The Osceola times., 1888-02-25
PLAIN ENTERTAINING.
rne Kind Of Courage Which Needs Cuis'-
.atinn hx People of Moderate Means.

plomate ut W ashlngton, tDe rePhesent
ative of a power not of the first import
ance. expressed his regret to friend
that he could not give dinners, "be-
cause" he said. ''my Government 10
moor. and / can not afford It," The
conversation occurred at the profuse
and splendid table of rich and court
eous host. whose feast- were OF great
fame. and whose invitations were cre-
dentials of admission to the best So
ciety. A young diplomatic comrade
who sat by heard the remark, and
smiled as he said: my Government
is poorer than yours, and l am but
lately arrived. But what is diplomacy
without dinners2 and am going to
give one. 1t will not be like this, but
the splendor'is not an essential part OF
the feast | shall give plain and
cheap dinner, TO which l invite you
both"
His manner was gay. and his ifitits'
zion was gayly and gladly accepted be-
cause 80 vas one Of the delightful men
in Washington. bis colleague, how
ever who had spoken first, elirusged
his shoulders, and said that for his
part he couldn't do it; he couldn't ask
people to come to his house and eat
poor dinner. Not so fast" replied
his friend; II didn't say poor dinner
but a t,laip and cheap dinner. / hope
il will he good. nevertheless, although
there may be no baked carp or stewed
nIgh.ingales' tongues. But come and
see"
The young Minister 81 The small and
poor kingdom was one OF the most ac'
complshed men in Washington. He
was known to have corrected Justice
of the Supreme Court In regard to
decision Of Il United States Court in
Western State, and to have made the
correction in English, which was
foreign tongue to him, but In English
so exauisitely chosen and mbanely ex'
pressed that the Justice was probably
unconscious of the modification OF the
correction. The young Minister had
no IOOllSU. lDuu if-tifts. VI NV
ernment is poor, am poor, we are all
poor in my country he said, land ]
and my secretary work like day-labor-
ers here in Washington to acquire and
to report necessary information to my
Government" But nobody was more
sought; there was nobody whose com.
ing more surely brought pleasure
To any circle than that of the young
Ministef.
The day of the dinner came, and a
palmer and pleasanter dinner was
never known in Washington. Every
guest, from Secretary OF State and the
English Envoy to all their neighbors at
table, gave every week, indeed, repasts
much more magnificent. But the sim
pie dinner, admirably cooked and
served, without display Of table service,
without the carp and nightingales'
tongues. but with the enlivening and
inspiring charm of the host and the
welcome variety of plainness after the
luxurious cXtravagance and ostentation
| of the usual dinner. was so fresh and
delightful that the satisfaction and
pleasure were universal. and the skep-
teal colleague who had thought great
| cost essential to successful dinner
owned himself converted, and the next
month ventured upon similar feast
and with the same success
The courage of the young Minister
Is almost universally wanting in what
is called good society. II the socia
entertainment can not be as costly as
that of the household which is very
much richer, it must be abandoned
But in New York. rs in every grea
city, the most expensive and extrava-
giant feasts and balls are not the
pleasantest and obviously, if nobody
is to open his or her house who can no
dress as richly and offer as superb O
supper as the chief Dives or CrGsus in
town, society will be reduced to tn,
very lowest terms. The Easy Chair
would respectfully recommend to de
butantes and to their parents careful
course of reading in Thackeray'
Book of Snobs," and also an instruct
i've paper by the same social philoso.
pher upon "A Little Dinner at Tim
Minis" In his Early and Late Pa
pers" also there are most amusing
and valuable treatises upon dinners in
Paris.
Besides, if rich people entertain a
they please, why do not poorer people
entertain as they pleaseP Willyou re
fuse to ask your friends because yoi
can not serve ortolans upon Dresden
china and gold. or pour Schloss Johan
nisbcrger for all the boys in Venetian
glass, as your neighbor doesp To pu
a truth in homely way. you are n
good as he, if not as rich, and VIII,
should you permit him unconscious!
to bully you because he is richer thar
you' Mothers and fathers deplore tn
extravaganza, the late hours, OF so
ciety, the wanton dressing. the uttc
vanity and vexation, of the socia
trcad-mil Aud 10! little courage,
little spirit, little good sense in prac
tice upon the part of a very few sensi
bic persons, would relieve the press
ure.
The great multitude of young per
sons and their parents in society ar
not very rich. but they suffer them
selves to be dragged captive at tn
chariot wheels of great fortunes. Tim
Minis will not give a pleasant, reason
able dinner within his means; he mus
......l L.. tho la IL