The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-01-03

HOSPITALITY,
Some Interesting Observations on the
Subject.
(Harper's Bazar.I

(Harper's Bazar.J
Hospitality exercised in domestic
life means the opening Of ones heart
and ones doors with cordial welcome
to friend means the giving ones
best to friend, without counting the
cost. 1t is an open question whether
Our present fashion of making most Of
our entertainments formal is not doing
away with our olden hospitality. The
matron of former day was accustom
ed to provide 70. a possible extra guest
or two a, every meal, and no trouble
beyond the putting on of plate or a
cup was needful if friend happened
in. Stately dinners there were, and
evenings devoted to invited guests;
but the children grew up in an atmos-
phere different from ours, in that no
sudden pressure of company disturbed
the home arrangements.
To go carefully over ones visiting
list, wedding it now and then, as one
moves to a new locality, to set aside a
certain designated period for the re-
ception of acquaintance en- masse, to
give duty dinners and dances, and
pay duty calls, and transact all social
obligations by bits of pasteboard ele-
gantly engraved, and to get through
reciprocal obligations as easily and
with as little loss Of tissue as possible,
have been accepted in our complex
social life as proper and requisite to
success. 1t is difficult to see way in
which one could SO we'll keep up rela
tons with a host of more or less
strange people, known only superhci
ally, except by this simple way Of the
card left at the door by the postman.
Still, it is not really the spirit Of
hospitality which weighs and measures
and repays its obligations with COM
mercial honesty and exactness. 1t is
too curt, too narrow; it savors Of the
market place. There is wider,
sweeter and simpler manner of life,
even in our great cities, which lets the
latch string swing loose at the touch
of friend, which is glad at the COM
ing Of guest, and sorrowful at a
guests going, and which does not
mind crowding and inconvenience and
merry confusion, if only ones home is
sufficient to the sheltering of ones
kindred and all ones friends to the
utmost boundary line of friendship.
The narrow space into which many
OF us are compelled to compress our
household goods, of course makes it
harder to be hospitable than it once
was. Flats and apartments, of what
ever dimensions, are not so generous
in the line of spare chambers as were
our grand mothers' houses, with their
ample breadth and space from cellar
beneath to attic above.
We have to resort to makeshifts to
accommodate our own people. How,
then, are we to provide for strangers
at our gates7 But the hospltable heart
can overcome most difficulties, and
apartments Of whatever dimensions
grow elastic when bright and clever
woman at the head OF the family
understands the management of make
shifts.
Children are the gamers by the fire.
quent appearance of guests at the home
table. Each new conner brings a watt
of interest and delight to the intelli-
gent child, absorbing influences at
every pore. The best bred, best be-
haved, and most charming children
are found where the parents love to
entertain their friends, a md are in the
way of often asking pleasant people
informally to luncheon, to dinner, to
spend day, or to stay over Sunday.
The young people in such an environ
ment gain ease Of manner, bear them
selves with grace, and grow familiar
with the thoughts and words of Others
than the domestic circle.