The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-11

York Press, in this is not included either
the extremely rich or the extremely poor
but those people who consider themselves
poor by comparison with their friends
and those who are considered rich by COM
parison with the people who have not an
assured income. Entertaining is a serious
business in New York in the present state
of society, so serious a business that there
is great danger of its soon becoming abb
solutely old-fashioned, with the exception
of tremendous affairs-what the society
papers call functions.
An interesting discussion was held the
other day on the subject of for how much
it was possible to give dinner OF
course the discussion was held among wo-
men. The richest women at the table
for all this took place at a dinner-said
she could entertain six or eight guests. at
dinner each week-one night week, that
is-and that her bills each week would not
be over $40 or $50 more than usual. An
other woman said it would cost her at
least 800 20 entertain that number of peo-
pie once a week, while the third woman
brought down the house. so to speak, by
announcing firmly that il cost her $3.50.
Then what the menu should be was
brought up, and the end of it was the for
nation of a dinner club which is extreme
ly smart and exclusive, where the price of
the dinner is limited to $780, including
wines. So far only one dinner has been
given, and that is a success. but there are
rumors that the hostess has exceeded the
allowance and basely provided several
things from her own private purse, and
that the decorations for the table we've all
sent by some sympathetic admirer.
The woman who lives in a formal way
all the time, keeps at least two men SER
wants, chef and a kitchen maid, does not
have to provide so many extra things
when she invites people to dine with her,
for in so large a household there is always
lavish provision made, consequently there
is really not such lot more to order. In
such house for instance, oysters, fish,
one entree, a roast, salad and game, des-
sert cheese, coffee and liqueurs are an
everyday provision. When guests are in
vited the only difference made is in hav-
ing another entree or, perhaps, some diff
ferent. some rarer species of game. The
chef is always so good that there is no ne
cessity for bringing in an outside cook,
and two well-traned men servants are all
that are needed to wait upon eight or ten
people.
In the smaller households, where there
s, a good plain cook and one smart wait
-ess having eight people extra to dinner
Involves engaging a Swedish cook (there
are two or three of these women who are
busy every day in the year, at so an even
ing, bringing in man servant or maid
servant and then providing much more
elaborate menu. In such a household as
described, champagne is not the daily
drink, nor are the wines of the most eX-
pensive quality, so 1t can readily be seen
that 800 or $500 can easily be disposed Of,
for 1t would never do to ask Mrs. So-and-
So to dine at your house and offer her a
dinner in any respect inferior to the one
hat you would have at Mrs. VanderDits-
she simply wouldn't come again If you did,
and as Mrs. So-and- SO is a charming wo-
man, whose acquaintance is most desira-
bic. II is worth while making an effort
However. there are so many Mrs. So-and-
Sos 10 invite that by the end Of the sea-
on the bin for dinners is likely 10 be
some what appalling.
good waitress receives now anywhere
rom so 10 s35 a mOnth-the less work she
Ices the higher her wages. A butler has
rom so 10 $50 a month, and the higher
wages he receives the more assistance he
eequires. There must be a second man, OF
curse. then a third man in the pantry.
with a woman to wash the dishes: but.
o the other hand. 10 engage extra GER
Zee ~ an expensive matter.
Besides, those men servants who 20 out
this way are in such demand THAI their
~ecs become well known, ana it docs raih-