The evening times., 1898-08-05
MEN AS HOSTS.
They No Longer Need . Matr0n to

They No Longer Need q Matron to
Preside.
A distinct feature in the society life Of
the day and one which widens each year
is the number of entertainments now
given by bachelors: indeed, bachelor hosts
rank high among entertainers and their
popularity is thoroughly established. The
facilities now at command and of which
men are not slow to avail themselves for
entertaining are far greater than was for
merly the case. Here and there a smart
ball was given by bachelor host or
dinner party at which lavish expense
was the keynote. but these entertain
ments were necessarily restricted in
number and only the very rich attempted
to enter the lists as hosts. Now. almost
every bachelor so disposed is able to in
vite ladies to some sort of entertainment
large or small. as the case may be- to
dinner. to a supper after the play, to
luncheon, to afternoon tea. The numer-
Gus clubs which now exist to which MEM
bers have the privilege of inviting ladies,
render entertaining an easy matter to
those bachelors who. though living in
town. or coming thither for few months
have no actual residence and locate
themselves in the vicinity of their clubs
The clubs out of town and the clubs in
town are all noted for the parties given
by bachelor hosts-dinner parties and af-
ternoon parties. Not a few bachelors re-
side in chambers or in flats, and when
these same are particularly well appoint
ed from an artistic point of view many
are the smart teas" there given.
Not so long ago. according to the Chi
cago News, a bachelor. when giving a
dance or a dinner party. thought 1t nee
txn s.I hx-
sister, an aunt or a sister-in-law, and
ladies were supposed expect the presence
of a hostess on the occasion, but now it
! is thoroughly undersoo that a bachelor
host can receive ladies without the
cobntenance of the aforementioned
relative. and. If present. 1t is as a
guest. not as a hostess. widower. on
the o. her hand. with young daughters
just out. would probably ask a smart
| married sister to assist him in receiv-
ing his guests at a dance. Not that her
presence Is required to chaperon them,
but that she may be of use in bringing
his daughters to the front. and introduc-
ing them to his and her personal friends.
releasing them from acting as hostesses.
and enabling them to enjoy the dancing
| going on.
Young men are, as it were, trained
| from boyhood to become bachelor hosts.
The time at preparatory schools is men,
| orable for the luncheons and teas an
| nually given by boys of fourteen
| and upward to their relatives and
! friends; again. these said boys are accus-
| toned to entertain each other in their
| rooms and many are the hampers dis
| patched to them for this purpose by their
| parents. Then, too. the undergraduates
at college not only play the hos at
/ commencement time. but during each
term they entertain the ladies of their
| acquaintance at luncheon and afternoon
| tea at their rooms. both in and out of
! college. Young subalterns in the army
are equally given to entertaining the la
| dies at whose houses they have been Bid
| den TO dine and dance, and thus from
| boyhood to manhood. from youth to
| middle age. bachelors successfully fui-
fill the role of host" and continue 1t
more or less after marriage.