Evening star., 1902-03-15
THE POVERTY CLUB
A st. Patrick's Day Expert
ment In q Small Town.
A REAL GREEN PARTY
A MENU WITH EVERY DISH HAv-
ING AN IRISH NAME.
A Large Amount Of Fun With Small
Expenditure Of
Money.
A REAL GREEN PARTY

Merton was famed, not for it's social di-
versions, but for its lack Of them Conse-
quently life in Merton was a trife monot-
onous. Mrs. Hope. the cultured and inter-
esting wife Of the new owner of the linen
factory in the place, at first entertained
hopes of converting the misguided woman
kind, but all attempts were frustrated by
some ones exclaiming, 'Oh, it's all very
we'll for you to talk, Mrs Hope. You have
handsome house, an excellent cook, trained
servants and l. excuse the personality
"a bigger bank account than the rest
of us. 1t is an impossibility for people with
l,5oO, or what Is worse, nothing certain a
year. to think Of entertaining more ambi-
tously than to invite one or two intimates
in to tea"
The other ladies all agreed with Mrs
stone, so Mrs. Hope regarded the discus
sion as futile. Argument with women Is
apt to produce little Of a converting ma
ture, especially where personal feelings are
| involved. Mrs. Hope dropped the matter
apparently. but subsequently evolved plan
that completely routed her enemies.
In Merton Invitations to anything were
In the nature of a surprise, if not a curios-
ity. So. when, in the combination grocery
store and post Office, there appeared twelve
| air Of something about to happen permeat-
ed the atmosphere of Merton, especially
! that section OF it in which dwelt the best
families. the wives OF the doctor, the law
yer, the preacher, the principal Of the High
School. and others Of like condition OF
servitude."
The cards. when examined, contained the
name of Mrs. John Worthington Hope"
and In one corner the words, Luncheon,
at l O'Clock. Saturday March the seven
teenth, nineteen hundred and two
A Green Party.
The 18th Of March arrived as days have
habit OF doing If one waits long enough,
and twelve ladies presented themselves at
the handsome home Of Mrs. Hope a little
before l o'clock None of the ladies had
thought that the day was st. Patrick's
day until they were admitted by Mrs
Hopes parlor maid. then the vivid green
rosette on NOrah's gown, as we'll as its
companion on her cap, would have revealed
her nationality. That the day was St.
ratrlcks had evidently not been far out of
Mrs: Hopes reckoning. as the first vision
of the dining room announced Green pre-
dominated everywhere In the decorations
employed. fvid green tissue paper lent
bo1d but striking effect, as it decorated
fruit baskets, bonbon dishes and, the table
entire
The uncovered table of polished mahog-
any had large centerpiece of white lace
paper lined with green, which supported a
green Bohemian vase filed with 8 modest
but effective dozen of white carnations
The plate doilies We're also Of paper as
were those upon which rested the dainty
little dishes containing olives candies and
jelly. The cost of this entire decoration
all the ladies knew would be about Is cents
and was Just as effective as IL Mrs Hone
had used the handsome honiton set which
she was known to possess The small
dishes were tied with narrow green rib
bons. as We're the handles of the cups and
all the fancy spoons.
The hostess looked tisfied with her first
aSpI
or her guests Instantly assumed.
An Irish Menu.
At each place a menu card bearing,
IN addition to the name, writhing snake
of emerald hue painted by the hostess her
self. To the right was the menu, and after
the ladies pinned on the green rosettes
which lay upon their napkins they scanned
their cards, they soon detected was ex-
pected of them. The menu was as follows:
Murphy Bisque, 81 cents
Killarney Chops 30 cents.
Irish Fried Spuds, 10 cents
EmeraldS, 20 cents. ....
Chicken Paddles Ceases home made), S5
cents.
Shamrock Salad Hibernian Sauce, so cents
Shillalahs. 10 cents.
Blarney Cream (home made). 40 cents
Olive Greens, Colleen Jelly, 25 cents.
Coffee Bawn, 10 cents.
Sweetings. 35 cents.
Total. $4.O5.
Decorations. 95 cents.
AS course after course appeared wonder
gave place to fast-yanishng skepticism as
the ladies realized the cleverness Of Mrs.
Hope in giving this practical demonstra-
tion of her theories. The cookery was ex-
cellent. and the guests were as pleased as
little children with the surprises that
awaited them. Murphy bisque proved to
be cream OF potato soup, and served with
1t were shilalahs Cheese straws). borne in
a toy jaunting car. This was lined with
green paper. and the donkey drawing It
was beribboned with green Much merri-
ment was caused as each lady helped her
self to a shllalah the next In turn draw
ing the imitation jaunting car until it was
again I'm its place at one corner of the ta-
BILE. Chicken paddles were the masquer-
ade costume assumed by chicken pates,
and their finishing touch was a tiny Irish
flag. which, sewed to a toothpick. waved
proudly aloft they were served by the
now almost hysterical maid from Erin.
Killarney chops were our long-tried friends.
lamb chops. Irish spuds were French Tried