New-York tribune., 1890-01-05
4 MENACE or HOSPITILITT.

There is 4 venerable city not q thousand
miles from this metropolis which has long bOrne
an cnviablo reputation for hospitality. 1t has
entertained for many generations with gen
cro,ity and q cordiaity which have left moth
lng 10 be desired. But according 20 one of IT'S
old citizens She is in danger of losing this gra-
cious reputation. lie lately remarked that he
town was NO, nearly so socially inclined, or, at
all events, was less given 20 entertainment than
il was quarter OF "a century ago. And on be-
inr asked how he accounted for the change, ne
rcplicd. hat It was undoubtedly due 20 the fact
chat current hospitality z expressed in dinner
parties .urchconS and The other regulation on
tcrtanmcnts came 80 high nowadays that The
majority of people could not afford 70 indulge
IN H. Half % dozen of orr worry rich people
hc went ON, " give two or three very swell on
.eltaIumcnts every winter. am invited 10
some oi them and what DO ] iud2 Neu tho
flowers on the dinncr-t1ble and n the drawing
room cost ahout rs much rs au average citizen
could afford 20 spend ON "a dinner Y0u can
imagine Inc consequence. People ike 70 g!vo
l, good as they receive Most Of MS canno,
,ivo dinners corresponding 10 those 10 which /
havo referred And 80 'vc 40 nor accept us
many invitations 10, wc used 'o and we send
ont fewer
$50, oug AGO Mn. Curtis printed lu admirable
paper ou .hIS subject 100 his Easy Chair de-
par'mcut of Harncrs magazine Tie insist
,d fhat ono of thc great popular wants was
what hc styled 'hc courage oi p.ain entertain
mcut. I'm commenting that AomcIy virtue
"a his readers hc told -hc story + poor Young
diplomat AZ Washington. who ro1Sonine that
'hc ,pIcndor s NOT 1u essential par' of thc
fna>t' determined to entertain .Io," who had
entertained hIm 30 plain. ch'1u iiuncr lio
had pccn diucd royaly Nut thcu hiS entertain
.r, lad much of tli, world, goods he would
line 'hcm moic,tlv hut hon h~ purse was
can one. The dinner proved great success
.t lacked "eaip and uI-htiu-alc> tongues
Iut .hc enlvcnug and Iu>prr. charm Di tho
lo,t and thc welcome variety of lIannoSs after
be luxurious ev'.1v1clucc and o>t"ntaton of
hc usual dinner mono ln made good Tine
deficiency The result Na, .nat poor col
.cacuc of tho poor diplomat wont and hd ike
wise and lis plain dinner was also a triumph.
Mr Curtis timely paper +, to boz commended
'o -hc uhabtaut, oi .hc inc oId H'v I'D winch
ctcrcuce has Nceu made. ,' .Ikr> Iu udc-
pendent and p.uc.,r ,lu .o do %, cheese iipIo-
mat, iid. but .nc1 Independence and pluck arc
louuaIIv supposed -1 .io lt -hc foundation OF
he American rh1Iuc'or lud -o shine forth
,lor-pI-.r t1ourr.- 'A~r' is need. The spirit
Of hospitality uuo-- r iud, expression is cor-
ain .o decline. Nor alone 100 r1c rtv .u uucS-
ION. hut 100 maur another 1lI over -ho country
he same doD.ola..r .rndcncv is .o 1" observed
To-day vo American, Uo co0gn.zod -hc
world 0vcr ls ,ura--u. til other nation, .n
me matter ot genuine omen handed hospital
ny. IN would Doe 1Ifv .o los" Tins reputation
.nd acquire that a' mother sor'. Lc' 10, clear
our minds of mean rovndicn and entertain
each according to hi, ability nom1auaSsod
because richer folk, give richer .ca>t,. solo
mon has omudcd us that dinner OF herbs
.omcrmcs bc'tcr 'han one at which q stalled
1N Is served while -hc solomon of rho break
East 'ahIo. Dr. Holmes. maintains rhat -hro"
courses 1ro us good ls ton Mr. Curtis con
riudos his powerful Iific sermon with me ad-
mouilon. suppose vc rv. madame. NOT 10 bee
rouhlcd hy .hc riches of our ncishboIST Do
only necessary for whom % may rouccrn nor
.o borrow trouble from such % source lor hos
pu1lity to flourish 1l over tlc and ike tle
lrccnc,f of bly u"os