Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-26
HOW TO ENTERTAIN.
Mrs. John Sherwood's Views on the
Usages of Polite Society.
GAsLlGHT PARTIES In DAYLIGHT.
The Chaperone Doesn't Receive the Attsn.
tisn That Is Her Due.
HUNTING ETIQUETTE AND DANCING


rwRITTrN Fon THE pIsPAToH.l
Good night to the season. the dances,
The filings of hot little rooms,
The glancings of rapturous glances
The fancylngs of fancy costumes;
| The pleasures which fashion makes duties,
The praisings of fiddles and flutes,
The luxury Of looking at Beauties
| The tedfum of talking to mutes;
The female diplomatists, planners
or matches for Laura and Jane,
The ice, of her ladyship's mannersi
The ice. of his lordship's champagne
The season in London extends from May
to August, often longer If Parliament is in
session. In Paris it is from May to the
grand prix," when it is supposed to end
about the Goth of June But in New York
and Washington it is all winter, from
November to Lent with good Episco-
palians, and from November to May to the
rest OF mankind.
1t then begins again in July with the peo-
pie who 60 to Newport and Bar Harbor,
and keeps up Until September. when como
In Tuxedo and the gayety of Long Island
and the Hudson. Indeed, with the gaiety
Of country-houss life, hunting and lawn
tennis and driving, it is hard to say when
the American season ends.
Tho Party by Daylight
There Is one sort OF entertainment which
isa favorite everywhere and very conyen.
lent 1t lis the afternoon reception, or party
by daylight The gas is lighted. the day
excluded. tn, hostess and the guests are in
beautiful toilette, their friends come in street
dresses and bonnets, their male friends in
frock coats. This Is one of the anomalies of
fashion. These entertainments are very
large, and a splendid collation. is served,
The form of invitation is simply,
Mrs. Brownton at home Thurs
day, from three to six,
and unless an R. S. v. P. is appended, no
reply Is expected. These receptions are
favorites with housekeepers, as they save
the servants from staying up at night.
The drawback to the reception is that In
our busy world of America very few gentle
men can spare the time to call in the day-
time, SO the attendance is largely feminine.
On entering, the guest places card on the
table, or If she cannot be present at the re-
ception she should send a card in an en-
velope. After these entertainments which
are parties, lady should call It is diff
ferent thing entirely from afternoon tea,
after which no call Is expected. II the re-
oophou IS given 10 some QlsIlngulSneQ per.
son, the lady stands beside her guest to pre-
sent all the company to him. or her.
Etiquette of Musicale
non the card the word music" Is added,
then the guests should be punctual, as
doubtless they are to be seated, and that
takes time. No lady who gives musicale
should invite more than she can seat COM
fortably, and she should have her rooms
cool and her lights soft and shaded. People
with weak eyes suffer dreadfully from
glare Of gas, and when music is going on
they cannot move to relieve themselves.
The hostess should think of all this Who
can endure the mingled misery of a hot
room, an uncomfortable seat glare of gas
and pianoforte solo?
A very sensible reformation Is now In
progress in regard to the sending of invita-
tions and the answering of the same. The
post is now freely used as a safe and con-
venient medium, and no one feels offended
If an invitation arrives with 2-cent stamp
on the envelope. There is no Gloss of
caste" in sending an invitation By post
The Invitation to the Dance.
Then comes the ball, or, a. they always
say in Europe, "the dance" which IL the
gayest of all things for the debutante. The
popular form for an invitation to an sven-
ing party is to request the pleasure Of"
MRS. HAMMOND
Requests the pleasure Of