The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07

U(r@WISH somebody would institute
tS3I a reform among Indianapolis
49, women in the matter of sending
IRDPI regrets" said the hostess, as
she Struggled down in her easy
chair in front of the glowing CRATE, and
slipped her tea. There are lots of host
esses who wish that reform in the way of
acceptances would be instituted too, but 1
would be content to put up with affairs if
only the matter of regrets were improved
upon. Why, I'll venture that in the cases
of receptions and teas not one out of every
ten women who fail to come sends regrets
to the hostess, either before or after the
party. Sometimes, of course, you can't
send them before; something happens all Of
a sudden, such as an out-of-town man that
you want awfully to see happening in just
that one particular afternoon, or something
of that kind, and you just can't go, in spite
Of having by your silence tacitly accepted
the invitation. But the greater number of
women who fail to accept their invitations
for the afternoon teas know perfectly well
days beforehand that they aren't going.
and they just, simply neglect to send their
regrets, and trust to apologies later TO make,
up for their absence"
fire, as the fierce winds outside blew the
snow and seet against the window panes.
Sometimes regrets are worse than the
absense of regrets" said she, with the air
of one who knows. "Once planned a lovely
luncheon for a bride. There were to be just
twelve at the table, and the girls were to
be just the dearest friends of the guest of
honor The day before the luncheon 1 had
rf,, Of h. rsrls-
saying that she absolutely had to go out
of town the next day, and was taking a
noon train, so + called up one of my best
friends and stated the case to her frankly,
and she agreed to take the extra place. 1
had taken days to plan everything, and my
decorations and arrangements were all per-
feet. 1 had ordered a dozen of the most
exquisite little baskets you ever saw for the
flowers. and my ices were in the most
charming forms-and / had only ordered
twelve of them, too because the affair was
simply breaking me up anyway. My first
guest had just arrived when the telephone
bell rang frantically, and L was asked for.
1t was the girl who had sent regrets, and
she said that she had found that she could
take a later train and meant all morning
to telephone me that she could come to my
luncheon after allj but had been busy
packing. and that she was now just about
to start for the house. OF course, the extra
girl came, too, so there were thirteen of us
to sit down at the table, which made things
cheerful; my basket and my ice and all the
other things of which there were just
twelve went to make up the portion of the
regretful girl, and. of course, it spoiled the
harmony of the decorations and everything
else. And that girl kept saying she knew
that ! would so much rather she had come
than to have stayed away simply because
she sent regrets. But wouldn't"
But that's just a single case" said the
hostess. You can't make rule out of that.
And even after that experience you can't
deny the way women here don't send re-
grets to parties is simply lamentable. Why,
you remember that big reception that Mrs.
Blank gave last week-Or rather the big re-
ception she planned. She sent out more than
200 invitations. and there were seventy-five
calIers-and she had twelve notes of re-
greet It's shameful thing TO let hostesses
carry out all their arrangements for a large
number of guests, and then have few ar
rive OF course, that day was dreadfully
cold and disagreeable, but messenger boys
and postmen are in existence. l declare, if