
! if this same friend asks US to come TO heal
some music, or to leok at some new en-
cravings, or to do anything whatever, we
look for something to eat in the progress
of the evening. 'She invited u.s." we say
and of course there will be refreshments
OF some kind" Why "of course?" We
don't need them-often we would prefer
to do without them-and certainly we
| should be clearer in our minds in the morn.
| ing if we were to do without them. Still
the senseless custom goes on.
The surprise parties of few years ago
which were so mercilessly condemned
arose out of genuine feeling of friendli
ness, due to the gregarious habits of man
kind. After a day of homework, sewing
and 'bother;'' after the Office hours are
over, when the little folks are in the land
of dreams, while Bridget or Dinah is quie
in the kitchen, with sewing, or visitor, 6
yearning arises in our souls for some sort
OF recreation. And there is need of it, too
But the surprise parties were mistake
| for the same reason that we hesitate to &C
cept the general invitation. 'Cone and
| spend an evening with US some timer We
do not go, because the very evening we fl
upon may be the most inconvenient one OF
the whole season to our hosts. But we're il
not for those bugbears, Sandwiches ane
Coffee" or ''oyster and ice cream instead
of this vague unmeaning phrase, one
| might give the specific invitation: "Comt
this evening, or next Wednesday EVENING"
for they would have nothing to think of il
the meantime In relation to the visit but
the pleasure of their friends society.