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

Michael Angelo, who hung the dome az
Florence high in air. made q thing of
beauty, which IS JOY forever, but did not
forget TO build under it a convenient
church as well
As for the bedrooms in an English
country house, they transcend description.
they are the very apotheosis of comfort.
The dinners are excellent. the breakfast
and lunch comfortable, informal and easy.
the horses are at your disposition, the law n
and garden are yours for stroll, the chap
Ell lies near at hand where you can study
architecture and ancient brass. There are
pleasant people in the house, you are let
alone, you are not being entertained. -
That most dreadful Of sensational that
somebody has you on his mind, and must
show you photographs and lift of your
ennui; you seem TO be in Paradise
But English people will tell You that
house parties are dull, not that all are, but
the power of being pleased. A visit 20 an
Engiish house 70 an American who brings
with her fresh sense of endowment. and
who remembers the limitations of a new
country, one who loves antiquity, history.
old pictures, and all that time can do. one
who IS hungry for old world refinements.
10 sucn an one visit to an English coun-
try mouse Is delightful; to worn out En-
glish set whose business il has been for a
quarter OF century to go from one house
TO another, no doubt il is dull. Some unu-
sual distraction is crayed.
10 reiieve the monotony and silence
and the dull, depressing cloud which
sometimes settles on the most admirably
arranged English dinner party, even an
American savage would be welcomed. "
says modern novel writer. How much
more, then, is pretty young woman who,
Win a true enthusiasm and 4 wild liberty,
mas found her opportunity and uses il.
plays the banjo. tells fortunes by the hand,
has no fear of rank. is in her set glacier
OF freshness, with heart of fire, like
Roman punch.
lean woman welcomed in such a house.
and how soon her head is turned. She is
popular until she carries off the eldest son.
and then she Is severely criticised and by
her spoiled caprices becomes heroine for
ouida 10 rejoice In and the Ifoud Of soci-
ETY. novel.
But the gloryis departing from many a
stately English country house. Fortune
Is failing them; they are many of them TO
rent Rich Americans are buying their
old pictures-the Gainsborouoh. the
Joshua Reynolds, the Rembrandts, which
have been the pride of English country
houses, are coming down charmed by the
silver music of the almighty dollar. The
old fairy tale is coming true. Even the
So we have the money and we have the
vivacity, according to even our severest
critics We have now to cultivate the
repose of an English hostess if We would
make our country houses as agreeable as
she does.
We cannot improvise the antiquity or
the old chapel, or the brasses; we cannot
make our roads as fine as those which
enable an English ''house party" to drive
sixteen miles TO dinner: in fact, we must
admit that they have been 800 years max
ing lawn even. But we must try to do
things our own way and use our own ad-
vantages so that We can make our guests
comfortable.
The American autumn is the most elor-
ious of seasons for entertaining in country
house. Nature hangs our hillsides then
with tapestry that has no equal even at
Windsor. The weather, that Article which
in America Is apt TO be so good, that if it
is bad We apologize for il, is more apt to
be good in October, makes the duties of a
hostess easy In October, for nature helps 10
entertain anybody.
1t is to be feared that we have not vet
learned TO be guests; trusting TO that
boundless American hospitality which has
been apt to say: Come when Won pIease
and stay as long as you can, we decline
an invitation for the 9th, saying we can
come on the 9Th.
20 give house parties. We must go on the
9th or not at all.
We should also define the limits of a
visit, as in England one is asked on
Wednesday to arrive at 5, to leave at IL on
Saturday. Then one does not overstay
his welcome.
Host and hostess and guest must thor
oughly understand one another on this
point and then punctuality is the only
thing to be considered
The opulent, who have butler, footman
and French cooks, need read no further in
this chapter, the rest of which will be di-
rected 10 the larger class who have neither,
and who have TO help themselves.
No lady should attempt to entertain in
the country who has not q good cook and
one or two attending maids who can wait
well and perform other duties about the
house.
With these three and with a good deal
of knowledge herself, a hostess can
make country house attractive.
The dining-room should be the most
agreeable room in the house, shaded in the
morning and cool in the afternoon, a large
room with hard wood floor and mats. if
possible, as these are clean and cool.
If possible a round table or an oval, set
in a BAY window. Ii not possible, try the
portico for out-of-door dining and break
fasting in warm weather.
The tablecloth should be of snowy dam
ask, and the chairs easy cane, cheap arti-
cles, both cleaner and cooler than heavy
upholstered things.
A wide yeranda shaded with vines is
the most agreeable of places for summer
breakfast or lunch. If there are long
windows into the dining-room the servant
can use the dining-room for her reserves
of knives, forks and spoons.
Maid servants should be taught by the
.~sr hos 70
time and trouble. Soup for q country
dinner should be clear bouillon, or creme
d'Asperger, or mutton or chicken broth,
as heavy soups are unreasonable IN sum-
mer. In very hot weather iced bouillon is
preferred by many. A country hostess
should have cold ham, cold tongue and all
sorts of salads. as q reserve in case the
cook leaves, as she generally does. Just as
company is expected.
And a garden full of fresh vegetables
should be the belonging OF every country
house. clear soup, slice of fresh
brolled salmon, a bit OF spring lamb with
mint sauce, fresh peas, 3 salad of lettuce
or cold potatoes sliced with bit of onion,
a custard, cold and well favored, 4 bit of
cheese, cup of coffee, is good dinner
So is 3 steak well broiled, with baked
potato. salad. and the rest of il.
4 famous epicure said that all he asked
was bit OF broiled salt pork and fresh
vegetables with five rawberrles.
Most hostesses in the country can give
this and more.
The service is the thing. There must be
nothing neglected, nothing 81 all slovenly.
Carafes of ice water, silver dish for ice,
and . pair OF ice tongs, should be put on
the table for summer, with cream and
fresh butter. and then with q patent ice
cream freezer in the kitchen closet, with q
knowledge of the delicately-davored