Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-15

| Yet does not the word suggest to most
| people something very different-crowded
rooms, perfunctory smiles and empty
| phrases, an aroma OF costly dishes and
| flowers more costly still, and too often
| bitter resduum of headaches, heartaches,
| Notifications and disappointments, and an
| army of clamorous creditors?
Verify, it requires no especially close OBJ
servaton to bring one to the conclusion
| that while there is a vast amount OF en-
| tertaining done at the present day, there
| is very little genuine hospitality exercised,
| especially in towns and cities.
Even in the rural districts, where former
| " to say of a man, He keeps open house.
| was the highest possible praise, the custom
| seems to be dying out. The time has past
when the arrival of an unexpected guest
was q boon to the isolated planter or farm
| er; steam and electricity have brought city
| advantages almost to his door; domestic
| service is an empty name, ana creature
comforts no longer are procurabie With
out strain of the hosts muscles or the
| hostess nerves. One would search in vain
nowadays for an instance SUCH as Is re-
| corded in the annals of a Virginia FAMILY,
| where Il distant relative came Tor VISIT
| of a week and was made to enjoy himself
so much that he stayed three years!
The Social Struggle.
This change in the spirit and practice
of hospitality is easily accounted for IN
the changed conditions OF our modern city
| Ife-the influx of new and often doubtful
people, the stress of the struggle Tor ex-
iStence and the eXtravagant living conse-
gI.ent upon the frantic push for social
eminence entailed by our democratic sys-
TEN.
The life of today is too hurried and
worried to admit of amenities that make
demands upon ones time or pocket, anu
pay only in the mutual pleasure conferred
or the reward of an approving conscience
y keen absorbing determination 10 get
up in the world" or being up, to be left
in undisturbed enjoyment OF ones altitude
constitute the motif OF modern lie
When two people meet socially for the
fiji ST time the question is not: is this one
whose companionship would be a pleasure
to me or whom 1 may benefit in some
way?' The question is: rs this one whose
acquaintance will be of any material ad-
vantage tC mine?'
So well understood is this feeling that it
is not unusual for host or hostess (gen-
orally the latter in introducing their
guests to attach to each name. either
openly or in a melo-dramatic aside, what
ever claim to distinction ii may have, and
the parties concerned, thus duly warned
size each other up and temper their man
ner accordingly.
This struggle for social eminence de-
velops the meanest qualities in human
nature. Success renders most people AFRO
giant and unsympathetic; failure makes
tnem mOrOSe ana SUSPICIOUS, ana either
way the gentle instinct of hospitality
which exists in all normal human beings,
from the Esquimaux in his ice hut, to the
Arab in his tent is stihed or utterly pre-
vented, or utterly crushed out.
Liberty! Equality Fraternity!
Glorious words! Glorious ideas! Fair
ana tempting fruit of the tree CT de-
mocracy! Yet, when that mischievous in
sect. worldly ambition, makes them its
breeding place how black and loathsome
at core they become!
Perish the thought of titled classes or
class distinctions and limitations of any
sort! Yet the old world system has it's
advantages. and they are not all on the
side CT the privileged classes either
Poverty No Crime.
For enc thing the frenzied strain upward
hardly exists; neither does the pitiful
shame of small means or an humble or
middle-class position prevail in the old
world as 1t does here. OF course personal
ambition exists everywhere, human ma
ture being what it is, but 1t is kept within
reasonable bounds by the law of custom
and tradition. Exceptional qualities can
always take a man over any mere limita-
tons of birth, but the average individual
is satisfied TO remain what his fathers
were. There are differences, certainly; but
the rich peasant, or manufac turcr, or
tradesman, can no more escape from his
class than the poorest. His pretty daugh-
ter may bestow herself and her dowry on
an impeCunious nobleman, but only genius
the force that laughs at all human laws
ard customs, can emancipate a man from
the limits set by the iron hand Of tradi-
ton. Each class has its standard of ETH
quette and morals, of living and entertain
ing. The sociai position being fixed be-
yond argument, there is no humiliation at
tached to the inability to entertain lavish
ly, as here where mans social position
depends usually upon his style of living.
The peasant offers the chance visitor a
cup of home made wine, or milk, or a hand
full of fruit from his garden with an I'M
abashed smile and a hearty God speed
YET" And the guest is refreshed and slim
ulated because the simple entertainment
had for it's base the base of all true hos
pitalty-sincerity.
Even so in the highest classes No false
shame attaches itself to Strengthened
means.
The writer recalls with delight a meal of
ascetic simplicity, served on antique china
and silver by one wrinkled old retainer
in the dim banquet hall of feudal castle
in Germany. The daintiest dish on the
table was one of strawberries, gathered in
the garden by the hands of the two young
princesses Gheir little fingers betrayed the
secreD, and yet so charming, so genial, so
genuinely hospitable was the entertainment
that the guests went away delighted.
Would that be possible in this democratic
country, where the consequences of pow
erty are considerably moro humiliating
than the consequences of crime?
living for some months in an aristocratic
provincial German family a familiar
guest. There was a great deal of visiting
going on among the families living within
a radius of ten miles, and the opportunity
for studying the social customs of the
country esoterically was exceptionally val
liable.
The Woman Refgns.
The rank of the family was that of graf
or count; the visitors were of various
ranks, beginning with the simple vons ana
passing through barons and counts up to
dukes and princes. The hospitality ac-
ceded by my hostess to her guests was
uniformly cordial I'm manner, but as to it's
more tangible expressions nicely graded,
whenever possible, to correspond with their
different ranks.
For instance, for the simple vons, when
no visitors of higher rank were present,
there were pleasant welcome and light
very hght-refreshments-co waters
and fruit II 1t happened to be In season,
For those OF the rank Of baron or count