The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-01-11
HOSTESS AND GUESTS.


K
been so much part of American,social
life, that few rules governing them
may not be out of place.
The average invitation is for four
nights, from Tuesday to Saturday, and
only intimate friends are invited to re-
main beyond that day. The hour of
arrival is not left entirely to the dis
erection of the guests, and the hostess
either mentions the hour at which the
most convenient train will arrive, or
requests them to tell her by what train
she may expect them. When long
notice is given, these details are ar-
ranged within week of visit, but it
is an understood thing that guests
should arrive between and o'clock
p. M, if possible, and not early in the
afternoon; neither should they leave it
doubtful as to what time of the day
they intend arriving, as it would be
an awkward contretemps to find the
hostess not at home on arrival. and to
have anticipated her welcome by
couple of hours.
Punctuality at meals is one of the
canons of good taste on the part of
guests. At dinner party, either in
town or country, a host and hostess
have to submit to the inevitable and
wait with what patience tho, can for
tardy arrivals; but guests under the
roof of hosts and hostess have no such
latitude allowed them, and at the Sec
ond sound of the gong they are expect
ed to assemble and await with their
entertainers the announcement of
dinner, which follows within five to
ten minutes after the gong has sound
I'D through the house. Early rising is
SO much of a characteristic of the
times, that to be punctual to breakfast
is scarcely merit, and it is no longer
considered ultra-fashionable to appear
long after the recognized breakfast
hour. Ten minutes grace is
tacitly conceded, not that the
host and hostess wait for
these guests at this meal, but that no
excuse is needed for so slight delay.
Again, at luncheon guests are ex-
pected to obey the call of the gong to
the minute, even if they have not
already found their way to the draw
ing room before the luncheon hour has
struck. Afternoon tea demands only
semi-punctuality but guests seldom
take advantage of this, and are pro- |
verbally true to the tryst. The gentle |
men of a party, on the other hand, are
seldom in at luncheon time, and their |
appearance at the tea hour is not to be |
counted upon. A late return from |
shooting in grimy and muddy condi- |
ton often induces them to hide and |
rest in the smoking room rather than
to array themselves for conquest,
There are men, however, who would
not miss the tea hour with the ladies, |
and SO make hasty toilet after days
shooting to join them.
As with the meals of the day, so
with every engagement throughout it;
guests are expected to be ready at the
hour named for whatever expedition is
set on foot, and not to keep their host
ess and Others of party waiting their
tardy appearance. Providing that
guests take the trouble to be punctual,
their individual idiosyncrasies do not
strike their hostess unpleasantly if any
such come to the front They are part
of a party, and their individuality i'm
presses itself more upon their fellow
~ |
verse is the case when hostess has
but one guest in place of many. Then
it is that the bearing of q guest makes
a visit success or failure, as
far as the pleasure derived from
it by hostess is concerned. |
Almost every hostess has come
across a guest who has proved
somewhat impossible. difficult to amuse
and please, and selfshly inconsiderate,
and who contrasted unfavorably with
some sweet, charming and considerable
one who had Immediately preceded
her and whose departure was felt with
as keen a regret as that of her prede-
cessor's was hailed with relief 1t
might be supposed that ladies when I
guests in house would make the best
of adverse circumstances, to wit, the I
weather; but, as a fact, they compare ]
with the men of party.
who, although shut up in house, and
debarred from shooting by reason of 8
weeping skies and wailing winds, yet :
end solace when no striking or lovely ,
female element is present in the smok- ,
ing room, where they envelope them
selves in clouds of tobacco smoke, and !
give no anxiety as regards what to do I
with them, to either host or hostess. =
Guests are expected to follow the (.
lead of their hostess on every occasion s
from morning to evening. She gives {
The signal and takes the initiative, q
in the dining room after each 4
neal, or in the drawing room at the a
different hours of the day, and at its a
close she makes the move for the gen. ,.