The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-21

things are served hot: that the cold
things come on In a state Of perfect re-
frigeration. and place emphasis on the
perfection of your coffee.
The Really Festal Board.
It is the table whereat the hostess pre-
sides with ease and grace. Her influence,
her manner make for success or failure.
AS hostess, your first ingratiating i'm
preston Is made by greeting your guests
as tho their arrival was for you the full
fillment of long cherished desire.
It makes no difference how hard a day
appointments 1t has held; those you en-
tertain must not for an instant suspect
that you are in anything but most
radiant humor
There are would-b hostesses who don't
seem able to understand that their role
calls for some OF the talents and the self
sacrifice Of the actor who comes before
an audience Cheerful agreeability is the
watchword of the aspiring hostess.
By the same token. your gown must
be bright and becoming. A frock that is
open in the throat and elbow -long in
sleeve is the costume for the hostess Of
a little dinner. Wear no gloves.
In your part Of dinner hostess. do not
seem irritable or disconnected If guest
is a trifle overdue. Show the delinquent
an amiable countenance: accept his ex-
cuses or explanations readily. You can
display great deal Of grace or awk-
wardness in marshaling your guests 20
and from the dining-room.
In the little house. or in an apartment,
or at a small dinner Of any sort you
go In first with your women guests. The
men follow.
When in your chair at the tables head.
let this be your golden rule:
Devote all thought and attention to the
guests.
Try not to paralyze your maid with
winks and Kisses because she has forgot
ten to pass the mint sauce with the lamb.
Do not send cold shivers down your
husbands spine because he thoughtlessly
asks for brown bread when you have only
provided white.
You merely freeze the genial currents Of
your guests souls by tearfully apologizing
for the dash of salt In the ice cream, the
odor of hot grease that will come in from
the kitchen. and the dressing that is miss
ing from the salad.
Maintain serene and amiable compos-
ure, even at the price Of decorating your
Utmost sacred feelings. Cling to the con-
viction that SO long as you look happy
your guests will be happy too. The best
food In the world grows chill or sour at the
moment the hostess seems Ill at ease and
unnerved. +
Do not. therefore, apologize for anything
further than to say, Il am sorry that this
talk of something else.
/ When your servant makes a mistake.
call her to your side, and clearly, but In a
low tone. tell her what to do; and while
you talk. observe that each guest seems
well served 355.
| It Is polite at the small dinner to offer
a guest a second helping OF any dish, but
it Is both inelegant and inconsiderate to
insist. when once the delicacy has been
! refused.
/ Be sure If a second helping has been
accepted to take some Of the dish your
tself, and. If possible, continue occupied
with the contents Of your plate as long as
the others are eating. a
| Deplorably tactless is the habit Of some
hostesses who comment upon the small
amount of food that q guest consumes
1t Is neither kind nor considerate at a
semi formal feast to remark, ''Why, Mr.
Blank, you are eating nothing at all; what
has become of your appetizer" or, "I' m
afraid, Robert, Miss Blank does not like
our food; she simply has not touched a
thing"
BY falling into this egregious error, 70,
contrive to render your guest uncomfort.
ably conspicuous and your hospitality 6
wretched burden. You force the unfor
tunate one into explanations, or apologies
or a hopeless embarrassment, and thu.
you have broken one of the sacred laws o1
hospitality, and failed utterly in "The Ar
of Being Agreeable"