The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-12
~ HE admirable visitor, the delight
fully considerate. the joyously well
coined house guest, whose man

nerS are sans reproche, Is a rar-
ity. And this Is strange, because
II Is easy, when you stop to think. to
embody. In your simple self, that ideal
OF every hostess, the oft and fervently
invited friend of few days abiding. 1t
Is a sorry but self-evident fact that the
fault OF the average visitor lies in his
seltishness. The average visitor. how
ever, 1T Is only fair to say does not mean
TO be selfish, and, therefore, a few home
truths. dealt out frankly for his reading,
will do him no harm. and perhaps may
ton.
When say that the majority Of men
and women who stop in ones home for
couple Of days, or even q week, are
selfish, don't pretend to assert that they
are coolly presumptuous or grossly exact
ing; their shortcoming is made glaringy
evident thru their reprehensible thought
lessness. That Is to say. they so rarely
stop to generously consider the comfort
or convenience Of their entertainers.
I of an observing nature, and
have not failed to note that the strangers
within my gates are apt readily to &C
cept all the time and talents and arduous
attentions I place at their disposal with
out being In the least mindful Of the pay
ment of effort that they ought to make
in return.
The Price OF Hospitality.
Now, as leading suggestion, for the
betterment Of relations between hostess
and house guest, let me suggest to the
latter that hospitality, like all other good
things in this world. has it's price The
price Is a high and exquisite considera-
ton accorded the heads of the house in
which a stop is made Return to them
your honest fee in careful agreeability for
ell the food, shelter and kindness given
to you, and they will be more than sat
isfied.
Learn now, II you have not known II
before, that 1t Is as grievous wrong tC
visit a home and there make no special
efforts to render yourself especially agree
able as it is to slip away from a hote
without meeting the reckoning.
The price Of hospitality exacts that you
take your invitation to spend one night
O. week end. or a month in a friends
home, very seriously, indeed. Answer il
with decisive promptness that can leave
no shadow Of doubt in your hostess MIND
to when, how and where you will ar.
rive, and just how long you will lay claim
to the luxurious or simple protection o.
her roof.
I could. II would. unfold tales O
guests who answered my invitations a
their leisure, and with a distracting in
deflniteness that left me in doubt as tt
whether could expect one or six person:
over Sunday. I could also relate instance!
OF the friend who wrote to say Il can
not come on Saturday, the 10th. but
Will come instead on Wednesday. thu
,4th," without stopping to consider tina
might have other plans for the 14th.
Be sure, therefore. that you know you
hostess very Intimately and that she hal
given you permission, before you take up
on yourself the dangerous office Of alter
ing her plans or letting her note Of invi
tation lie half the week unanswered. Whel
you do reply, always repeat her dates o
appointment for your arrival and depart
ure and let your yea be yea, and your nay
nay. Make nothing conditional. Do no
write that you will go to her If your col
IS better, or If you get back from Wash
ington In time.
A Sacred Promise.
There Is a social maxim to the effec
that a dinner engagement Is almost
sacred oats. Nothing but your own deatf
or the death Of a member Of your inme
diate family, Is s. sufficient excuse fo
your appearance on the stroke of tn
hour set for this high and formal functio
for which you have accepted an invita-
ton. Believe that as a house CUES
your obligation to fulfill your promise {