Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-21

be- sp organized.
Our formal hostess takos the prccau-
tiouary step above suggested, as it would
bee awkward to And an seats taken after
ones invitations had been accepted.
II She do~ir. box She leaves her or icr
at the. boN-olice. or At any prominent
hotel. where reliable branch Offices are
always placed Receiving her answer
She specifies the number Of chairs she
vs.. hes placed iu the box. She should j."
r.r.fI about this. for not inlr,luently
embarrassing mistakes occur. NJ one
play / have seen three sepcrate parties
enter a box and find two or three chairs
I,.- the number OF guests H. cach case
am usher had 10 b. called ana chairs
brought and placed "a the box. TINS
took time. made "a good bit Of confusion,
and attracted the attention oi tEr "H-
oi..rc to the party in the box. This is
doubly annoying if the party arrive late.
SENDS y TICKET.
When the hostess sends the invitation
o. her guest, she incloses ticket, with iti
COUPON. which bears the letter OF the boss
ali boxes being lettcred, instead of mum
barcl as seats are.
Should. however, an invitation to din
u,r o.. included. the hostess may retain
al cards. as her guests viii 20 with her
iu % boiy To the tEcatre. ln case lhe
elest declines the dinner inVitaton-dn-
other engagement preventine but accepts
the one for the theatre, ne host ss lIn-
ir.dlatelv sends the ticket ana the guest
joins her in the box.
Engraved Crds ar" never used Tor
theatre party An Informal mote IS CON
sld,red the best form.
In southern cities. where II IS customary
for woman % always have male es-
curt. the hostess of theatre party writes
h-r Invitation to each guest, but en-
closes tickets only TO the men. givnS
sach the name Of the lady he is 10 es-
cort whcrcupon learning that she has
accepted, ne writes her that he iS at h"r
service. II be- is unable % accept he Pee
turns the tickets to the hostess, mat
she may invite some other iu bis place.
II is the duty of u southern hostess ti't
ahr provide each woman guest win an
escort
I'm the North it IS not the custom that
the young people are paired oit. The
tickets are sent to each guest separately.
and aU make whatever further arrdusr-
u.ut4 they consider pleasant. THIS ~
dealing. Of course. with an evening party.
AS TO CARRIAGES.
II Is not incumbent upon the hostc 's
20 send carriages. but a custom NL!ch
secure a stage from the fashionable Fhth-
a,,uus firm and convey an the guests
in "a body to the theatre. should the
bostass intend doing this. she should state
io her invitation at what time the stage
WIN call. This information should BE- aJ-
dcd as a postscript. just as dinner iny-
.ati0ns for dinner out Of town give on
eaDh invitation the train, the station.
and the time the train leaves. \ hostess
should never leave these little things 10
chance or for a guest 10 surmise. The
stage should call for the hostess first.
DINNERS AND SUPPERS.
- a dinner is to preceae or "A supper
follow the theatre. this should also Doe
distinctly stated in the invitation. Not
mar il makes any difference IN the
toilette. excepting as 10 where the dn-
Nor or supper is TO be giyen-in public
or private.
should il be "a dinner. 1t must be at an
/ carly hour The guests must mol be
| .,lishcd" through in order that the parry
| arrive at the theatre on time. only icW
/ courses should be served, and light wines.
! Here the hostess may provide howers ior
/ e,ch guest which are carried Afterwards
/ To the theatre.
/ care should be taken that the stage or
d
/ dining al a restaurant, instruct the man
n, the door that the carriages for Mrs.
/ Iayue's party are 10 be announced at a
certain moment. Men can afford 10 drop
I'm late at the theatre, but with women
J who occupy the front seats 1t Is bad
/ corn. At "a private house the butler is
! charged 10 look out for the hour
Many hostesses prefer giving supper
then the guests may linger al their ease
discuss the play. and none be the slaves
OF time.
MENU-CARDS
| Something pretty may be- done in the
/ way OF souvenirs in this form OF enter
/ tanning. One hostess, an artist, sketchet
her menu-cards IN with striking scenes
! from the play her guests were 10 see
after the dinner. Another very bright
| hostess Of last week followed Il theatr,
/ marty 10 Irving and Terry's Henry VII
| bv u supper. and her souvenir-cards were
well worth describing. They were in tbs
shane OF little books Of papier mache
! The hy-ieaf had the menu done by pei
and ink in old English type. Inside wa
a photograph OF Miss Terry as Queer
Catherine ON another leaf was one %
MIR Irving a. Car%nal Nolsey (5oth wfr'
carefully mounted. There was also !
programme pasted In. and the names o
the party were on another page In oil
English.
AS A frontispiece there was a water
color OF the coronation scene. with IN
date OF performance underneath.
These souvenirs were not as expensive
| as flowers.
THE HOSTESS DOES THE HONORs
II the hostess IL married she Is. o
course. sufficient chaperon. Should 81
he single. then one married woman In IN
box is all that propriety demands.
She should seat only eight guests In