The Washington herald., 1908-05-10
by THE ARBITER.

by THE ARBITER.
Now is the tine when invitations are
flying about. the last stitches being put
TO summer trousseaux, trunks brought
down from the garret, and all the ar
rangements made for an early summer
fitting. Members of Congress and Sena-
tors. with their families viii most Of
them go straight home as soon as Con-
gress adjourns, for there are many po-
liticai fences out Of repair that sorely
need fixing; the women of society viii
distribute themselves among the various
Northern resorts, and, as usual, there is
a large contingent going TO Europe for
not even the hard times seem to affect
the travel across the water: and. indeed,
one can cross the ocean and live IN Eu-
rope for the same length of time quite as
Cheaply as one can at fashionable re-
sort in America
The invitations to visit the summer
homes of ones friends should be prompt
ly and definitely answered. An irate
hostess, whose summer home is at Bar
Harbor, announced the other day that
more than month previous she had sent
out her invitations for the whole summer,
inviting. Ia all, some hundred people to
be her house guests at different times
from the first of July until the first of
November. and that she had received so
far but single response, which came
from woman who said that if she was
not in Europe, as she hoped 10 be, she
would be delighted to come; at least. she
could not promise for the time she was
invited, the first of August, for If she did
not go across she really felt she ought
TO be with her niece at Magnolia at that
time, since she had accepted for last sum
mer. but at the last moment could not
go, and she thought she ought to make
it up to her BY going this summer &c
but If madam of Bar Harbor would leave
the invitation open she would try TO get
10 her some time in September &c,
through eight loosely written pages.
Now, was there ever such a ridiculous
prOposition2" asked madam when she
told the story. My whole season is laid
out just as a railroad time table is laid
out. I entertain a great deal-constantly
from the time l so TO Bar Harbor until
/ come away. I invite certain people for
certain time; I tell them when the train
on which they are expected will arrive
and what train they can go away on. To
arrange these house parties takes a great
deal of time thought and management
and for any one TO propose to come for
any time save when she is invited is an
objectionable piece Of presumption or an
incredible exhibition Of ignorance"
If people could only be brought to real
ize how much lighter they could make
the duties of a hostess by promptly re-
spending to her invitations there would
be less cause for complaint regarding this
matter That they are so seemingly in
different. so lacking in courtesy regard
ing the invitations they receive is simply
due TO heedlsssness. thoughtlessness. for
It is manifestly improbable that a person
would deliberately commit such a social
onense as to ignore an invitation or post
pone acknowledging 1t beyond a suitable
time It must be borne in mind that when
woman invites you TO her house she
confers upon you the greatest honor
within her gift, and nothing should be
left undone 10 show that you appreciate
II. The accomplished secretary of a fash
ionable hostess is a master hand at get
ting prompt answers to the invitations of
her employer. The bids for house parties
are carefully woTded and read something
like this:
Dear Mrs. Blank VIII you spend a
week with me at Glenhaven. from the
fourteenth Of July on? You can get a
train in Boston that will get you 20 our
station at about II O'Clock in the morning,
and YOU can return home In a train that
leaves here at in the afternoon Per-
haps you win prefer to come all the way
q
know just what viii suit YOU best and
viii plan accordingly. / hope / am in
time with my invitation and that you
have no prior engagement" &c
An answer couched in some such terms
as follows should be sent by return mail.
il possible: Dear Mrs. Z: How good
of you to think Of me, Tt will give me
great pleasure to go TO YOU on the four
teenth. and YOU may expect me In the
forenoon of that day; but whether
shall come by train, in the KS yacht, or
in my machine 7 cannot say. I will sd-
wise you, however, the moment I have
decided &C
Now If this answer does not reach the
hands OF the secretary in question with
in a week after the invitations are sent
out she calls up all of the delinquents by
Iong-distance, and her side Of the conVer-
sation is quite TO the point.
'I want to speak to Mrs. Blank. please
Mrs. rs secretary. Oh is that Mrs
Blank? Well. you know am in a dread
ful dilemma. and as you are the only ont
that can help me, I thought would cal
YOU up. Thank you, thank you very
much Well you see. / sent you an in
vitation more than week ago for Mrs
a. asking YOU TO Glenhaven for the four
teenth Of July. and no answer has come
and YOU Observation-Disclosures annoy
ing-you will see that ii gets of to-moT-
row? Thank you. thank you so much
But cant you Just tell me tonight wheth-
er you will come or not? You viii? How
delightful. Mrs. 2. would be desolee il
you didn't: she has been so counting or
you. Hope YOU win have better lucl
with the next footman. Thank you
Apologize? No. no. It is I who should
apologize. But the lists had to be made
out, you know. Thank you again"
I found il was the only way" explains
the secretary. "A month would go by
sometimes before the invitations would
be answered. and consequently our plans
would be at a standstill. I determined
therefore, to take the bull by the horns
and find out myself in the quickest pos
sibe way who would come and who would
not so the lists could be rearrangec
First I tried writing diplomatieally but
that did not work. and I finally lit upor
the telephone It's expensive. but Mrs
2. does not mind a little thing like that
when il makes for her success in enter.
tanning. Whenever I call up any one re.
garding the invitations she is invariably
embarrassed. and many and various arr
the excuses offered Some one Of tht
family has been sick with a contagious
disease, a new and stupid footman is Il
blame. or really the letter was answered
tl.a very day it was received; my note
@t,o