The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-02-23
Long Calls.

Ii is not always wise to make rule
that no one is to be admitted during the
evening; ON tho contrary, guest may
be heartily welcomed, if it is known at
the outset that he has come in for a short
time; that he is cheerful, and friendly,
and amusing, and, in short, worth lis
tening to and entertaining. But the
illy-eoncealed gloom that settles down
upon one tired face after another, while
the clock strikes the succeeding half
hours, and each member of the family
in turn comes despairingly TO the rescue
of the faltering conversation, is a de-
plorable thing. We are responsible for
the state of our consciences, and if we
have allowed them 10 become so dali
that they do not give us the unmistaka-
BILE warning to go away, then we must
not fret ii we are warded of, dreaded,
and called bores. ! was delighted to
hear some one say, not long ago, that
she did not think she had any right to
spend two hours at a time with any
| friend, without o special invitation, SINCE
it could not fail to be an Interruption;
and it gave Joy to my heart that one
person so respected the rights of otherss
| Picture some one, who has assured him
self that he is not likely to find amuse-
ment under his own roof, setting forth
in search of a more agreeable place in
which to spend the evening. He hunts
from door to door; finding that one fam
lily has honestly paid its money and gone
to play another is dining out, the third
enjoying its invited guests, while ut the
fourth he is met at sight with the in
formation that the ladies are engaged.
| Perhaps at the fifth he gains an en-
| trance. One person rises hurriedly from
the sofa; another puts down her book
with sigh; another comes reluctantly
| from desk, where some not 8 and let
I ters must be written at some time during
that evening, and the stricken group re-
signs itself to the demands of friendship
and society. The master OF the house
returns presently TO his VEGA ion, with
a brave excuse. 1t may be e. ght O'Clock
when the guest comes; it may be nine,
and he may be kind-hearted and unob-
ectionable; he may even be profitable
and entertaining; but he stays until af-
ter ten everybody thinks that he never
means to go, and inwardly regrets his
presence. For half an hour he conlc
have e't sure of welcome; in Il at time
he certainly could have said and done
al that was worth do ng, and ave heer
asked to stay longer, or to come aga 1
soon, when he took leave. There is.nC
greater compliment and tribute 10 one'i
int gritty than to be fairly entreated t.
sit down for ten minutes longer o.
course we treat each other CIV lily in NJ
even ,ng visit but it is a great deal bit
ter to come away too soon than to. stny
too late. In a busy, oyerworked anC
overturned city life, nothing is % pre-
c.ous as a quiet even ng to one's self
or even Il part of one. We all wisl
- or ought to wish - to make life
pleasant for ourselves and other poo
pie, and are ready to be generous ever
with our time; but no one likes TO 10
plundered and dafrauded. IL is thc
underlying princ'pl of our neighbour
action and conduct towards MS which
makes us thankful or resentful when h'
comes to visit us.-AHdntie Monthiy.