Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-08
AFTERNOON TEA,
The Means of Many Happy Little Re-
unions.

The Means of Many Happy Little Re-
unions.
From HaIpers Bazaar.
The graceful function which little by
little has established itself among us. not
as a formal method of entertaining ac-
qua1ntances, but as pleasant and intimate
way of meeting and honoring friends, is so
charming and SO convenient that once
adopted in home it will not be suffered
to fall into allegiance. For one thing, the
necessary expense of ) o'clock tea may be
reduced almost to the minimum. The first
outlay OF teacups and saucers, the copper
or the silver kettle, and the rest of the
dainty and pretty equipage. need not be
costly, and indeed most people have al
ready in their possession all that they
need with which to furnish the low round
table. and thus have at hand the material
for forming "a household center near the
fire, or household rallying place in a cor
ner of the library or the drawing room.
The Vands, too, are of the very simplest
n few biscuits, little thin bread ard but
ter plum cake if you like and a hearty
Welcomc-theSe are absolutely all which go
TO make up the needs muSts Of afternoon
tea.
The tea must be of the very best. Fra
grant Ceylon is excellent. and so is the fin
est English breakfast tea; so is a fine
grade OF India tea; so is a good blend of
oolong and souchong, with dash of orange
pekoe Tea making is perfectly simple
process. The water for it must be freshly
drawn from spring or hydrant, and must
be brought quickly to the boiling point
over the fire, or if in the drawing room,
over an alcohol lamp. Then, using a tea
spoonful Of tea for a cup. pour the boiling
water on the leaves, and let it steep for
two or three minutes only Cream and
are requisites to complete the beverage II
there be a pretty girl to make and pour
the tea, so much the better; but a cup
of . O'Clock tea can be made by any lady,
while she is entertaining her guests, and
the guests will themselves assist her in
handing it around, if she prefer the alb
sence of the maid.
When 1t is generally known that on a
certain day at O'Clock, or every day at >,
a friend is at home and glad to see those
who stop in without formality it comes to
pass that many charming little reunions
take place without special preparation, in
Vltatlon or announcement. And if there
be IN town stranger to whom you wish
tC pay compliment, if some dear friend
Is stopping with you, either for visit or
en- route to some other place. how easy
to send about ones cards. the ordinary
visiting cards, with ITO meet Mrs. Smith.
or Miss Caraway Jones, Thursday Janu-
airy 10, tea at D." written upon them, and
then there may be, if you like, though by
ITO means OF necessity Il slightly more
elaborate plan for refreshments. You may
nave coffee frappe, or chocolate, or an
ice, or bon bons, or two kinds of cake, or
hot scenes, or sandwiches, or even salad.
But If you do not care for the time and
toll and trouble. the cup of tea and the
wafer, or the fairylike slice of bread and
butter Will serve every purpose.
An invitation to tea in olden days meant
a hot dish of two oysters of chicken pie
cold tongue and ham, hot rolls, four kinds
of cake five kinds of preserves, a rich and
lavish and generous provision, and sit
ting down to supper. 1t still means this
in some parts of our country, but in the
large towns, where a late dinner is the
rule, and men are all day long at business
and women are much rushed in carrying
on their society obligations, such an ar-
fair, even in the modified form Of a high
tea, is seldom heard of. Instead We have
the foreign fashion, now become domestic
of simple edibleS, and the cup that cheers
of bright talk of the touch and go of wit
and repartee, the meeting and the parting
which are brief but full of good-fellowship
and real camaraderie. So much is going
on, there are SO many things to do, time
is such a whirl, life is so short, that we
are forced on every side to consider our
limitations. and We find ourselves rested
and frightened and buoyed up both in
company and at home by ourselves, by our
cup Of afternoon tea.