The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-06

II
| Homsea APauna New York at Thas
| seasen-Msre imam Cards @ An1se
] After Dimner-Daneing b barred.
A New York hostess who makes a sharp
distinction between house parties AMI
week ends thinks that the former are at
their best at this time OF year and that
there ara many more OF thsfn tchAn a.
other seasons
Week ends after the present fAshloh
are distinctly American. she thinks
Nothing like them ia found In England
where the hOuse party at In best. or
what used TO be thought its best. u &lmoss
a historic institution.
The English week end 10 q very dit
ferent affair from its American cousin
a loisurely. informal occasion without
haste or hustle at the breaking up. forth
reason that Englishmen OF the upper
class never seem 20 need 10 catch srAsns
or get anywhere on schedule time. Week
end guests melt away. a. u were. OF a
Monday forenoon with . comfortable
disregard Of early breakfast or eaTiy
trains.
Over here. on the contrary. week ends.
even OF the most fashiOnAhle character.
are apt 70 end with n r'ish Tor an early
train. the women usually choosing On
leave with the men, sometimes merely
TO have company on the trip. oft~ner
because they themselves have morning
engagements with clothes and bsauty
makers. Hustle. 10 quote a 9iver OF
we@k ends, In their dominating Monday
morning feature. tho hostess herself
oftener than not joining tho exodus to
town. BY 10 A. NJ. the house In apt b.
be deserted. any one VINO by chance
might De able to stay tn noon not caring
| TO be left alone.
Al for enjoying q real house party
with gusts invited for q weak or tan
days. that 10 no longer possible In the
season. that 10 between December I and
Ash Wednesday. during which the people
usually asked 20 house parties have
many engagements.
Il tried doing that onCs.' said . hOstsns.
and then resolved never 10 mako ths
attempt again. One guest. the brighaesS
Of the lot and upon whom was eosAp1lng
much TO make my dinners Q suecsaAs tod
me the second day that abe muas rim ~
to town that afternoon TO keep einner
engagement, and two others. I 9osund.
had luncheon engagements In town which
would take them away when wsnsed
them most.
'As for the men. never was certain
when they would turn mp. whether they
were In town or on the ROAD between New
York and my place or on tho promises.
SO that ended my experiment. with houee
parties In the gay season.
Most OF us now defer these entertain
ments till Lent. when house rarties ARE
at their best. although somewhat diHerens
/ axtvaagR n srAhne
and when it II cOmparati vely easy 20 gee
the guests you would like to have. Nos
that there is not plenty going on in town
in Lent but beoauss of an unVritesn law
that accepting an invitation 20 a house
party out Of town at this season means
cutting loOss from city eneagempntsd dur
ing the time named In the invitation. which
most OF us are clad enough "a do.
Now that many New Yorkers have
country houses rot many miles frOsn
town. which are kept open practically
the year around. the giving "a thsse
I.sntsn house parties ID 0ns a. ths pleas-
antsst features OF the sea@om To BET
\ her quests alone b the r,sle Of thu eaOcesa-
full giver Of house parties in Lent. This
gives both them and the h0stsss . chance
TO recupsFats IL they feel the need Of H.
breakfast IN served in the dining room
to any men OF the party who prefer 20 eat
il there whenever they appear. The
women, incIudin the hostess. have
breakfast served in their rooms when
they are ready for it.
And the comfort 81 that breakfast
exclaimed n guest just returned from a
Long Island house party.
With few exceptions the new country
houses OF New Workers are equipped with
pantry elevators reaching 20 the bedroom
oors and a rolling table is kept on each Of
these floors The breakfast tray for
each guest 10 prepared down stairs. placed
on the elevator. wheeled on 4 stand kept
for that purpose.
Both the tray ard the china on Il Eas.c.,
in color the draPeries Of the room u the
hostaas's orders are carried out. only
knives. forks and spoons being OF silver
The sdibles are designed to tempt jAded
anpetite. and having absolutely nothing
10 do. beinR entirely free from the fear
Of salephone uneasa ges and Interruptions
from callers. knowing that nothing at all
il required Of her before noon. a guest
NAV dawdle over her breakfas at her
The hoste=s already quoted seldom
appears downstairs before noon and
rasists all OveTtures Ia make social en-
!
that hour II her guests like To make
engagements with each other Tor the
forenoon that Is another matter.
At noon the hostess goes Tor an hoair
constitutional. taking along any ot her
Rue~ts who have the courage and the
liking for a three mile tramp. Al luncheon
all the party. except possibly some Of the
men. come together. and riding. driving.
automobiling and other plans are made
informally Tor the afternoon, the hostess
only making Suggestions necessary
DO as YOU please. 90 as you please. h the
Ientan motto for up To date Lsenten parties
up to the dinner hour. After that u -
different.
at Il nonsense TO say giyer OF house
| uartie. declared that "A good dinner and
cards afterward II n good enough pro
Rramme for any house party. may Be
Ri En0land but not over here. That In
whY 4 think English house parties are
voted dull these days by Americans who
have tired them.