The Washington herald., 1907-01-20
THE SOCIAL LAW
BY THE ARBITER.

not wait for mail or wire 10 carry his
reply. but called up his hostess by phone
and accepted with pleasure.
! The guests at dinner should be prompt
/ in arriving. There Is a tradition that one
should go a few minutes before the time
set for an appointment to the house Of
one whom he regards as his superior,
exactly on time 20 the home Of his peer,
and a little late TO the residence Of his
inferior But such a standard is, Of
| course, nonsense pure and simple, and
dates back to feudal times when the salt
divided the elect from the unregenerate.
/ The correct form, which is followed By
/ all those Of breeding. social education.
/ and kindliness Of heart, is to arrive a few
minutes before the time set for a dinner
that the going TO table may not be re-
tarded The delinquent guest is, unhap-
PLY. and without sense or reason, always
waited for 10 the annoyance and dis
comfort Of the other guests. a wait Of
/ five minutes is allowable, but any one
/ coming after that period Of grace should
/ be given his just deserts-a cold dinner
and not too hospitable reception. It IS
apropos TO say just here that the whole
etiquette Of social intercourse IS TO give
as much pleasure as possible and to make
as little cOmmotiOn. Brilliant people often
wonder why so and so is popular favor
/ ite. and in evidence at all the smartest
functions, since he is stupid, poor. and
homely. The reason for his acceptability
/ is not difficult 10 give. He fits in the
/ vacant spaces effaces himself, remeD1-
/ bers others, and IS always 10 be de-
/ pended upon when his services are de-
| sirable or necessary.
/ The day Of long dinners. which lasted
/ from O'Clock until midnight, is past.
and the hostess Of to-day prides herself
on the dispatch with which her dinners
are served. and to sit more than an hour
at table is considered bad form. The
! President and Mrs. Roosevelt set the
standard in this regard, and an official
dinner at the White House is over within
less than two hours after It is announced,
and the guests on their way to another
/ function.
There IS no market in the world that
excels that of Washington. Those who
have lived in Paris smile with pleasure
at the remembrance Of the gastrOnomic
feats they met with in that capital Of
high living, but here no gastronomic
feats are necessary. The market Is so
wei supplied that with an ordinary
! knowledge Of culinary rules it is impOs-
sible to offend the most delicate Of cpl
/ cures. It is preferable that the menu Of
a dinner should be too short rather than
too long. Only the amateur and the tyro
offend with an elaborate and tedious bill
Of fare. The most acceptable bill Of fare
begins with oysters on the half shell, for
which no substitute has ever been found.
despite the extraordinary innovations that
have been attempted. which are followed
4 by a sOUp-COnsOmme if the dinner IS 20
be a heavy one. a bisqUe if IL is TO be
+ iight-hsh, an entree. roast game, salad,
and dessert Coffee is generally served IN
the drawing room, custom that should
be encouraged, for no matter how brilliant
the conversation, one is tired after sit
ting an hour or SO at table.
The host escorts the most distinguished
woman present TO table and precedes
his guests; his wife, with the most noted
man among the convives. is the last to
leave the drawing-roCm. If name cards
are not at the seats. as they should be
for all formal occasions. she indicates
where her guests sit, and the dinner
begins.
o. Question. VII you kindly inform ne how I
White House! NJ position and wealth entitle me
20 be- received there. and ! knew the family Of the
Presidents mother. J.. r. '
Answer: The matter is very simple
n. L. Ill
known 10 the President and would have
the privilege. to introduce you exactly as
you would do if il were a private person
whose acquaintance you desired 10 make.
One Of the Senators from your State or
the member Of Congress from your dis
trict would doubtless count il a privilege
10 take you 10 the White House Why
not ask some Of the Presidents maternal
relatives whom you know TO act as your
sponsor?
tsA Question; Is Il permissible 20 invite vtfs
without husband OF vice versa. PUNCTILIOUS.
Answer: Most certainly not, if they
are living together. Intimate friends.
however, are allowed many privileges.
and Il would be perfectly good form for
a hostess TO invite such a one-a man
without his wife. or a woman without her
husband-tO MI up a sap at a dinner OF
luncheon table.
81 Question: Must one make a formal call after
debutante tCat DEBUTANTE.
Answer: Yes. One must call or send a
Ireturn invitation. Every social courtesy
demands some acknowledgement
~ Question: Is Il possible IN Washington 70 IN
Tite a girl 10 so 70 the theater without asking
ichapeTcug
Answer: That depends entirely on what
circle you live in. It would certainly be
regarded as bad form in what is known
as society"
4 Drop Too Little,