Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-12-22

: where you have anything to eat, from
wafer and a cup of tea to a regular
luncheon menu, commencing with
bouillon and ending with coffee"
"But I thought tea and waters were
served only at a tea, objected the
interIocutOr.
THAT is a popular falIacy," agreed
the one who knew everything. But
have more than once found tea and
waters Haunting themselves at affairs
called by the women who gave them
receptions. 1t all depended on
whether the hostess owned a Russian
samovar. If she did, she could not
withstand the temptation to put it at
one end of the table with her most
| artistic-looking friend behind it. 1t is
SO decorative and picturesque, she
said. Her adjectives we're all right,
but her tea was usually very bad
I know lots of women who distin-
gulsh afternoon affairs by what is
served declared a thoughtful OBJ
server When the menu is limited
! to glance at the samovar and a cup
OF lukeWarm tea they call it an in
the informal reception, reception and
addition OF sandwiches and sailed
nuts makes it tea, while ices and
coffee transform it into an informal
reception. When there's a woman in
q reception gown at each end of the
table, it becomes the most formal
of afternoon functions. You never. can
tell what you are going to until after
you have been, any way, for invita-
lions throw no light on the matter.
1t would seem to me-" remarked
the interlocutor, with wrinkled fore
head, that your friends would like
every party to be either a buffet
luncheon or an informal dinner
"They would, indeed" was the
prompt response. ut is rather anus
ing that there were not half a dozen
receptions given all last year in Min
neapolis, but nearly every woman who
received dubbed her affair a tea. AS
one Of them said to me: You don't
have to do anything in the way of
decoration or refreshments at a tea,
and you can dispense with music en-
half what a reception will cost and
entertain the same number of friends"
Guests, you mean" interrupted
the third voice. Zone cannot have
200 friends, and one seldom invites
less to a reception"
"But have always thought that the
name was a question of hours and not
of food on
voice, joining in the discussion "A
tea can be given only from 4 until
o'clock, just as the hours for a coffee
are definitely stated as from until
or a chocolate from 10 to 10. The tea.
is native of England and no Eng
lishwoman would think of announcing
it to begin at o'clock and dwadle
all through the afternoon. A recep-
ton may include a tea or a coffee or
a chocolate if it commences early
enough and lasts long enough for it
may be given at any hour in the morn
ing, afternoon or evening. But a tea
is confined to the two hours preceding
6 o'clock by the woman who really
understands the little distinctions OF
entertainments"
II believe you are right in theory,
but in practice you will find that
Minneapolis women grade their enter
tanments as the tea the informal tea.
the informal reception, reception and
formal reception with the accessories
to match and they give any one Of
them at any hour they please"
"Then they are wrong" and the
fourth voice never lost it's emphasis.
and you would sooner be right
than be-Mrs. President" misquoted
somebody.
81 would, indeed" the answer was
unhesitating. "A woman cannot af-
ford to make social mistakes"
'Then tea is always a reception
but reception only occasionally be
comes a tea to the woman who is cor
rect?"
Exactly" declared she who knew.