The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21

but dinner az whatever hour is formal
meal; and every one should come freshly
say.
| The Arab Law of hospitality should be
| printed over every Intel IN country
house Welcome the coming, speed the
| parting guest He who tastes nv salt
Is sacred, neither nor my household shall
attack him, nor shall one word be said
| against him. Bring corn, wine and fruit
Tor the passing stranger. Give the one
VINO departs from thy tents the fastest
morse Let him who would go from thee
take the feet dromedary, reserve the lame
one for thyself"
these momentous hints were carried
out IN America and If these children of
the desert, with their grave faces. COM
| posed manners and noble creed could be
literally obeyed. We fear country house
visiting would become almost too popular.
but u We cannot give them the feet
oromedary we can drive them to the fast
train, which is much better than any
dromedary. We can make them comfort
aole and enable them 10 do as they like.
Ana unless We can do that We should
| not invite ANYBODY.
Unless guest has been rude it is the
worst taste to criticize him. He has come
al your request. He has entered your
mouse as an altar Of safety, an ark of ref
uge. He has laid his armor down Your
klnd welcome has unlocked his reserve.
he has spoken freely and felt that he was
IN the presence of friends If in this care
less hour you have discovered his weak
spot be careful how You attack II.
be respected
And upon the guest an equal. nay a su-
perior, conscientiousness should rest as TO
any revelation Of what particular secrets
he may have found out while he was WIS.,
itor.
No person should go from house to house
| bearing tales.
We do not go TO our friends house TO find
the skeleton In the closet
No criticisms of the weaknesses of this
member Of the family or the eccentricities
OF that member should ever be heard from
! the lips of guest.
Whose bread have eaten, he is hence
forth my brother" is another Arab pro-
| verb.
Speak always well of your entertainers,
| but speak little of their domestic arrange
ments. Do not violate the sanctity of that
fireside, or wrong the shelter of that roof
tree, which has lent you its protection for
| even night.
The decorations for a country ballroom
| in a rural neighborhood have called forth
many an unknown genius In that art
| which has become the well-known profess
sion Of internal decoration.
The favorite place in Lenox and at
| room of a new barn. Before the equine
tenants begin 10 champ their oats and to
| caracole. the youths and maids assume
the right to exercise the light fantastic toe
on the large. well laid. hard floor The
| ornamentations at such a ball at Ienox
were candles put IN pine shields. with tin
| holders, and decorations of corn and
| wheat sheaves. tied with scarlet ribbons,
! surrounding pumpkins which were laid in
improvised brackets, hastily cut out of
| pine with hatchets by the young men.
The magnificent autumn leaves were ar
ranged with ferns and garlands, and
| many were the lodges TO put candles and
| kerosene lamps behind these to give al
1 most the effect of stained glass, without
causing general confiagration.
| The effect of a pumpkin surrounded by
autumn leaves recalls the gardens of the
| Hesperides. No such "apple" was ever
seen there. as our golden apples which We
| call pumpkins. To be sure they are
| rather large to throw to a goddess, and
might bowl her down, but they look very
handsome when TRANQUILITY reposing.
A sort of Druidical procession might be
| improvised to help along the bali, so
| that the hostess would amuse her COM
| pany for week with the preparations.
First get q negro fiddler 10 head il,
| dressed like Browning's pied Piper" in
| gay colors and playing his fiddle. Then
have procession of children dressed in
Then s'two milk-white oxen garlanded"
with wreaths of flowers and driven by
| boy in Swiss costume, then a great cart
| with the baby, driving two goats, also gar
| landed. Then lovely Attorney cow also
| decorated, accompanied by milkmaid
| carrying q milking stool, and then another
| long line of children; then the youths and
| maids bearing the decorations for the ball
| room. Let all these parade the village
street and wind up at the ballroom, where
| the cow can be MIXED and surprise of
ice cream and cake given 10 the children.
| This is Sunday school picnic and
ball decoration all in one. and the country
lady who can give it will have earned the
| gratitude of neighbors and friends. Ii has
/ been done.
In the spring the decorations ia ball
| room might be early wild flowers and the
/ delicate ground pine, far more beautiful
! than smilax. and also the treasures of the
nearest woods. ferns.
Rev. Edward Hale, who has said a great
| many good things in his life, used to say
that.when girls went out TO pluck wild flow
/ ers there should always be one left at home
TO arrange them. as those who had gath
cred them We're too fatigued and allowed
them 10 wither. There is a great deal in
/ this.
But wild flowers, ferns and grasses. the
| ground pine, the checkerberry and the
| partridge berry make the most exquisite
/ EalE2nNS, anu IL Is oDAN OF late Nlel g lew
| great geniuses have discovered that the
/ field daisy is the prettiest OF flowers, that
/ the best beauty is that which is at our
I hands wherever We are, that the greatest
| rarity is the grass in the meadow, that we
have reached the true meaning of internal
| decoration.
Helen Hunt, in one of her prettiest
! papers, describes the peauty of Kinnikin-
| nick, a lovely vine which grows all over
! Colorado Although'we have not that, We
| boughs. the mistletoe, the holly for our in
| ternal decorations.
OF course dollhouse flowers and smilax.
if they can be obtained. are very beautiful
| and desirable, but they are not within the
! house.
The sheaf of wheat tied with fine ribbons
and placed az intervals around the room
| can be made 10 have the beauty Of an ar
| mortal bearing. These alternating with
| banners and hemloek boughs can be made
| picture All these forms which nature
| gives Us have suggested the Corinthian
| capitol, the Ionic pillar. the most graceful
| of Greek carvings. The acanthus leaf vas
| the inspiration OF the Srchltect who built
! the Acropolis.
Vine leaves, especially after they begin
| 10 turn, are capable Of infinite suggestion
| and We all remember the recent worship Of
| the sunaower- Hop vines and clematis
| especially after the last has gone 10 seed,
| remain long as ornaments.
As for the refreshments 10 he served, the
I oyster stew, the Ice cream, the good home
| made cake, coffee and tea, these are within
| the reach OF every country housekeaper