Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-19
The Etiquette
Of
Afternoon Tea
BY Margaret Douglas.

An at home day" is a useful in.titu-
ton, both for hostess and guest, and Wis
itlng must have been fruitless undertake
ing before this practice became common.
The choice of a day is a somewhat I'M
portant matter, as one must endeayor not
to let 1t clash more than is necessary with
the 'at home days OF ones Intimate
frIends. If a weekly at home l., too much
OF tax. two days in the month, through
the season, may be chosen: and this may
be either the first and third Monday, say.
or else the Sd or 7th OF the month, on
whatever days of the week they may hap
pen to fall.
When once the choice is made, the
hostess must be careful not to depart
from 1t. No matter what pleasure she
may have to refuse, she must on no &C
count neglect her friends for the sake OF
her own enjoyment.
When a person has set up-a day
invited people from distance to
to it. she is responsible for their a.
ness to the extent of a welcome and
cup of tea, and nothing but illness or
bereavement should Interfere with the
function.
The day when one is at home is printed
on ones card. opposite the address. This
card is left when paying calls, or sent by
a call.
IAN ELASTIC FUNCTION"
The lat home" day is an elastic func-
ton. and may either be frightened by
music and recitations, or may consist OF
nothing. more substantial than tea and
talk.
When there are no entertainment it Is
usual for visitors to take their leave after
twenty minutes or half an hour.
The hostess greets her guests with a
cordial hand-Shske. Just here a word
about the up-to-date hand-shake. A year
ago, or less. people used to p'1ll one an
others hands down from on high, when
shaking hands, as il pulling q bell-rope.
The proper thine now in Misunderstanding is
to take your friends hand with your
fryer and mo, it slowly to the left and
then to the ght. at the level of the waist
line. the arm and body being drawn back.
with lust a suggestion Of reserve in the
attitud
About that much discussed subject. in
Productions the custom is one which
should not h allowed to die out. It
should be looked at as a natural out
growth of true kindness. good breeding
and the courtesy that we owe to each
other. Where hostess, as is frequently
the case at tea is assisted by number
OF young girls, II is easy 10 dIIdHSe tiie
introductions Of each guest to two or
three others. so that no one may be left
unoccupied The younger woman IS al
WAYS presented to the older one; the form
is. Mrs Knickerbocker, allow me to pre-
sent Miss Manhattan to you" The man
is ALWAYS presented to the woman. Mrs.
Black, allow me to present Mr.. White to
your
Two ladies can shake hands on being
introduced It is considered good form.
Young women, when introduced to
vouns men. should not offer to shake
hands.
HOW TO SERVE TEA.
There are different ways of serving tea
at afternoon "at homes" the choice Is
regulated somewhat by the number OF
neople present. At small tea. the
hostess pour. out the tea herself and
passes it to her guests, or she Is asslsseo
by the young ladies Of the party A ser
want may bring in tray, with the cups
of tea ready poured out, and pass It to
each new arrival in turn, with the plates
Of thin sandwiches and ca4-e5.
For large receptions, the tea Is served
IN the dinlng-roon1. and is OF more elao-
crate chars cter At either end OF the
ia BILE i. the tea urn and the chocolate pot,
Zach presided over by one of the young
women who is assisting the hostess In
receiving. A samovar, or large silver urn.
is used for the tea, and there are sand
wiches of caviare pate de role gras. be
sides rolled bread and butter, sweet bis
cults and small cakes. &
-Aurv nr1p SpnfN8 IN ,rHE SAUCER