Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-03-02
The Young Girl Hostess.

As hostess. the daughter of the house,
whether officiating in the absence Of her
mother, or assisting her in the exercise
of hospitality, should be courteous and
cordial. Nobody expects a young girl to
take leading share in conversation. 1t
is quite enough if she holds her own
agreeably, and above all, pay attention
to what others are saying. One secret
of social success is to listen we'll and to
look interested, and this the girl hostess
may do, and will do the better the more
real and unaffected her interest is in the
people around her.
Perhaps the girl hostess in these days
is occupied in pouring tea. No more
graceful act can be imagined, and in
dispensing this simple refreshment she
may fulfill the meaning of the sweet old
word lady" the loaf-giver, and the
giver as we'll of the cup. If acting as
hostess to friends of her own sex, in the
merry half-hour at 5 o'clock when col
lege girls permit themselves to relax
their minds and give their studies a bit
of a recess. the girl shows her home
training. Here, in the ordinary course
of conversation, she shows her freedom
from aWkWardneSs, or she lapSeS into
the provincialism of speech Or manner
which is too strong for the classroom to
at once eradicate. But she need not be
troubled about herself as an entertainer
If she possess the hospitable spirit. Lit
tie by little one acquires social ease. one
lays aside gaucheries. one learns to be
graceful, and to perform ordinary ele-
CANT acts of the drawing room without
thinking of ones self. ''Such or such
one" we say, lis born hostess. She
makes her friends perfectly at home
But the hostess who eXcels in tact and
grace is quite often made, Oftener, per-
haps, than merely born. All social
charms may be acquired. Urbanity and
elegance are simply matters of drill, of
taking pains, of thinking the affair worth
while, of seeking after and cultivating
the best.
The girl hostess who wishes to gather
her friends for a pleasant function can
not do so better than by giving an infor-
NAL luncheon. This may be served at
the large round or square table in the
dining room, or, if the girl and her
mother choose, at a number of small
tables in the drawing room. Let some
color or flower predominant and give
the Keynote of the occasion. The courses
may be many or few, but they should
at this season begin with fruit, either
oranges or grape fruit daintily prepared
and served, and end with q delicate des-
sert-ice, biscuits, glaces, or cream, with
bonbons and conserves. Between these
may be whatever one chooses-Oysters
on the half-shell, chops or birds broiled
to perfection, creamed chicken, salad or
some such dainty selection. The perfec-
ton of a luncheon does not consist in
having a great many dishes or multi
piicity of courses, but in seeing that each
is absolutely good of it's kind, and that
the plates are quietly and swiftly
changed, are cold or hot as they ought
to be, and that the food is appetizing
and the whole affair harmonious. The
girl hostess will see that her tables are
daintily arrayed with pretty china and
centerpieces of embroidered linen, with
cut glass. and silver and doilies fit for the
fairies to handle. And if all this be be-
yond her power, if what she has will
be whole and clean and bright and if
she serve her guests with nothing more
than bread and butter, these will ne so
good that king might feast on them
and go away satisfied.
The girl who plays at being hostess in
her fathers house will shine to great adj
vantage when she takes her place as
queen of the domesticities in her hus-
bands home. Her training in girlhood
will not be lost. She will be the sweeter
and more admired wife because as
young girl she served a novitiate in
woman's most characteristic and finest
profession, the offering a welcome and
making people happy under the shelter
of ones roof.-Harper's Bazaar.