Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-04
ON INDIVIDUALITY.
4 SIN THAT PREYs UPON THE VINE
OF LIFE.
Correspondence Of the Disratch)

Correspondence Of the Dispatch)
ALTON, VA, April 2-There is one sin
among the little foxes" that prey upon
the vine of life which needs to be espe-
cially set apart for prayer during our
forty days OF penItence. 1t is the sin
OF unpunctual!ty.
Many an a1athema. that IS none the
less vicious because yelled by poltteness,
IS invoked against this evil, with some
times, I dare say, a muttercd consign-
3 ment Of the offender to the vale Of
Tophet. This little lapse Of human frsilty
is not tied to any particular time,
condition, or class, or, for the matter Of
that, to any creed because the saint
who gets TO church when the sermon is
half way finished is just as culpabe as the
sinner who Is too ,late for the Doxology.
Just q minute later What a vast
waste OF time could be piled up from the
aggregate. As we all know. one OF the
most annoying things Of life IS being
compelled to wait. Try It at the railway
station when the train is two hours be-
| hind time and the sphinx at the key
won't talk; when the tailor Keeps back
your dress suit for The "swell wedding"
and your best friend viii be married in
an hour without your condolence-I mean.
congratulation; when my dainty belle
waits for proposal so late I'm coming,
and he hangs in doubt on the l-ater-
hooks OF her Eyes" or mo-; when Ma
mere waits for the babys first tooth,
and papa waits Gin VAIN for that Office
which was promised him when his man
was elected. These, my friends, are the
waits that are heavier than avoirdupois.
yet they are the eXigeBcies OF existence
one must often endure.
In the amenities of social lie an an
noyance hard to bear-because appa-
rently so Innecessary-is being compelled
to wait when making Il call Tor the lady
Of the house TO adorn herself before
making her appearance. Solomon, I'm all
his glory, never looked half 50 over
dressed as this Aurried hostess, when,
after a long interval, she finally enters
with a flushed face and uneasy manners.
because, In her heart, she knows she has
been guilty Of a weak and senseless
waste Of time. II savors of rudeness, or
bad housekeeping, when visitors are kept
waiting for a complete change OF toilet.
Every woman. barring Illness or acci-
dent, who has IN her the instincts of
removal OF an apron, or the changing Of
q collar, leaves her ready 10 meet Il
guest.
COUNTRY HOSPITALITY
For downright and unaffected hospi-
tality, the free and easy ways of the
country housewife are infinitely pre-
ferable 10 a laggard welcome. Where,
Mrs. Smith, coming across the fields to
borrow a setting of hens, finds Mrs.
Green waiting TO meet her al the door,
and they shell pan Of peas together
on the back-Dorch.
IL IS q pity that housekeepers who
are limited to employing one servant
do not keep a dress 10 be worn in the
house when the necessary work Is done.
Material is cheap enough. dear knows,
and some such gown, made however
simply OF soft goods that would not
crease. would be always ready.
Madame MOhl the French authoress,
was one Of the most attractive women
Of her day, as well as one of the most
approachable, socially. 1t is related that
once while the Queen Of Holland was
visiting the French Emperor, she break
tasted with several famous people at
Madame Mohrs house. Soon after this
dojeuner her Majesty went one morn
ing TO pay a customary visit.
costume-something which was a cross
between q Mother Hubbard" and Ro-
man toga-busy busting the drawing
room. The linen that had just come in
from the weeks wash was spread out
on the dining-room taGle. visible through
the open doors The Queen and her
suite were shown in. The eminent
writer quietly laid down her feather
duster and, beautifully unconscious OF
herself and her toilet, went forward to
greet her Majesty. The company sat
down, and Madame Mohl chatted away
as brilliantly as usual. a friend who
called half an hour afterwards remarked
that she must have been terribly en-
barrassed at being caught in such a
plight"
DIDN'T MIND IT
Not a bit Of it, my dear" said the
Madame. | didn't mind IL in the least;
no more did the Queen. Her lady and
that fine gentleman that walks after her
with the KEYS seemed ready 10 faint
with horror. but the Queen, L could see,
was laughing at It all in her sleeve"
This is charming picture, and brings
with II some excuse for the woman who
'looks we'll TO the ways or her house
hold" For the younger SISTERS or the
sex there is none. Those ;young ladies'
who arrogantly rob callers of time by
keeping them waiting in the parlor.
solely TO show how inconsderate they
can be, deserve the censure OF all right
minded persons.
l call TO mind a miss or this caiibre,
who boosted that she always kept call
ers waiting twenty minutes before
making her appearance. One wide
awake girl. to whom this silly boast was
made called upon my iady awhile after
and sent up her card
The usual message came back by the
servants that her mistress would ''be
down in few minutes
The caller took out her watch; at the
expiration OF seven minutes she wrote on
one of her cards:
II have been gone just thirteen min
utes." But that was her last call.
,rhoro is "a finer or higher question In