The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12
PERSONAL AND SOCIETY
JACK FROST PUT THE ENTERTAIN
Frs To.ROUT LAST WEEK.
Many Little Parties Abandonea-S,
Valentines Day Furnishes
Many Ideas.


iuterfered with society more than ANYTHING
has been known to do heretofore Invita-
tions for large and small entertainments
have been recalled, no hostess daring to ask
her friends to her house when she could not
promise common comfort in the way of
heat one hostess who had invited a partv
became 50 anxious and nervous before she
decided TO recall her invitations. that she
could not sleep. In imagination she had
guests who came decollete in evening
dress. who took heavy colds from the ex
posture in her house. contracted pneumonia
and life was in jeopardy. When morning
came. family council was held. and if
was decided that the party could be post
p0ned and given at a later date At an en-
tertainmeut where one guest had ventured
with low corsage, she put her head wrap
about her shoulders and took her party coat
and wrapped her feet in it. At another en-
tertdinment the men put on their overcoats
and the girls put on their party wraps, and
the affair that promised to be very formal
became the most informal that could be
imagined, the novelty of overcoats and
wraps in the parlor so completely breaking
the ice. One lady went to a dinner in a
thin gown and found that the house was not
warm The hostess did not believe in serv-
ing wine, SO the guest had nothing to warm
her. and she sat with chattering teeth until
she choked on a swallow of water and be-
came so embarrassed that she flushed from
her head to her heels and was warmed by
that. After she felt herself comfortable she
was glad she choked. Few have made So
cidl calls and days at home have been spent
without company. Visits and errands have
been made by telephone, providing the tele-
phone instrument was not in a cold room
and covered with frost. Church entertain
ments and meetings have been postponed
and the clubs have had but a small attend
auce At one club the few who were there
were taken to the bedroom Of the hostess,
where she had an oil stove and they how
cred around it. Where dinners or lunch
cons have been put off, the family has lived
on soups, salads and other delectables
which had been prepared and could not be
wasted and the children have been given
the nuts and allowed to have things usually
denied them. Matters in the house have
been such that whole families have been
crowded into one room, and the family with
the modern house, having large rooms,
broad arches and no doors, have wished for
an old house where they could make one
room comfortable. Families have deserted
their homes and have gone to the hotels to
wait until gas, coal or wood would have
some effect on the temperature in their
houses. Members of families have become
sociable in close quarterE and traits of
character have developed which were here
tofore unknown. The cold has been respon-
sihle for much, and has made an impress
sion in social affairs which nothing else has
ever been known to do.
One of the days OF the year which fur
nshes ideas for a social event, is that of St
Valentine. The valentine itself furnishes
favors for guests, while hearts and darts
cupids, arrows and lovers knots may be used
in endless variety. This season St. Valen-
tines day precedes Ash Wednesday and
is also ShrOve Tuesday a day in the calen-
dar which is set apart for unusual hilarity.
I'm many cities of the world Shrove Tuesday
is the date for the Mardi Gras, when the
whole population takes part in the festivi-
tics. The day of St. Valentine has been
selected in this city for more functions than
have marked any one day for many weeks
The hOstesses have sought novelties in the
shops and at the caterers and have drawn
upon their own stock of originality for odd
conceits which may not be duplicated else
where. In lieu of heart shaped table, a
hostess may have single candlesticks set
in heart form in the center of the table,
or fern dotted with tiny candles. For lunch
cons, the caterer will provide heart-shaped
cups for the bouillon, bread and butter or
sandwiches in heart shape. croquettes, tim
balls, pickles, jellies and toast slices cut or
nodded in heart shape, the ices and cakes,
dishes for the almonds or peanuts and in
fact nearly everything in the whole lunch
con to follow the same form. In the ices
there may be a heart-shaped center of pink
or any other color surrounded with white
or the ice may be in individual forms of
cupds, hearts with darts through them
bow and arrows. For a card party the
invitations. the score cards and prizes may
be selected in this shape without any
trouble, for cut glass, china, silver, fancy
work. baskets and numerous articles are
made i'm heart shape. 1t is an ideal day for
a wedding, a function in which Cupid is
supposed to play the leading part. For a
tea, heart-shaped cakes and ices are about
all that ore can introduce, unless it should
be decorations. For cotillon one may
expect any number of quaint figures and
score of pretty faVors. As red is the color
of Christmas and white of Easter. so blue
Is the color of St. Valentine, the blue mean
Ing true and usually being associated with
the affections. The tri-color rules the holi-
day of midsummer. There IS no one day in
the year when so many things may be
brought together to characterize an enter
tainment as Feb. a. the day which belongs
TO ST. Valentine
The Memphis Commercial Appeal describes
thus a unique party recently given for two
Indianapolis women: Mrs Edward Carey
entertained forty OF her lady friends at
luncheon ANA cards yesterday afternoon in a
most unique and beautiful manner that was
entirely original with the hostess. in honor of
her guest, Mrs. Mckee. of indianapolis. The
luncheon was the feature of the afternoon.
The tables were draped in drawn work of
pure white and set with cut glass and silver
a n