The morning call., 1890-06-16
GIFTS FOR GUESTS.
A Practice That Has Gained
Favor in Society.
Dainty and Acceptable Little Articles That
Are Attached to Menu
Cards.

II don't know what society is coming tO,"
said lady whose entertainments are
among the social events of the season.
but has it ever struck you how mercenary
we are becoming in our very pleasures"
II don't know that | catch your mean
ing" responded the one whom she ad-
dressed. and who is one Of THE CALLS
staff Of special writers.
Let me explain, them" responded she.
ut often has been said that our young men
are very remiss in the performance Of their
society duties; that they don't make their
calls, and as for acknowledging an ordi-
nary invitation, they never think of it; of
course that is a sweeping assertion, but at
the same time l have known young men,
members of the first society, who have al
lowed dinner call to go beyond the proper
limits for its performance, and, not to put
too fine a point of it, they have to use the
old phrase, like the beggars, eaten and
ram with never backward glance toward
their hostess. by call or any other ac
acknowledgement.
Now. as everybody knows there can be
nothing that is greater breach of good
DreedinE than to neglect dinner courtesy,
IN any way, shape or manner. The fault
cannot be in the hostess, it is in the aver
age young man of the present day; he sim
be courteous and polite in little things; and
so when II comes to something of real i'm
portance, because of the negligent habits
into which he has fallen, he makes what he
himself would call bad break More
than one lady Of my acquaintance has
spoken with me upon the trouble it is to
secure enough dancing men as partners at
their dances. But fear that | have wan
dered from my subject [ started in tC tell
you how the present state of society fosters
mercenary motives. To be brief, l mean
the giving OF prizes or presents to the
guests. 10 my mind it savors good deal
OF the prize chrome business, and | do not
like it.
But if it's a progressive euchre party
there must be prizes, the more the better,
the costller the more acceptable. People
expect II, and are disappointed If none are
provided. 1t seems to me that all this is
introducing an undesirable elementintO our
social gatherings. | refer to the zest Tor
gambling which it must necessarily foster
But there, you needn't look alarmed, don't
mean TO branch off into lecture upon the
green table. Only / must confess that it is
not pleasant sight for me 10 see ladies so
engroSSed In their game that they frOwn
down an attempt at conversation, and look
upon all their neighborS as just so many
chances that stand between them and the
prizes.
-" But at the same time | suppose we must
conform to present usage. The end is not
lar 20 seek. 1t will not be SO very long be-
lore people OF moderate means viii not be
able to entertain, simply because they can
not compete with their richer associates in
the matter of giving gifts to their guests.
The truth Is, we Americans are somewhat
fond OF ostentation, and nothing delights
US more than TO throw open our houses TO a
crowd of friends and acQuaintances, dazzle
them with the evidences of our wealth, and
SEND them home again with the conviction
that we have entertained them better than
they could entertain us.
But since we must give prizes. there are
any number of dainty and acceptable little
articles that could be placed among the list,
anu without being cheap, in the sense of
undesirable, they are low enough in price
TO be bought in such numbers as to send the
guests away as children leave Christmas
tree party, with something for every one.
This idea is especially adapted for dinner
parties. Some bostesseS, instead of spend
ing small fortune upon the floral decora-
tons OF the table, which, by the way, strike
me as being carried TO great excess now
adays, or in corsage bouquets with expens-
i've ribbons, prefer to attach a small piece
OF jewelry to the menu cards. For both
gentlemen and ladies the 'jab pins are pop
ular."
What are 'jab pins?' questioned her
listener.
perhaps you do not recognize them by
that name. Well, they are scarf pins for
SeHlltIleH anu lace OF DOUuGJ pms 1OT Ia
dies. VI course you can readily see from
what variety of styles purchaser may
select dozen OF two as gifts. Then there
are the book-marks and paper-cutters COM
blned, IN silver plain or oXidiZed. These
designs are very unique; scrolls, armOrial
bearings and fancy designs are all in the
list. For Freemas0n nothing could be
more appropriate than tiny silver trowel.
In the center of the blade triangle is cut
so as to raise and form the clip that is to
hold the leaves when the device is acting as
a bOok-mark.
Another device that's very cute is the tiny
pencil-case. This appears as parlor-match,
a horseshoe or tenpenny nail. Even q
ScTew-llead is used as disguise Sometimes
a hostess, who wishes TO devise a curious
diversion, will have some of these fances
baked in a cake and discovered by the for
tunate possessors of the lucky slices. Then
there are host of other things. A tiny sill
yer case for c0urt-plaster, a fan pin-cushion,
not an inch long, a stamp-boX, in design
like l-bag or square envelope. ivory
tablets, With silver outer leaves, and tiny
pendant purses of linked silver, Just the
size of nickel in circumference, designed
as q car-fare holder, swinging cycle, in
tended to be worn on the wrist as a rest for
ball OF worsted or ball of yarn while n
lady Is working with the magic crochet
hook or knitting-needles. Last of all are
the chippy boxes Now you never would
Imagine what they are, so | will tell you at
once without keeping you on the rack.
They are simply gum-boXes. That lets you
into another secret. Did you know that
ever so many of my sax are addicted to the
habit? L VIII not say anything about
it further than that it has become so
recognized habit as TO call for dainty
little silver, gold-lined box to hold the wad
of gum when for any reason the chewer
desires TO abandon the 'Quid' for mo-
men..
'.But, you see. if any one wants to give
presents there are plenty Of presents that
one can give"