The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-14

not to entertain at all unless ne can 90
so in a style that reflects credit above all
else on his pocket-book. He struggles
thru years Of effort and achieves financial
success and middle age, without having
once sweetened the long years Of toll by
dispensing that unassun1ing hospitality
which Is always possible. At the age Of
4s he has money, and his wife carries the
whole burden Of entertainment on her
shoulders.
He is only hgurehead at one end Of
his glittering board. and only Of import
ance because he pays for the rich food,
| fine wines. and Havana cigars. He feels
4 out Of place, he admits to his intimates
that he hates dinner parties and that he
avoids all functions, even when his wife
Is hostess Of the occasion The guests
at his own house avoid him; he ignores the
guests and resents their behavior.
Well. he Is only tasting at last the In
evitable and very bitter fruits of long
years Of selfish. reprehensible Indifference
to one Of the big duties of life, to that
leading law Of hospitality, which says,
| 'Thou, too, must entertain"
Don't Depend Too Much on the Cook.
ITO invite guest Is to take the re-
sponsibility Of his happiness during his
stay under our roof" says Brillat Savarin,
the famous chef. Directly and indirectly,
therefore, you are accountable to the guest
for the amount Of relish with which he
eats your food.
4 There Is a generosity Of mind and OF
manner as well as that Of the pocket and
the pantry.
! Do not be worried, therefore. because
you are really not able to offer French
dishes to those you entertain.
In the days when Joseph Addison was a
poverty stricken poet, occupying couple
Of cheap rooms, his best table furniture
consisted of a few cracked tumblers and a
broken-nosed tea pot; nevertheless, the
first men of London came to his humble
lodgings.
They drank his weak tea and slipped his
sour wine with much more gusto than
when afterward he married his wealthy
countess and went to live in splendid
Holland House.
1t was the host, not the cook, thai
charmed and attracted.
There are, of course, few men who pos
sess the instructive social gifts of Add
son, but he Is offered as a model Of Wha
any man may legitimately try to be, ant
this instance leaves no plausible argumen
for him who hides his light under bushe
:. by deliberately Insisting that he has nj
time, nor talents, nor income to justify
indulgence in hospitable attentions.
Give your guest ocular and vocal dem
onstration that you are honored and de
lighted to have his company; devote you
energies to setting him at ease in mint
even more than body: welcome him will
, door with good words that send him ava,
satisfied with his own behavior, and flat
tered at your regrets over els departure
and no French duke nor modern million
aire can have been a more correct and
more liberal host than you.
knowledge Is Power
You owe it as much to yourself as tt
your guest to bear yourself in all your re
lations as a host according to the letter o
the law Of accepted etiquette. s.
1t makes no difference in what form you
hospitality Is to be offered learn the rou
: tine of the undertaking. Inform yoursel
beforehand, and you not only smooth tn
: way for yourself, but for those you pur
l pose to entertain.
knowledge is as much power to tn
would-be host as to the civil engineer
Many a time have I seen where the mos
, unforgivable errors could have been deft
| ly avoided had the host known the &C
copied rule formulated for use on just sucl
: occasions.
! Unwittingly ignorant, but none the les
/, ruthlessly. he wounded where he mean
l to please.
Ignorance is never bliss to the man VIII
l sits at the head Of a. table. 1t Offences
spells disaster. Do not, therefore, trus
;, to experience to teach you. She is to-
. rough preceptress to be followed whel
n dealing with the delicate relations tina