Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-02

Hosresses nowadays ara vastly given to
deprecating their own belongings and en-
tertainmcnts. and oftentimes this leads to
the mystifcation, n not the undoing, of
the unsophisticated guest
Just only an informal dinner; a few
Of ourselves she will telephone; and the
invitee, as the French so exprcssivcly term
the guest. gets into her second best dinner
frock. omits her more impressive Jewels
md arrives to find that 1t is truly regal
function, some 10 or 90 small tables, a
caterer in command and everyhody-save
her own mortified self-Wcaring her best
bib and tucker.
The hostess In her country house Is even
more given than is her city sister TO this
niSleading mode of invitation.
DO run out on the O'Clock express
on Friday afternoon" she will write.
"There will be nobody but ourselves, and
II things get too dull for you to stand
over Sunday, why we can telephone to
town for one or two of the boys to come
ont Don't bother with luggage Ot is
quite the correct thing. you know, TO say
luggage instead Of trunks or baggage just
bring along n suit case, and that's all.
The trap will meet you at the station.
Now, don't forget, tho o'clock express
from town and don't bother about dress
n shirtwnist suit will do"
All this does sound most aluringly like
n quiet and restful time But the expert
enccd guest has learned by now full we'll
how 10 read between the lines ana she
shrewdly guesses that there will be q
dance at the country club. very lil;ely. on
Saturday night. and doubtless every other
woman in the place entertaining a house
party for it, Then there are usually Il
few visits to make, a trip TO the races
for It Is quite the thing to he somewhat
horsey In society-a game or TWO of golf
or tennis uash. IL not all three Of
them; and then there is the inevitable
bridge to be played after dinner every
evening. and all of this seemingly simple
program demands change of costume,
and costumes appropriate to each and
every item on the menu de plaisir.
One little Southern girl, up North for II
visit TO distant relatives received just
such an invitation week or two ago.
In her own small town South, where hos
pitallty is rife, the cXpectant hostess al
ways explained Just what the N aspects
of entertainment were. Whether 1t would
be dinner, garden party, n dance. or
what not. the guest was always prepared
beforehand, and knew Just what TO put in
her trunk according. But up here North Just
an Invitation similar to that quoted wns
sent and taking 1t literally she merely took
suitcase and her dressing bag. on arrival
TO ind what she termed n company din
ner," with every woman dccollete, n
dance at the country club to follow-and
she with only her travelling gown and n
selection of lingerie blouses to wear.
Now, there are certain rules and laws
MS inheXible as those of the Modes and
Persians, which altereth not. which the
weekend guest is expected to observe.
One of these, and perhaps the chief one,
IL that her trunk be of such size as TO
be readily accommodated upon whatever
conveyance Is sent to meet her at the
station. The necessity for sending Il
baggage wagon 10 the depot is one that
ID recognized only when n number OF
guests are expected at once.
The trunkmakers have risen to meet
this obligation beautifully. Now one can
purchase what Is known us II weekend
trunk for somewhere In the nelghborhood
OF n SO bill. This Is usually of some
hber material, covered In patent leather,
the corners well protected with sole
leather, and when empty Is so light that
one can readily lift 1t by the handles
There Is a single tray In the top, and a
little partition that slides into any one of
two Of three grooves, thus making n spe.
cial place for hat underneath the tray.
An evening gown, one for afternoons, n
little country club dress II one be ath