The record-union., 1899-04-12
SWELL DINNERS IN new YORK
LATEST FADs AND FANCIES IN
UPPER TENDON.
Some of the. Famous Hostesses Of
the Day in the American
Metropolis.

There is no question but that dinner
giving in New York is really science
1t is not merely getting together lot
of food and inviting a set or people
to partake thereof, but it means that
everything as regards food, table deco
ration, service and the choosing OF con-
genial guests must be most carefully
planned and carried out. For moth
ing short of perfection is allowed.
Great exception was taken few
years ago to the remark that was made
by a man who, was in great demand fer
dinners He said that he never accept
ed an invitation to a halfway house, by
halfway meaning an economically
run establishment, or where he was not
sure of having a good dinner.
AS the man himself never entertained,
his brutally frank speech was resented
by people whose invitations he had de-
cIined, but, after all, he was not sucn
a cad as his remark indicated
He made a business of dining out,
naturally wanted the best, and IN re-
turn made himself so asreeabie that
those hostesses who secured his SER
vices considered themselves very fortu-
nate.
DINNERS THAT ARE SOCIAL HITS
Dinner giving in New York has, like
almost everything else, reached point
of extravaganza that is somewhat ap-
palling for people of moderate incomes
and strong social aspirations to con-
template But at the same time there
never was so much opportunity as now
to make a hit socially with apparently
simple dinners, provided thare is some
marked individuality as to the dishes
furnished, the wine. the table decora-
tions and the guests that are gathered
together No gathering in OF guests at
the last moment from highways and
byways" is to be thought of at these
unique little dinners. If congenial pco-
pie cannot be secured for the first in
stance, the dinner is postponed until
such time as it is possible.
The women of the smart set openly
acknowledge that the question OF din
ners is entirely give and take. They
invite people who have invited or Will
invite them in return for they frankly
say, What is the sense of my vast
ing a place at my table on some woman
who may be very charming ana agree
able, but never entertains?
That this give and take IS no mere
idle statement, but an absolutely cor
rect one, was exemplified last week,
when woman who has been rather out
of social life on account OF being in
mourning for two or three years sent
out cards for two dinners, one follow
ing the other a week apart in time. Now
mark how her bread came back but
tered. Within two days she received
eight invitations to dinner, every in
vitation coming from one or another
of the people she had invited to dine
with her.
FORMAL DINNER GUESTS.
Tine invitations that are sent out for
formal dinners are not of necessity to
even friendly acquaintances. They are
sent to desirable people, desirable from
a social standpoint. and the nleresr ac-
quaintance is thought sufficient to war
1ant dinner invitation. In sending
an acceptance to an invitation. by the
way, the latest fad is to send the visit
ing card by a footman the same day.
what the empty honor means no enc
knows. 1t is the fashion 50 TO do. and
must needs be done.
There are not many dinners given
where the guests number over sixteen.
OF course there have been this year
several where the guests numbered over
fifty, but such an affair as that is
scarcely to be considered as a dinner
but a banquet.
At the wonderful dinner given by the
Gerrys a short time ago to seventy
guests, and which was really one of
the most superb affairs of the kind
there was quite lot Of criticism be-
cause the chairs had to be placed so
close together as to make it difficult to
serve the dinner properly, in spite of
the number of most gorgeously liveried
men servants.
One young woman, at a dinner given
by a social leader was obliged TO go
home in consequence of a Ruddy duck
being landed in her lap instead of in
the plate in front of her. All this goes
to show that even with limitlcss ex-
penditure accidents will occur, even in
the best served families.
WHAT DOES A DINNER COST?
There is nothing about which there
is so much discussion as the question
of what it costs to give dinner in New