The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-03
FORMAL AT HOME DAYS.
Many Points in Their FavOr-Duties
of Hostess and Guests.

Oh ilOStcSS ana quests.
Formerly at home days were confined
to the suburbs and outlying districts of
town and were not much attempted in
general society, so to speak and there
was rather an inclination to regard
them as by no means smart and fash
ionable, but merely as an eXpedient to
be adopted by those who were not at
leisure to be at home to callers every
day in the week. So far from this now
being the case, the at home day has be-
come a thoroughly recognized society
institution, so much so that almost
every lady has an at home day either
once week, once fortnight or once
month, as may be- A very general
remark made by new acquaintance is,
Have you a day." or Which is your
day." or Are you at home on any par
ticular day?'
One point in its favor is that calling
on an at home day insures finding the
one whom you call upon at home Then
against this is the fact that many call
ers arrive at the same time, or too close
upon each other to allow more than
few words being said between each
caller and the one called upon, whereas,
when call is made on a day that is
not an at home day, a pleasant half
hours chat may be looked for. always
providing that lat home is the answer
received.
AT home days, held by popular wom-
en- living in central and convenient sit
uations, easily accessible, closely re-
semble small at homes on account Of
the many visitors who call during the
afternoon hours, and who make a long
or snort stay according as to whether
they lind anyone present known to
them. Although the Ostensible reason
for being present is to call upon the one
who holds the at home day yet actu-
ally any conversation that takes place
is carried on with an acquaintance or
acquaintance rather than with the
mistress of the house, and this is quite
unavoidable, as arrivals claim her at
tention every few minutes.
In spite of it's being so, all are willing
to take their chance of saying little
more than How do you do?" to the
lady in question, and of finding some
one present with whom they are ac-
quainted well knowing that at other
houses the position will be reversed,
be visitor somewhere else tomorrow,
when an opportunity of talking to her
may be expected.
1t has been said that at home days
greatly restrict calling in SO far that to
return a card which bears the date on
an at home shows a disregard of the at
home day and an Indifference as to
whether the person called upon is at
home or not, and any inability to re-
turn a GALLON one particular day of the
week often occasions it to be delayed in
a most uncOmplinentary manner, or
even to be postponed indefinitely, there
fore, endeavCring to avoid apparent
want of courtesy in one direction bring
back q distinct lack of the same in an
other, for which many apologies on
some subsequent meeting have to be
made, which are rarely too cordially
received. One of the advantages, how
ever, of alloting a certain day for a GER
tain purpose is that it leaves the other
afternoons of the week free, and in
sures being at home when friends and
acquaintance call.
Introductions are far oftener made
On at home days than at afternoon at
homes, the reasons for this being that
early in the afternoon one or two ladies
only usually arrive at the same time,
and this almost obliges the lady called
upon to make semi Introduction, if
not an actual one, between one or two
of her visitors, as to render a CONVEX
sation general between four strangers
would be next to impossible, neither
could they be allowed to remain seat
ed in silence while the hostess was Civ
ing her attention to one or two of her
visitors. When, however, she makes no
attempt to introduce any of her callers,
perhaps not considering it advisable to
do so, they invariably take their de-
parture at the earliest possible mo-
ment, unless two have arrived together
"a mother and daughter or two sisters
in which case they can talk to each
other until their hostess is at liberty
to say few words to them, or until an
acquaintance or two arrives.-London
Queen.