The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-12
THE KAFFEE-KLATSCH
The German Feast Differs from
the American Imitation.
An Informal Social Gathering Where
Ladies of All Ages Gossip, Make
Fancy Work and Play Games.

Edith Patton, in New York Evening Post.
The "kaffee-klatsch." or gossip over a
cup OF Coffee" is quite a feature OF German
social life. The American institution known
by the name is totally different from its
German original, and although at both cof-
fee is drunk and a goodly amount OF gossip
is undoubtedly INDUCED in, no German lady
happening in at the American entertain
ment would ever dream that she was at a
kaffee-klatsch. The American lady resident
in Berlin finds little or no difficulty in OBJ
tanning an entrance into good German So
ciety, and cannot be there long without
having an opportunity of enjoying a kaffee-
klatsch conducted as it should be. The in
vitations are always informal, given either
verbally or by short personal note. About
twenty ladies are usually invited, all Of
whom are more or less intimate with one
another. and all OF about the same age,
care always being taken by the hostess TO
invite at the same time persons who will
probably be congenial TO each other. A
German lady never expects to entertain all
her lady friends at one time In this way,
but divides them into groups and invites
them in these divisions. giving perhaps
three or four kaffee-klatsches in one sea-
son. a lady whose husband enjoys the So
cial distinction attendant upon his being a
"g~ehrimrath' or "privy-councilor," will
have a very large circle of friends, and TO
one kaffee-klatsch she will invite all the
old ladies of her acquaintance. They will
all bring their knitting, and while they dui-
gently work at the coarse-knit stockings
they are making for their grandchildren,
they will discuss the deplorable sdefects of
the rising generation, and recall how much
better things were in their younger days.
To another the "gnaeiige frau g~eheimrath"
will invite busy middle-aged mothers who
all have large families and who could talk
for hours about the dreadful menace the
servant question is getting to be in Ger
many, and recount to one another how their
maid-of-all-work had actually had the i'm
pudence to ask to go out once a week. A
third entertainment will include all the
young ~frauleins of her acquaintance, and
then the discussion takes quite a diff
ferent turn. and it is the fashions and
the latest style of embroidery and the new
crochet stitches which receive the most at
tention.
The American lady of whatever age will
enjoy herself equally well at any OF these
three social gatherings, for she Will be q
sort of curiosity at all, and will be able to
tell the German ladies something of Amer
lean customs, in which they are partlcu-
larly interested. The old ladies will be
amazed to learn that little American girls
are not taught at five years OF age TO Knit
stockings. and will doubtless find much
comfort in the fact that their fatherland has
not become so degenerate as to neglect 10
train its next generation OF wives and
mothers. The middle-aged ""frauen" Will
cease to complain of their domestic help
when they hear from American lips what
the servant question is in America, and
the young ladies will be delighted TO learn
a. new American pattern or 10 nave some
dainty American fancy work shown them
LIVELY AND ENTERTAINING.
The liveliest and most entertaining KAT
fee-klatsch / ever attended was one where
al the guests were young ladies, although
the hostess was by no means young The
guests arriving about 5 O'Clock, and after
being most cordially received by their host
ess. and having been introduced TO all in
the room. were at once served with coffee.
Coffee in Germany under these circum-
stances is not served in a tiny egg-shell
cup, but in a good substantial large-slzed
coffee cup, and one is not Obliged to bal
ance it carefully in one hand while holding
cake in the other, but is seated at a table
with plenty of room, and can eat and drink
with real comfort. With the coffee is al
ways served q kind of CAKE called "kaffee-
kuchen.'' or coffee cake;;" it is rather hard
to describe. since we have nothing at all
like it: but it somewhat resembles a thick
pie crust with coarse graduated sugar
and ground cinnamon s~prinkled over the
top. While this refreshment was being en-
ioyed conversation was carried on, but evil
IDENTIFY at a disadvantage, for, with a big
cup of coffee and a cake at least three by
four inches square to be disposed of. there
was little time for talking.
After the cups had been removed the
''klatsch'' or the gossip" began. All the
young ladies got out their fancy work-if il
may be SO called-but such fancy work as
seems actually archaic in the eyes of an
American lady. Some were working foot
stool covers cross-stitch on canvas, just as
our grandmothers did fifty. years ago
others crocheted lace of fine thread. II can
not be denied that the German. ladies &C
very fine needle-work and crochet laces
which are exquisite both in design and
texture, but they do no art embroidery
and do not seem to know how TO make
dainty and tasteful articles for per-
sonal use or for decorating their houses
The German lady always brings her work
to a 'kaffee-klatsch," which seems to be
the accepted medium for exchange OF
ideas on all kinds of needle-work.
The conversation was interrupted from
time to time by music and recitation. On
young lady, at her hostess's request, sang
| another played, and another who had en-
| ioyed evolutionary training recited a tragic
| selection. The American lady present al
such an entertainment must do her share
toward the general entertainment, and Il
she cannot give some music, she must
| read or recite something in English. Near
ly all the cultivated German ladies speak
4 some ElSllSH, VI aI cas- 0AldCi al II
| and they like to hear something recited &c
see if they can understand it.
After about an hour spent in this way g
break was made by the entrance of a maid
bearing a large dish of whipped cream
which was partaken of heartily by all TIM
| guests without cake or anything else with
which to qualify its richness. This "schlag'
sahne." as it is called, is made of rich
| cream whipped with a little gelatine and
favored with vanilla, and is a favorite dish
with the Germans, serving as a substitute
for ice-cream, which they seldom eat, since
they consider Ii unhealthy.
Games were then played. games OF the
simplest sort, and quite similar TO those
| usually played at a children's party in this
country, such as stage COACH magic
music" etc. To the American IL was ar
object lesson in the German character, a
curious combination of seriousness and re-
markable intellectually with a simplicity
and capacity for enjoyment that are posi-
lively childlike. The grown-up young
women played the games with as much evi-
dent enjoyment and enthusiasm as a com
panv of children under ten years of age
would nave done, and never once seemed
to think that they might in any way be
| compromising their dignity.
THE ENJOYABLE PART.
The kaffee-klatsch almost always has a
| sequel which is apt TO prove the most en-
| joyable part. Gentlemen are invited for the
| evening, the husbands if the ladies are
married, and young men if the afternoon
company has been made up of ~frauleins
on the particular occasion of which W.
speak the young gentlemen began to ar
rive about s O'Clock. AS each one entered