The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
DYKES WIDE OPEN DOORS.
0LD-F1sHIOHED HOSPITALITY as
FOUND IN THE SOUTB

In the economy OF social intercourse as now
observed. tho haphazard fashion of inviting a
guest to ones house and leaving tho limit Of tho
visit to his pleasure lie wiped out. People are
invited just as often us they ever were. but they
are invited for q stipulated period. "will you
come at such n time and leave Mt such a time r.
is read within the lines OF Invitation, and this
tacit agreement between inviter and invited
puts things on q comfortable basis and slaves
Off awkwardness. II Is an understood fact now.
adays that. no matter how dear and how con-
genial friends may BIO. 1t is possible for them to
get into each others way at times. or to DO a
discordant element IL they don't happen to
dovetail in with previously laid plans.
"Delighted; but arrive after dinner; table
full that evening"" q woman telegraphed to her
brother the other day. Tho brother. whose
homo was in n distant city and whom she had
not seen for months, was tho sort Of person
likely to be an acquisition to any company, but
his coming would have upset things, and social
mechanism must run without friction. In con.
sentative regions down South, where up-to-date
social regulations have not yet penetrated, this
brother and sister episode would road like q fairy
tale. Chefs and table room. previously paired
guests. and previously laid plans To tho con.
trary. the brother would have had to be provided
for. Not for an hour. nor for a minute, could he
be permitted to 20 TO n hotel while his sisters
roof was within reach. Hospitality in Dixie Is
Of the old-time stamp; and people down in that
innocent region still inconvenience themselves
for one another and go out Of tho way to be ac-
commodating and friendly and go on doing fool.
ish and out-ot.date things, just rs IL the new
code did not exist. AS to the etiquette OF max
ing and receiving visits. It is yet considered a
gross breach of hospitality to allude. ever so re.
moteiy, to the expiration of a guests stay. No.
body dreams Of fixing q date for the speed.
ing of the visitor M well aa for bia
welcome. Once under the roof. to all
intents and purposes the visitor might be going
to remain forever. SO far as outward appear.
ances go. Notwithstanding that the hostess
might be anxious to learn of her visitors plans
in this regard, the date for the termination of
the visit Is shrouded in mystery until accident
discloscs 1t.
Mrs. Longstay told Cousin Alice yesterday
that she expected TO be back in the city bv the
18TH" a member Of the family will contde to
the mistress OF the household.
Indeed. Then you think it would be safe to
write to Rosa to that ~erectf You know she is
only waiting to hear from me-"
81 don't know. Mrs. LonRstay may change
her mind; but that is what she said when Cousin
Alice was leaving" So the matter rests.
Not long ago a visitor at a South Carolina
country house was driven over to the next
plantation to return the call of the family there.
"On which side of tho house is Mrs. :. re-
lated r. the stranger asked on the return trip.
referring to q woman she met there.
oh, she isn't related at all: she's a visitor"
was the reply. Don't you think her lovely
And the way she manages those boys OF hers is
marvel. She has them under perfect control"
"A %visitor!" said the stranger in n puzzled
tone. Why. I'm sure she referred TO some
ago. and remarked how much she enjoyed it,
" Yes, doubtless. she did. Icxpect it's nearly
two years since she came" was the answer.
Two years seems a long time for hospitality to
stretch over, but visits are on record OF nine or
ten years duration and longer. and people spend
the entiro winter or summer with each other, or
women. particularly those freed from school re-
duties, stay months at a time with their favor.
lite chums. 1t is no infrequent thing for a whole
tation for the holiday season:
Il know that Mrs. c. won't be happy without
your wife. and her pleasure won't be complete il
the children are left out. so bring the entire house
his city friends. There's room enough and to
while and have an old.timc holiday"
In some respects the code made to At modern
which wasn't made to ht anything at all. Mod.
they cannot entertain 30 comfortably or so Law
ishly as they themselves have been entertained.
sonal intercourse should there be any difference
In appointments. Where simpler manners and
customs btlll obtain tan area rapidly growing
less this phase Of h matter is never thought OF.
The best we have is at your disposal be it
yo"r OWN ~ me order " Of daily iSu lI msy do os afsS eoaaP. We e;
would set before you something from our. own
lardcr, have you rest under our roof. and break
ever stopped to a~nAlyze the old school hospital
ity this sentiment would be found at bottom.
to the backwoods tenant. hard pressed to make
both ends meet; Indeed, all unconsciously the
the same idea. and would scorn to begrudSe the
best his cabin affords, whether the recipient be
in need or the reverse. The heartiness Of hospi.
stances At the south Is remnrkabie.
"Ihaye n mission over on the other side OF the
back by supper time, said tho master Of a cot:
ton plantation. one winter afternoon. The guest
stumps. creating Of virgin routes through the
pine woods. and various excursions because Of
but what impressed him most was the invita-.
q si9 1ana to s MTaSa b and a ,h nights 1t lodging IH from
only one feather bed in the house. It was o a
master and mistress would sleep, on the floor.
three:room cabin. The fsst-W u,%i'1 IRE Blazing ins
in the chimney place was the cheeriest object in
the the" IRE ,n snd ~ only NO h h%E e' Ss tho Ssie d a"Sr s', "md
rude benches for seats. Probably had the men
with two.prongod forks. and made a meal OF hot
biscuits. saffron colored with soda. bacon and
tenants were We'll aware that the iaInpdlordP'ss
-
daily fare was a feast compared to anything
that they could offer. and his house and APP
pointments wore palatial by contrast. but this
knowledge embarrassed them not one whit.
1T amt comfortable stirrin' round mongst
these black jacks and OLD field pines in tho night
time" said the mistress. as she sat in the chin.
ney corner with her youngest in her lap and two
other little ones %clinSlng to her knees md star
proud to have you stay and make a fresh start
In the morning.
On the homeward journey, when n stretch of
smooth road invited conversation, the outsider
commented on the cordial invitation that they
had declined.
"Kindest.hearted people in the world re-
marked the host mot the typical Colonel. but a
young man trying to reconcile the odds that his
forefathers had left HIM. III these people had
to go to the bottom of the barrel TO make our
biscuits and had to use up the last pound of
bacon they had. IL would be all the same"
when peddlers about hcre put up at such
houses, do they pay for accommodationsf = he
was asked.
Never. To offer to pay for food and shelter
In a house other than q public hotcl would be
tainers' need OF such compensation has nothing
whatever to do with II; indeed. the poorer thoy
r tina mora rtak NJ burtinU thar faalinna ~