Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-03

WFK y
"The signs OF tho times"-trees
shooting forth as though by magic
over night: violets, crocuses and
arbutus pushing through the soil to
welcome the sun; the lusty voice OF
the street vender with his "Shad, fresh
Delaware shad," the dark-eyed gypsy
woman with her love for Romany
| colors. ard last, but not least, the
creaKing wagon with its high load OF
table, chairs, bedsprings, kitchen stove
and piano moving to the country. :"
IT'S only of late years that we have
begun to app eciate the charm OF
country life. Poets have been in the
habit OF pra'sing it since the days OF
Homer, but city people a few years ago
were content to give their children
few weeks of country life during the
year, and old New Workers did not even
then move out of the city. The idea of
going to the country, and of finding in it
aTplace to spendlone's money and to
entertain, is an idea that to the
average American is of very recent
growth and the furnace heated city
house. the hustle and the stir were pre-
| feIred to the charms of the country.
| Haw thorne said We were not sufficiently
civilized 10 live in the country.
1t may be years before We make our
country life as agreeable as it is in
England, but the love of the country il
glowing, and right in our midst the
| seed OF this better taste seems to have
fallen on fertile soil. From Claymont
down, ON the river, aud as far as Della
ware City, on the other side all UP
through Biandywine hundred and
round the Highlands are growing up
country colonies, and Wilmington folks
seem to be taking more rational view
OF living.
but once 10 our country house, the
| American woman looks about and
thinks of entertaining. The "house'
mother,'' which | prefer to the harsh
word hostess" is the first person in
the art of entertaining. Her first
obstacle In the way is the problem of
servants. This is problem that seems
eren harder to grapple with in the
country than in town, and the country
'housemother" is happy il she can get
honest people and willing hands to
work for her.
The English woman is probably the
best model ne hostess. There, this
servant problem is solved for her and
her life moves more easily. She has
learned to model her house to look like
home; she has soft touches for those
who like to lounge, high back chairs
for those who would sit up, books for
those who wish to read, games for
those who wish to play. and her house
looks cheerful and cultivated. | use
the word advisably. for all taste must
be cultivated. The spirit of the
hostess should aim at use and beauty,
with an underlying sense of comfort.
This the English woman thoroughly
understands; hei bed rooms are the
apotheosis of comfort; the dinners are
excellent;. the breakfast and lunch
comfortable and easy; tho lawn and
garden are yours for stroll; there are
pleasant PEOPLE in the house: you can
be alone or be. enter tanned, as you
wish; that most dreadful of sensations,
that somebody has you on his mind
and must show you photographs and
lift Off your epnui, is absent We
have the money, Ts have the vivacity
but the American &woman now has to
cultivate the Fepose Of an English
hostess If shsR wishes to make her
country houss as Agreeable. In our
country homes we onnnot improyise
the antiquity Of tho old chapel, and we
cannot make our roads as fine as those
which enable an English house party
to drive ~ milds, to dinner, things they
have been Thousand years IN doing
but we must ttvfto do things our way
and use our advantages the best we can.
The American woman is generally a
success; she has fought a hard battle
but she has won. What woman with a
country home Of her own who does not
remember some Of her curly failures
the dinner when the baby began to cry
aloud, when the cook spilled the SCUM
all over the range and filled the house
with a bad odor, when the cunfectioner
forgot to send the patties? 4
country hostess is the slave of her
guests after she has invited Them, If
she has nothing to offer them but a
small house, cup of tea and a smile.
she is Just as much a hostess as though
she were entertaining at a Georpian
court. The hostess should be as serene
as summers day il she entertalns.
Let her do it iu her own individual
way; q small way il necessary. There
Is much In Touchstone's philosophy,
"A small thing but mine own She
must have the instinct of hospitality,
winch is TO give pleasure to one !
guests.
The dining room should he the mos,
agreeable room in tho house. Nova
days china and glass are very pretty
and cheap, and they can be bought
and left in the house all winter u IN
out risk. II 10 well to be very easv
about breakfast laws; if possible eiye
your guest an Opportunity to breakfast
10 his room; dinner at whatever hour
is formal one, and every guest should
come freshly dressed and in good form
MS the English say. The Arab law ot
hospitality should be Printed over
every door in a country house. "He
Tho tastes my salt is sacred; neither
l nor my household shall attack him
nor shall one word be said AGAINST
him." Your guest has come at your
request; he has entered your bouse as
an altar of safety: no has laid b;s
armor down; and if in careless hon,
you discover his weak points, be care
full how you attack him.
simplicity, is the keynote of good
taste In country entertaining, hut II
must not be forgotten that this sim.
piicity can only Ee obtained by In,
most studied, artful care" as Gray,s
Elegy reads. As the most easy and
FLAIR, poetry in the world, We must re.
member that Gray wrote every verse al
This immortal poem over MANY times.
and the hostess who learns enough AMI
70 consider it in her simple entertain,
ing has achieved that perfection In he,
ant which Gray reached. However. Ii
the art OF entertaining ma kes hostesses