Evening star., 1901-01-19
H7z=z1 1E18HfF= 1873
u LIN ID

The pink tea has lost its power to
charm, but decorations with some special
motif stlll play the most important part of
the modern dinner, high tea or luncheon.
Decorate the room and table effectively and
half the battles won. The hostess who can
invent something new that strikes the eye,
gratifes the tastes and affords a subject
that sets the converse tional ball a-rolling
scores an immediate su, cess. Just at pres
ent there Is a great and growing fancy for
entertainments which carry out in decora-
ton and dishes the peCuliaritiea Of different
nations. IN a nelghpornood devoted 10 card
Paying The happy idea occurred of having
the card parAes OF all nadons, ana ex-
re meiy Jolly and successful they were One
evening .ney had mexican party. The.
decorations of Ihe room where the card
playing went on We're IN Mexican coIorS-
reu, wnite and green. Prizes and souvenirs
were qua NJ BITS OF Mexican po,,ery, NINA
ture sombreros, belts and nat bands of cut
leather, and The eagle pms for which the
McXic>tns are famous. Tne ea,ables at thls
parry We're hot" things, highly peppered
and speed i'll Mexican style. Oys,er cock
taiIS headed the menu, served with crack
ers spa cad with melted cheese and cayenne
pc epp-r. Tamale9, accompanied by frIgoles,
ne brown Mexican beans cooked IN but
ter, followed, af,er VIII Oh came chocolate
and small round cakes frosted with choco-
Idje. The Mexican chocolate is sweet and
bean and cinnamon. On The German even
ing long pipes were provided for the men
TO smoke in little room set ASIDE for this
purpose. The decorat ons of smoking room
aid parlors were the national colors red,
white and black; the refreshments served
were rye bread, frankfurters sauerkraut
coffee and coffee cake, and the prizes little
German flags, min AZURE stems and the
quaint SilVer-mOunted corkS representing
King Gambr nus and the caSk. The cards
used were also German.
The Chinese evening was especially char
acteriStic. The yellow flag, on which the
Chinese dragon disported himself, tluttered
amid multiplicity of Chinese lanterns.
The edibies consisted of chop suey, COM
posed of CHI cken, mushrooms and rice, rice
cooked so that each kernel was perfect, and
served with scal, Chinese sauce like our
Worcestershire Lychee nuts with their
sweet and pervasive odor, much like sandal
wood. kumquat and ginge. preserves, and
dragon's-beard tea ad libitum. The latter
was poured by young lady in Chinese cos
tune, who served the beverage to weary
players on demand in dainty Chinese cups
from a dragon-decorated teapot Chop
sticks, co ms, little dragons in pottery and
paper and Chinese water plants in flower
| were served souvenirs.
At the Russian party the samovar was of
course. in evidence, while various Russian
delcacies. including caviare and "Bliny'
cakes. were served the guests. Favors here
consisted of the pretty Russian wooden
bowls. embroideries and pins.
The Japanese evening was especially easy
to prepare, because of familiarity with cos
, tunes and manners Each guest had pair
of chop-sticks at supper. The decorations
were ehrysanthemums alternating with the
national colors. The walters wore the
''Ge sha" and selections from The Geisha"
were rendered during the evening. Japan
csc curios In lacquer, bronze and teakwood
furnished the favors.
The Turkish, Roumanian, Persian, Irish
Scotch and American evenings were all OBJ
served in characteristic style.
Needed information was obtained by con-
f, sult'ng books of travel relating to the spe-
cal country under consideration or inter-
viewing returned travellers.
The hospitable instinct Is now In the as
cendant. and varied and mutitu-.nous are
] the forms in which it finds expression
Among smart people, its demonstrations