Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-07-31
ON ENTERTAINING.


H0@E@a8 PUBLICATIONS
OF GueRta.
Hospitality should be, like the quail
ity of mercy. thrice blessed. 1t ought
to be as much of pleasure to entertain
rs it III to be entertained-when it is q
pleasure. There are houses which peo-
Ile instinctively avoid. There are
others where every body likes to go.
The magnilcence of their furnishings,
the richness of the fare, have nOUhing to
do with the enjoyment which the enter
tainers give their fortunate guests.
1t frequently happens that the food is
of the plainest, that the furniture is of
the simplest, but there are comfort,
order, sweet cleanliness, and, above all,
genuine, though not obtrusive welcome.
Cleanliness and convenience are essen
tial to the happiness of all well-ordered
beings. A fuzzy, stuffy bed-chamher,
unaired sheets. an empty match case, an
empty water pitcher, dried-up ink
stand and a rusty pen will put damper
upon the good intentions of the most
amiably-disposed guest.
All these details are remembered by
the hostess who knows how to entertain
and she is blessed and remembered and
held up to other women as shining
example. A cheerful expression in the
guest room emphasizes the good will of
the entertainer, and this may be in soft
and harmonious coloring, walls and car
pets and hangingS being in keeping
There is nothing friendlier than com
Portable lounge, unless it be a comforta-
BILE armchair, and if there are half
dozen interesting books the wakeful
guest may smile at insomnia, and be
wholly unconscious that breakfast is
late. Dismal things should be religi-
ously excluded from the spare room;
hair wreaths, and framed certificates
| and lachrymose madonnas. An excel
lent New England clergyman recalls
with q Shudder to this day horrible
room to which he was assigned where
| the silver coffin-plates of dead and gone
| scions of the house stood in q row on the
| mantel. They had been removed by the
| provident survivors and were there pre-
| served, to the torment of those who So
| journed under their roof.
The house where one does not like to
| go, as was intimated, may be luxuri-
ously furnished and bristled with i'm
| provements. Who does not know it?
The dark, damp parlor where the blinds
are never drawn; where the chairs and
tables are put primly in their places
| and stay there; where the family walk
on tiptoe and speak in whispers; where
the doctrine of everlasting condemna-
ton is firmly held and has cast its
shadow over every thing.
One cause of apparent GOODNESS and
formality is, frequently, self-conscious-
ness-too great anxiety lest this or that
may not be quite right. If accidents
happen, as they will and must in every
house, the only way to get over it is not
to care. Apologies do not help the
matter, and little blundcr or misshar
good-naturedly laughed Off, frequently
breaks the ice and sets both hostess and
guests at ease, as nothing else could do
Sydney Smith considered the spec
tacle of a woman preserving her com
posture and continuing her composurt
when the awkward carver had splashet
her silk gown with gravy, the triumph
of civilization.
The anecdote points a moral and nigh
adorn tale. In it lies the whole score
of well-bred composure, which is tn,
browning virtue alike of the model host
ess and the model guest.
In lH&ard to the former there is an
other fault to be guarded against-over
entertaining. The visitor, who ha
come to stay several days, should be lef
to herself whenever she desires privacy
| An hour alone, or more, is to some pee
Pile daily necessity. A parting caution
to the guest is an injunction to be in tn
family, but not of ito avoid seeing o
hearing things not meant for the eyes o
any friend, however intimate. And las
! of all, hospitality imposes obligation
which can not be enumerated here, a
such category would be disrespectfu
to even the average intelligence. TIL
inner life of every household is sacre'
and should be so held. If one has beel
admitted to it, or has been an accidental
observer, it's sacredness should be in
violable always.---Chicago Inter Ocean