Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-02
NOVEL HOSPITALITY
A Free and Independent Way
Of Entertaining.
FEAST OF BRAINS
DISHES PASSED AFTER GUESTS
ANSWER PUZZLES.
Suggestions for Problems, Prizes and
Eavors-A Colonial
Tea.
FEAST OF BRAINS
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
To make the Fourth glorious and to de-
clare oneself an Independent hostess-that
Is, Independent of the old and stereotyped
IDEAS of entertaining which have been in
vogue for this great occasion since the
American holiday was first observed-is to
achieve a victory In social and domestic
science no less renowned than that of war.
With all the rush and hustle of mod
ern life there Is now no room to squeeze
in the festivities which once held sway at
this celebration. The Fourth of July picnic
which in the days that are no more was
often the occasion Of gathering together the
widely scattered members of a family into
a jolly reunion is a thing of the past. In
fact. the days for such wholesome and
picturesque forms of amusement have de-
parted. together with the characteristics of
simplicity and single heartedness that made
these celebrations what they were.
The twentieth century taste has out
grown simplicity In entertaining. and senti-
ment- too, for that matter. and the shoot
Ing off of firecrackers, pyrotechnic displays
in the evening and the singing of national
airs now please only the juvenile American.
The successful hostess must in this
twentieth century provide something for
the amusement of her guests out of the
beaten track-the more outre, bizarre and
unusual the better.
Here is a scheme which smacks of origi-
nality thought out by a clever girl who
will entertain at her country home house
party over Independence day. Golf motor
ing, tennis and the old. old game of hearts,
with Cupid as scorekeeper, will be played
throughout the day, but on the evening
of the glorious Fourth will come the crown
ing fun of the occasional most original
and amusing dinner. For this function the
young hostess will transform her living
room porch into dining room Patriotic
will ha ochfar NV
draping American and French flags around
the sides of the Enclosure. with tall palms
in attractive groups to lend a touch of
cooling green to the mise en- scene. At the
top OF the piazza will run broken line of
rich red Japanese lanterns hung on red,
white and blue ribbon, forming q pretty
frieze and shedding light and an air of
gayety over the al fresco banquet.
A Party of Dozen.
The house party, which includes twelve
guests. will sit at a pretty round table,
which is made by placing over an ordinary
kitchen pine table one of the round wooden
tops every hostess provides In several diff
ferent sizes for dinner entertaining. The
exquisite linen damask table cloth will hide
ell suspicion of the tables plebeian origin,
and the pretty board will CLEAN with silver
and glass. One course will be served on
blue revolutionary china worth its weight
in gold to a collector. The table decora-
tons Will be small SILK nags, and broad
tricolored ribbons will run out from the
center of the table and hang down to the
floor. A large Liberty bell of red. white
and blue flowers will be suspended over
the table. mound of geraniums shorn Of
their leaves make the floral centerpiece.
At each girls place will be arranged dainty
little rustic baskets filed with blush pur-
pie sweet peas, and tiny continental MILL
tary hats made of dark blue crinkled paper
ornamented with a gold cockade are de-
signed for the mems dinner favors. The
menus are to be imposing scrolls, with
seals-small Declarations OF Independence
tied up with tricOlored ribbon. And it IS
just here in connection with the menu shat
the originality of the affair comes to light.
On these scroll menus. instead of the
usual names of the various viands this
clever hostess has written a puzzling lot
o. questions.
Depend on Their Wits.
AS everybody settles down to the table
she will make the rather startling an
nouncement that whether you people get
anything to eat not will depend upon
your own wits" You can well imagine the
CONSERVATION of the company. And she
will further explain that ''if you give the
right answers to the questions asked on the