St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-21
THE WESTERN GIRLS WAY.
How Afternoon Teas May be Made
Enjoyable Instead OF DesOiaTe.

NEW YORK, Feb. 1G.-Dear Grace: |
think l wrote you some time ago that the
newspapers and society men were making
no end OF fun of afternoon teas, which has
not succeeded in prejudieing ne against
them at all when they are properly con-
Quoted. j think il must be the word tea
written on the card that frightens the young
men. Punch" perhaps, would stimulate
their courage. But don't think for mo-
ment that the tea is enough 10 keep them
away. They abuse them, but they always
go-you couldn't fight them OF with a stick.
For my part, think an afternoon reception
has unlimited possibilities for enjoyment.
First. one can walk quietly ont of ones
street door, enter a coupe or walk to the
house OF entertainment, wearing ones Ordi-
nary street suit, 90 in and spend pleasant
hour, and come out again in time for dinner
and the theater, or whatever else one
chooses to do in the evening. 1t is true
that, like the society men, object to the
tea and chocolate being served. Ii takes
two or three girls 10 do this, who cannot
enjoy the music. conversation. etc, in the
drawing-rooms, and the details of putting
in cream and sugar, changing cups and
spoons, etc, entails endless
TROUBLE AND CONFUSION.
l will illustrate my meaning by telling
you of how have planned our reception,
which we give next week. In the first place,
L carefully avoided calling it an afternoon
tea, for find that the prejudice which at
taches to name often does not extend TO
the thing. Then, have invited great
artist, whether singer or actress will not
tell yOu-and have caused it TO be very well
understood that she is TO be here. / have
only invited enough persons to comfortably
fill our drawing-rOomS. Instead of the
sloppy tea which mamma wanted, l veered
this time to the champagne punch which
papa recommends. There is TO be no tea
table, but in the dining-rOOm / shall have
the table set. Twill have delicious chicken
salad, picked oysters, crOquettes, and a
block of bOned turkey. You will call that
eXtravagant. perhaps, but it is not bit
more SO than the conserved fruits. iellieS.
ices, etc, which other people have. and
then my selection is twice as good. Then
the punch. Perhaps you will think il dam
gerOus, but / am not afraid. If man
takes too much he can never daTl1en our
doors again or enjoy any more than the
most distant acquaintance with Us. and |
think have made the young fellows /
know understand this. / look upon mans
taking too much punch as
A BREACH OF HOSPITALITY
and an insult to the lady of the house. But
/ have kept the best for the laSt-the deco
ration of the rooms and the table. 1t has
always surprised me that the happy me
dunn between the plainness of the after
noon reception and the gorgeOusneSs of the
z o'clock dinner was not attained. but IL
doesn't seem 10 have been. l shall have
pink shades on the lamps and chandeliers,
throwing a kind of rOseate glow over the
rooms aud blending with the light OF the
wood fire. In tall, branched candelabrum
on a stand near the entrance l shall have
pink candles. The mantels will be banked
in pink aZaleas-effective and inexpensive.
On the large table in the dining-rOOm will
be spread cloth of the finest satin damask.
Down the middle will be a strip Of pink
satin covered with white lace. In the CEN
ter Of this will be another branehed candel-
abrum with pink candles, and it will rise
from round, fiat bank of the pink azaleas
-Four fiat baskets of azaleas will be at the
four corners, and more pink candles in brass
candlesticks Will be grouped near the middlei
of the table. Pink aZaleas will border the
strip of pink satin. The azaleas border will
be pinned to the cloth, and 50 will the bas-
kets of aZaleas TO keep them from being
knocked over
IN THE sCRSfMAGE.
The candles and candelabra will be
massed in the center. so as 10 keep them out
of harms way. If they are knocked over,