The Washington herald., 1908-03-15
BY THE ARBITER.

By THE ARBITER.
There is much prating of old-fashioned
hospitality. and those who live in the
past bark back to the olden times and
boast Of the entertaining OF those days
as though hospitality no longer existed,
but had been laid aside. along with small
clothes. lace ruffles. and powdered hair.
Nevertheless. although the style of its
dispensing may change, hospitality is as
much in fashion now as it ever was; as
much in fashion as when Paul wrote 70
the Hebrews TO entertain strangers lest
they turn away angels unawares. Il is
pleasant TO read of the hospitable doings
Of the last century; OF the great parties
that assembled in the country houses OF
New England and on the plantations in
the South; Of the dancing and flirting.
the powder. patches. and gay raiment
affected by the bellies OF the long ago: of
the daredeviltry of their SWANS, the dig
nifty and greciOusnesS of host and host
ess. the obsequiousness OF the servants.
and the great banquets under which the
tables fairly groaned. But customs have
changed since then. We do things differ
emily now. Chloe has no longer to lug
the water for her mistress bath from the
we'll or spring TO the big tub in the dress
ing-room. and Sambo's duties are also
lighter when he accompanies his master
on round of visits than they were a
century ago. But. while We may regret
the picturesqueness OF the past, we can
do without it much better than We can
do without the warm and cordial spirit,
the real heartiness of the hospitality of
our great grandfather's day. and these
are what We lack.
We give great parties. TO be sure: mil
lions arc yearly spent by the plutocrats
in lavish entertaining; the country houses
OF the milliOnaires are like great hotels.
where guest may want for nothing II
he has tongue In his head and money
IN his pocket for the tipping system is
seen at its very worst in these establish
ments. But the real spirit OF hospitality
is too often lacking. and what one re-
ceives in its stead is as base an imitation
as are the gilded buckles on the foot
mans shoes. We can't bring back the
past; the yellow stage coach Is super
seded by the automobile the charming
old fiddle. 10 whose music our great
grandmOthers danced the stately meas
ures then in vogue. has given way 20 the
band which plays for our performance Of
the two-step; electric lights replace the
candles under the mellow blaze OF which
the bellies and beauX OF the eighteenth
century played comedy or tragedy: and.
while we regret the old. we console our
sole ourselves very well with the new.
But what is necessary TO hospitality. and
without which 1t ceases to exist in its
best sense. is cordiality. kindness. good
viii. the desire and intention of making
those whom we invite 10 our homes well
come under our roofs. and happy. con-
tent and at home while they are there.
1t has become the fashion among the
very rich in this hurrying age TO leave
everything to servants, and the ease with
which their entertaining Il accomplished
Is most gratifying to the entertainers.
The trap that meets the guest at the
station is smart. the fOotman who re-
ceives him upon his arrival is apparently
well trained III his duties, the room to
which he is conducted IS a comfortable
chamber. the bath adjoining it immacu-
late and inviting. and the valet who
serves him a most amiabIe creature; but
since he did not come for a ride with the
coachman or "A tete-a-tete with the foot
man, n comfortable bed nor the services
OF a deft valet. he is wondering where
the host and hostess are whom he has
been invited to visit. and finally. in an
swer 10 direct question. is likely TO be
informed that the man of the house Is
absent in town and will not be I'D again
until Saturday and that madam's social
engagements will keep her all day. So If
he arrives in the morning. he lunches
alone. and dimes alone unless there are
other guests. Sometimes he is fortunate
enough TO meet both the hostess and her
husband before his visit comes TO an end:
oitener he sees only one of the couple
who asked him TO visit them. and now
and then he meets neither of them: and.
after few days of aimless dawdling
around a seemingly deserted house-aIl
o1 It's inmates being constantly absent at
some social function and the club-he is
taken back to the station and sped on
his way In the same soulIess fashion as
that which marked his reception.
An amusing Story is told Of man who
arrived at a mansion in Newport. where
he had been asked for a week in the
afternoon In answer to his inquiries
for his entertainers, he was told that the
man of the house had been called out
West on business. and that his hostess
was dining out that evening. but had lef.
word asking him TO make himself at
home. He accordingly donned his even
ing clothes, expecting 10 partake In soli-
tude Of his dinner; but in wandering
through the reception room he found
tucked away in a corner a charming
young woman. who seemed embarrassed
and frightened and almost on the verge
of tears. Assuming that she was a
younger daughter who was not Vet out.
the man introduced himself as her moth
er guest. and expressed great regret
that he should not have the pleasure Of
seeing his hostess that evening. How
ever, he concluded. its good TO find
some one at home. after all. and we will
make the best of things and have the
gayest dinner on record won't we?"
But I'm not Mrs IS daughter
explained the girl TREMENDOUSLY. I'm
only her niece, from way out West. and
I think she didn't love my mother very
much, or she would not have gone awsv
and left only the servants to welcome
me. And lin so lonesome in this great
big house. Why, do you know" the sym-
pathetic attitude Of the other deserted
guest evidently inspiring confidence. my
aunt never even left note to tell me she
was sorry she was called away but she
hoped I'd be happy and comfortable. and
all the rest, as my mother would have
done She told the great big ffunky TO
tell me- and he was just as curt and
horrid-oh wish / was back in Angels
Meadow and the poor little niece began
to cry in earnest But the big man com
forted her. as big men have way Of
comforting pretty young things in dis
tTess. and made her drink a glass of
sherry. while he told her a funny story