The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-06-30

ESsseSsIr1 servitude by the old
forms of entertainment which have
grown threadbare from use since the
days of the Revolutionary War? Let
her get up something original, wheth-
er she has to think it out herself or
copy some clever idea. People are
growing weary of the monotonous
repetitions of July entertainments
and anything new, even though it may
lack in merit, will meet with greater
appreciation than compelling your
guests to go through any one of the
old performances that remind them
of an annual duty they are forced to
perform instead of an occasion of
merriment and enjoyment. Don't let
dime novel sentiment enter into your
program. If you have anything sug-
gestive of patriotism avoid the COM
monplace hurrah that pleases the hoi
polloi. Your guests should not be
treated as the rabble, and you should
not resort to the politicians means
of arousing interest by grandstand
methods. Avoid the kind Of amuse-
ment that appeals to the gallery.
The shooting off of firecrackers, pyro-
technic displays in the evening and
the singing of national airs now
please only the Juvenile American
juvenile in years or mentality
The twentieth century hostess
must provide something for the
amusement of her guests out of the
beaten track-the more outre, bizarre
and unusual the more desirable.
A scheme which smacks of origin
atty has been thought out by clever
Boston girl, who will entertain at her
country home house party over In
dependence Day. Golf, motoring, ten
mis- and the old, old game of hearts,
with Cupid as score keeper, will be
played throughout the day, but on the
evening of the glorious Fourth will
come the browning fun of the occa-
sion-a most original and amusing
dinner. For this function the young
hostess will transform her living
room porch into a dining room. Pa
triotic and artistic effects will be
achieved by draping American and
French flags around the sides of the
Enclosure, with tall palms in attrac-
tive groups to lend touch of cool
ing green to the mise en- scene. AT
the top of the piazza will run a
broken line of rich red Japanese. Ian
ribbon, forming pretty frieze and
shedding light and air of gayety over
the al fresco banquet.
The ten guests comprising the
house party will sit at 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 different sizes for
the dinner entertaining. The ex-
quisite linen damask tablecloth will
hide all suspicion of the tables ple-
beian origin, and the pretty board
will CLEAN with silver and glass. One
course will be served on blue Revolu-
tionary china worth its weight in gold
to collector. The table decorations
will be small silk flags, and broad tri-
colored ribbons will run out from the
centre of the table and hang down to
the floor. A large Liberty bell of red,
white and blue flowers will be sus-
pended over the table. A mound OF
geraniums shorn Of their leaves
makes the floral centrepiece. At each
girls place will be arranged dainty
little rustic baskets filled with blush
purple sweet peas, and tiny CONT
mental military hats made of dark
blue crinkled paper ornamented with
gold cockade are designed for the
mems dinner favors. The menus are
to be imposing scrolls, with seals
small Declarations of independence
tied up with tri-colored ribbon.
Instead of the names Of viands that
appear on the usual menu, on this
scroll menu there will appear per-
picking lot OF questions written out
by the clever hostess.
When the guests are taking their
seats she win make the rather start
ling announcement that whether you
people get anything to eat or 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
scroll by your plate the servants will
help you; otherwise you go without.