The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-30
AS TO HOSPITALITY.
Its Uses and Abuses-AII Sorts of
"Fiendn Guests.

FIend" Guests.
There are certain guests that fill us
with terror" said Mrs Franklin w.
Hooper at the conference of the Brook
lyn institute held last week. Mrs.
Hooper was the former president of
the Brooklyn Woman's club, and she
was talking on the Use and Abuse of
Hospitality"
'The fresh air fiends," she contin-
ued "the food flends; the people who
must have certain kind of food: the
people who must have their coffee a
certain kind of way; the people who
cannot drink tea or coffee either. but
must have boiling water, and can't
believe it is boiling unless they see it,
SO that if one has not the little alcohol
apparatus she is tempted to bring in
the kitchen teakettle for ocular demon
stration. h'1
And yet, on the other hand, can't
help sympathizing with the guest
who feels she must have boiling wa
ter, and has a well-founded suspicion
that the fluid brought her so daintily
in the china cup is portion of that in
which the turnips were boiled.
'The 'fiend, however, is only an ex-
ception. He is not really so difficult as
the ordinary guest who comes in a
free-and-easy way and makes himself
too much at home; takes possession Of
the house and makes the family feel
for a time that their rights are blotted
out. On the other hand there is the
hostess who doesn't leave her guest
one moment to himself; who plans en-
tertainment for every waking hour.
To those whe live in the city means
of entertainment are all. too plentiful,
and they may be- safely left to care
for themselves. There is Grants tomb,
in l.,
guest from the country who was COM
ing to Brooklyn who did not write
specifically beforehand that to see
Grants tomb was the one thing he
must do?
"Others want the opera every night.
and others three famous pulpit orators
of Sunday, and as many more as they
can pack into the week. But the truly
gracious hostess never winces. She re-
members that an invitation once given,
hospitality Is sacred She recalls the
pleasant refuge her country friends
house has been to her in summer; the
solace of the woods and fields, the
limpid skies and dewy morns; all
these things, so commonplace and mo-
notonous to the country dweller, such a
well of joy to the city visitor. Then she
remembers that everything has now
the same delicious quality of change
and novelty to her country visitor, and
she is glad to be able to give so much
pleasure with so small effort"
Under the head of "The Ideal Guest"
Mrs. Hooper gave an inimitable ac-
count of certain house party of COL
lege boys and girls at a house of her
acquaintance.
Manners of Some College Boys.
"At a certain beautiful country
home" she said, there were nine young
people in the house, five girls and four
boys, two of the girls and one of the
boys being children of the house. All
the girls were Radcliffe girls, and all
the boys college boys except one, who
was in business in New York. The son
of the house had invited the boys, in
an off-hand way, under the impression
that they were to come successfully.
AS it happened, they all turned up at
the same time, and an excellent oppor-
tunity was afforded to study the col
lege boy on his travels
THE first one, a Cornell student, ar
rived without word of warning. The
son had driven to the village, some
miles distant, for the mail. At the Of
flee he found a postal card, without
date or signature, saying, Will be in on
the 6:15 train He didn't know which
of his friends it was, but he surmised
that some one was. to be met at that
train. So he waited and met him.
Meanwhile supper, waited for him at
home. Everybody got hungry, and the
maids were very much inconvenienced,
but, expecting him every moment, they
put off the meal. When the two boys
finally drove in. the guest was shown
to his room, and gentle hint was Civ
en- him that it was very 1ate-the sup
per had already waited for nearly an
hour-and that they would be very
glad if he would come as quickly as
possible.
HE did not come down for an un-