The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-08

and when ] asked the breakfast hour,
was told not 10 permit myself to be dis
turbed in the morning, bnt to breakfast
when 1 liked, my host add ag: II think
1t very bad manners, y'know, to disturb
a guest in the mornings" However, J
was In time to Join the gentleman and
his eldest daughter at breakfast about
$50.
During my visit there was formal,
and sometimes rather large, dining par
ty each evening, and the dinner itself
routine sort. All English dinners are
much alike, always Of athoroughlygood,
but always a bit heavy. Give the four
seasons of the year, any one always
knows what one Is going to lave when
invited out to dinner. l have been to
four dinner parties in the week, and
had pretty nearly the came dinner each
time. Were it not a good dinner. and
always perfectly served, one would get
very tired of it. ~Speakingof dinner com
panies: l was Immensely amused one
evening when, coming in from a drive,
said to the butler: Head, who is to
be at dinner this EVENING", when, with
exceedire pomposity, Head replied:
"Nobody of Importance. sir" Howev-
er there were two officers of the army
at dinner, and they thoughtno doubt,
they we're Of considerable importance.
However. blu lers in, great families i'll
England are themselves most itnpor-
tant personages, and disdain TO consider
untitled people ofany consequence, eS-
cept they be fore gneis. wAlic i happened
to be my Claim to consideration.
Each day was planned and arranged
Tor. The saddle horses were at the SER
vlce9otithe guests till or AFTER luncheon,
and the carriages for s;rhs aR caos to
drive. One was left to ones self for the
entire day, unless one chose to join !,
riding or driving party. The whole
house-dining room, library and private
room--was ut ones use Tor tine day, the
drawing room and billiard room Tor the
evening.
Customs differ in different families as
to the precise way and order of keeping
Christmas and Christmas day. In
this family on Christmas eve shere WAS
the Christmas tree-rather a German
than an Engiish custom. SINE n or
two nlemberso of the neutrality-suspicious. the
two eldest daughters-decoYate the r
and hang it Nth the various presents
for the different members of the family,
servants and the guests. 1t is not con-
sidered good form" for the guests to
give presents, to the hosts and family at
this time, but perhaps to send a remem.
brance in some simple way afterward.
There was the oyster supper after the
dinner. and about 10 o'clock we were all
taken into large, sitting
or living room, where the servants were
already ga,hered-just 10 in number
and where the tree, about Is feet high,
was all a blaze of light and color. The
presents were mostly OF a very simple
and rather inexpensive kind, consisting
OF pretty editions OF books, albums for
family and CUES 8, and articles of wear
ing apparel and iineries for the ser
wants. Each article was marked with
The name OF. the person for whom in
tended and by whom gwen. /
On Christmas morning the family as.
sembled for prayer, and the guests on
this occasion joinet the family, and af-
tefward all drove or walked to the par.
ish church for service at IL, O'clock. 1t
IS expected on such festivals that the
lord OF the manor and his family VIII be
present at divine worship. So the days
and he W .eks passed all too quickly. l
have often since been in country houses,
and have zen the guest of great town
houses, hut | have told yon the ste ~ of
a Christmas time in a family now broken
up and scattered, My host has joined
Hthe great majority. 1 have one less
friend on his side, and one more
precious II that side. s2i