The sun., 1903-10-04
CHOosEYOUR AMUSEMENT
THAT'S THE RULE NOW Ar TINE
AMERICAN HOUSE PARTY.


| EO1Ao WuVs AMeO -
There are much easier words to define
than hospitality"
There were two girls exchanging con-
fidences tho other day in Fifth avenue
stage. The other passengers rubbered.
Il was invited to visit the Browns las'
summer at their country place. said one
girl. Il stayed, two weeks. You know
what hospitable people they are
-Of course you had good time sug'
gested the other girl.
The time Of my life" lferventlyl. y
was on the 60 from morning TIL night
There was not an hour Of the day that they
did not plan something for my anuse-
ment.'
Deliver me from that sort OF hospitality,
whispered one Of the listeners.
There was plenty going on In tho even-
ing. but can't say that Cousin Emma did
much for my entertainment during the
day." was the report Of another kind Of
visitor to another house. Had it not been
for the other guests would have had a
pretty dull time Of it. They seemed to
arrange everything TO suit themselves
without saying anything to Cousin Emma
about it, especially In the morning.
In this case, evidently, "the other guests
were more accustomed than was Cousin
Emmas cousin to the style Of entertaining
now usual in the country houses of the
rich. 1t is q style comparatively new to
some Americans, though not to many New
Yorkers.
Are not Americans copying the English
in their fashion OF country house enter
taining?' was asked Of fashionable New
York hostess.
That question always annoys me,
was her response.
Americans are copying nobody Genera
tions ago when lady went to visit another
lady for 0 week or moro abe did and was
done by precisely as she Is now. The inno-
vations In entertaining are rather what ID
different in the best country houses here"
Another equally fashionable woman said
this wasn't 90.
To certain extent 1t is true, Of course,
just as the statement is true that the
habits Of an English speaking woman are
much the same on either side OF the Atlantic,
shs said. ITO my way of thinking Americans
are patterning more and more after the
English country house both in it's equip
ment and the methods OF entertainment.
particularly in the latter. So far ss equip
ment and luxury go we excel everybody.
But it is only OF late years that Americans
have been rich enough for this. Why.
we are almost beginning to have . leisure
class over here. just think Of it'll
"Iwont say that We are aping the English,
but rather that since our rich men have
been multiplied they seem to show q grow
ing determination to possess country es-
tates which sial rival any in the world.
To own park and stable full Of horses,
to say nothing OF q game preser We. is now
quite common in America. 1t was not 80
common even fifty years ago. For this
reason the style Of entertaining at a country
home Of this sort must naturally vary from
that at smaller establishments. In other
words guests may be left more to their own
devices they are
If any proof were needed that there has
been decided change in the style Of coun-
try house entertaining in the last few years,
it was furnished by the remark made the
other day, that 1t is not every one who
knows how to visit
Some guests, it seems don't appreciate
the hos pitality which believes in leaving
them TO follow at any time their own de-
vices. Such persons prefer to breakfast
with the hostess and be In her company
for the greater part Of the day. They
have no desire to dawdle in their rooms
in q morning nor to sit about amusing
themselves. When they leave home to
visit they expect to be 'entertained'-
morning. noon and night.
This is not English. Guests Of this de-
scription are never priced by the hostess
OF the up to date house party and after
one trial are likely to be carefully dropped
from her list OF future guests. On the other
hand, to another class Of visitors the self
amusement programme gives the liveliest
sa, isfaotlon.
Needless to say. the most accomplished
hostess is she who varies her schedule to
suit her guests and who refuses to follow
any cut and dried programme.
Summer before last, said q we'll known
New York hostess, II rented my cousins
country place while he was abroad and
went in for entertaining. quite determined
to pay of at least few Of my social OBJ
ligat ions.
During that summer I never had fewer
than sixteen guests at any time and In all
I entertained 200. II any one should know
anything about country house parties
I should"
Among the things l learned that season
was this: the same programme won't be
successful with all guests. For instance,
In more than one case the majority Of the
women of the party would prefer to dress
up In their pretty ohifFons and muslins and
come down to breakfast with the men.
1 followed their cue and was present, too,
although II there is one thing more than
another that ! loathe, II is to breakfast
out OF my room.
.Then, occasionally, there would be one
guest who had no desire to make use Of the
stable or 20 walking in the morning: who,
in fact, had no talent whatever for amusing
herself and expected never to be left alone.
In such cases l sacrificed myself, for of
course didn't want any one visiting me
to feel neglected or lonely. Fortunately
for me, though. most people In the habit
Of visiting prefer to be let alone in the
morning
II has come to pass that one fashionable
country house programme lis much like
another. And this fact " being criticised,
though TO some minds the programme