Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07
Lads Take Bravely to Their
Duties.
CURED BASHFULNESS
GOOD TRAINING FOR ARMY AND
NAVY CADETS
A Frat" Tea Where tho Youngsters
Did It All From Start
to Finish.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
Valentine parties will be popular as lone
as hearts are young and heels respond to
music. and In planning the social evening
Tor her family Of half-grown children It Is
a wise mother who counts upon the assist
ance Of her boys.
Inc capabilities Of boys in this linz are
seldom appreciated. girl is instructed In
the proper way of receiving guests and look
ing after their entertainment. willis the
average boy In the average family is duly
informed as to clean collars new ties and
other toilet accessories. and then lef, to
his own devices
IL the mother would only try the lad she
would find him taking to the duties Of host
like young duck to water. A boy likes
to feel important. and being the host in
reality as well as on the face of the invita-
lions fills him with a sense Of Importance.
10 which he instantly rises. As a cure for
bashfulness. the responsibility OF looking
after the comfort and pleasure of others
works like charm. A girl, especially after
she passes a certain age. is apt to steal OF
in corner with her best friends and leave
less favored guests to their own devices. A
boy Is more broad minded than his sister,
and. unhampered by furbelows and those
violent fntimacies OF girlhood, divides his
attentions more evenly. .
The First Lesson.
One OF the first lessons taught the cadets
at both West Point and Annapolis IL their
duty to their guests. When their sisters and
mothers. to say nothing Of pretty girl
friends. rally for any Of the social events
for which these two national training
schools are famous. the cadets are obliged,
by certain unwritten rules, to play the host
right royalty every moment during which
q al frny drff Shonv IN
1t that their sisters dance cards, or those
Of the aforementioned pretty girls, arc hll-
ed before the night OF the dance. They must
also average 1t so that no duh or Idle mo-
ments will come to the guests while In An
napolis or West Point. This il one reason
why men Of the army and the navy are 50
popular In all drawing rooms.
At a "Frat" Tea.
One Of the most charming social events
given this winter in a large eastern city
was a frat tea, managed entirely by
young men Of the fraternity The fraterni-
ty colors and designs were used in the dec
orations and the affair moved with a
smoothness that would put many hostess
to shame.
The boys appointed a committee Of five,
who in turn invited five girls to assist the
five patronesses In receiving. The young
men trusted to no well-organized receiving
party, but were constantly on guard, and,
capturing each friend in turn, led her to tho
semi-circle of handsome matrons and
bright-faced girls. A bevy Of the "frat'
boys were also on duty through the parlors,
bent on conducting guests into the dining
room. where still another patroness pre-
sided over a table glowing with candles and
roses-red. Of course, this being the favorite
color with men of all ages Walters were
on hand to serve coffee, frappes, sand
witches. cherry ice and cakes.
The energetic committee had sent flowers
to the patronessas and their assistants all
Of whom wore light gowns, most Of the
girls selecting organizes, and there was q
bewitching array Of aigrettes. half wreaths
and glossy hair It is quite the proper caper
just now for the young girl to have her hair
dressed so that II CLEANS like copper.
So admirably had the boys made their
preparations and SO thoroughly en- rapport
were they with the gentle art OF entertain
ing that the stajd pafronesses caught the
spirit OF the occasion and declared that they
had never seen anything better done.
Incidentally 1t might be mentioned thai
the young men consulted a stauoner Of aus
thorfty in the matter Of cards, and sent QUA
bits OF pasteboard for Invitations no largsp
than ladys visiting card. The name Of
the fraternity was engraved across the cens
ter and in the right+hand corner was Ire
address. In the left-hand corner was Wttes
ten. not engraved. the date and the hour %
the tea,