The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-12-03
HoSTEsSEs.
The Differences Found Between Those OF
France and England.


The Diferene~s Found Between Those OF
France and England.
The guest at an English country
house will be- struck at once with the
spirit of individualism that seems to
run riot. While there are plenty Of
things going on that include everybody
in the house. there are SO many posi-
bilities III the way of individual enter
tainment and such perfect liberty to fol
low them. The guest may be perfectly
and termination of his visit are given
him by his hostess that those dates are
the convenient, ones and there need be
no discussion on that point. Nobody
waits breakfast for guest, SO that
lateness to that meal is not rudeness,
and breakfast is on the table for an ex-
tended period Of time. A little atten-
ton on which European households in
general lay great stress is the carrying
to guests room early in the morning
Of cup Of tea and toast After break
fast, in England, the guest is left to
himself generally speaking, to write
letters read, walk or talk with other
guests, the hostess having her morning
well filled, though in many instances,
of course, guest may spend the morn
ing with some member of the family.
Lunch is in some households fixed
meal, but is more often movable feast
like breakfast. After lunch is the time
vixen the hostess devotes herself to the
entertainment Of her guests, though it
is not discourteous in guest, if there
is house full, to have something spe-
cial to do. At afternoon tea, which is
served from 4 to always, guests gath
er, and callers are apt to come, so that
is general gathering 1t is dinner,
however, that is the sacred institution,
and anything but absolute unpunctuality
is forgivable unless it be III very ia
vored individual If there is more than
one guest III the house, the host and
hostess will not have invitations out to
| dine, but sometimes it there is large
family and only one guest they may go
out, leaving the guest to the rest of the
family, with perhaps somebody lnvit-
ed to meet him. After dinner there may
be an evening of chatting, or there may
be distinct social event. Before going
to bed there is a light supper, which
is apt to be a jolly little meal, and is
taken in the dining room without the
attendance of the servants.
The visitor to the French country
house will be struck at once with the
greater strictness of observance and the
circumstances of the house party.
The meals are at fixed hours and the
old customs of chateau life are follow
ed to a delightful extent. The women
working at embroidery on the lovely
lawn, with q background of frs against
the chateau, with the men entertain
ing them, make a picture that looks
as if it came from book This is the
afternoon Or rather the late forenoon
programme, and driving or riding is
generally done in large party, usu-
ally in the early afternoon. Ii there is
hunting, the men may go off alone,
leaving the women, or they may all go
together. 1t may be in the early morn
ing, returning for dejeuner, or it may
be for all day, with lunch in the woods
or fields The curious care surrounding
the young girl III France is nowhere
more plainly shown than at these coun-
try house parties. The conversation OF
the dinner table, if any young girl be
present is carefully regulated with a
view to disturbing III nowise her
youthful outlook. In England very
young girl may be kept away from the
dinner table, but if she is old enough to
attend that meal no care such as this is
exercised.
Frenchwomen take exceeding care
in the matter of dress here as every
where, and the rather easy waysof Eng
lish country life would not be allowed.
Attendance at early mass at the village
church is almost obligatory, and very
quiet dressing is de rigueur. A curious
bit of the extreme conventiODalism is
that caps of any sort are not admissible
except during some game, aud hats are
worn as deliberately as in the city.
The custom of tipping. servants i'll the
houses of friends is one common to all
Europe, though the system is more fully
| developed in England than anywhere
| else. The custom of fixed date for the
visit is not SO closely followed in France
as in England, though, of course, its con-
| venience makes it known everywhere to
people who entertain d great deal -
Springfield Republican.
Only Dry.
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