The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-08
PREPARING ROOMS FOR A RECEP.
TION


1t is seldom necessary, as so man
people seem to think, to begin prepara
tions by making a barren wiIdness o
otherwise cheerful aud pleasant rooms
In the first place, if there is TO he NJ
dancing, the white floor cloth is quit,
needless, and thereby one most insight
ly feature may be dispensed with. Le
care of rugs and carpets be put aside fol
the time; they will not suffer seriously
at worst, If this be impossible. let not
that woman entertain, for unless she
has soul which can soar above such
worries, it has never reached the heights
of hospitality.
No more furniture should he removed
from the room than is essential to free
movement among the guests, and if any
must go, let it be that which will cause
the least changes in appearance. Let no
books, papers, magazines or briC-a-brac
be taken away which may be OF interest,
rather let such be gathered togt ther
from other parts of the house, that they
may serve to furnish topics of CONVEX
sitlon, which will greatly all the host
ess in her duties of entertaining. Let
books then be spread about upon the
tables, portfolios. too. of engravinvs ar
etchings, If the hostess be fortunate in
thelr, possess on; plac tray of photo
graphs of scene y on one stand. one of
portraits on another Che latter much
more easily arranged than it in an al
bum) One wise woman | know cuts
from the London Punch. American Lifp
and such papers; the excellent woodcuts
for which they are famous. and large
coll ion of these is always to be found
in her charming parlor proving OF much
interest and provoking many hearty
laugh
The decoration of the rooms should be
simple, but effective. Greenhouse flow
era. beautiful as they are in Themselves.
are not useful in the adorpmeut of A
parlnr, unless used in great masses. If
near d ilOrst,lt Is better to choose shOwy
p!ants-as the different palms, rubber
trees, and large ferns-or, indeed any
with large, strong foliage. Geraniums
are usually the best of the blossoming
plants for the purpose as they are shOwV
and mass finely. A poinsetiia also viii
add brlillancy here and there to a mass
OF green tulips and daiTodils in season
are beautiful, but nothing is more salts
factory than the green, Groups of these
in different parts of the rooms, IN the
open hreplaces, over the bookcases or
on the mantels, are fer more effective
than any number of strings of smilax
dotted here and there with carnations
or than loose rOsebuds placed upon beds
OF moss or IN slender vases, neither will
the expense of the first plan be so great.
If, however, either display be bevond
the means of the hostess. there are still
left to her the treasures Of the woods
and fields, which at anv time of the
year may be found by those who seek,
Small pine trees, with the delicate blue
bloom on their soft plumes. grouped in
corners or window recess. with the
means of fastening hidden bv some
piece OF furniture, is beautiful, Any of
the evergreen trees may be used in the
same way, and serve the purpose par
.lcularly well where large spaces are to
be hlled or broken, In this way | have
seen small room, almost closet, lead
ing from a dining room. turned into a
a charming conservatory, one or two
colored lights making it really lovely. !
Branches of The trees may be placed
upon and against the walls back of the
and funm a soft background
for few hlossoming plants or ferns.
drawn, perhaps, from the hOste.s' own
stock.