The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-16

to simple luncheon or dinner party or
dance such as girl could give in her
own home.
The first duty of a hostess is, Of
course, to see to it that in so far as she
has the power, her guests shall enjoy
themselves to the utmost 1t may not
be the fashion nowadays to introduce
each guest, but certainly the theory
that all who meet at. the house of a
mutual friend must necessarily be in
the same set and know each other well
cannot be offered for young people who
have not yet been about long enough
to have a very wide list of acquaint-
ances. A girl should naturally see to
it, therefore, that her guests shall
know each other before they sit down
to the luncheon or dinner table.
The success of luncheon or dinner,
or, in fact of any entertainment, large
or small, depends three-quarters upon
the faculty of the hostess. She must
never, for example, allow herself an in
innate conversation with her left-hand
neighbor ii in so doing the guest sit
ting at her right hand is not also en-
gagged in conversation. She can sell
dom talk with both neighbors, since in
so doing it will leave one girl with
out partner. Especially when there
are both girls and boys present the
hostess must glance continually about
the table and see to it that every couple
is getting on happily
Should by any chance three persons
be talking together, thus leaving one
alone, the hostess can generally right
this by turning to the companion on
her other side and thus shifting part
ners around the entire board The
hostess too, should change her partner
once or twice during the meal so that
all may have an opportunity during the
evening to converse with their neigh
Dor at each side.
| Should by any chance a girl not be
introduced to her neighbor at a dinner
she is at liberty to talk to him then,
but not afterward until he is formally
i'presented to her.
A hostess should never be so ill at
ease in her own house as to make ex-
cuses for the many trifiing mistakes
on the part Of servants that are bound
to occur in the best regulated house
holds. The excuse only draws attention
to an occurrence that would otherwise
not be noticed save by the over -observ-
ant eyes Of the hostess and lays stress
| on what is SO unlmportant as to be
otherwise Immediately forgotten.
The perfect hostess is, sad to relate,
a. rare being, for she contains in one
personality enough different character
istics to make up in any one line a gen.
ius. She possesses infinite charm, inf
mite tact, quick understanding of hui
man nature and sufficient cleverness
to be able to draw out each guest to
appear to best advantage She must
know little of every subject, so that
she can talk interestingly with all, yet
she must never allow herself to d.
late upon her own special interest to
the exclusion of the hobbies of those
about her. She must understand her
ocfc INT; ofo1,,
/ together those who have a common in
terest Above all, she must be the cpl
tome of unselfshness, for she can new
err allow herself to be engrossed in
her own enjoyment to the forgetfulness
of all her guests. These qualities alone
are necessary in the girl who can
make every party a success by making
even the most solemn develop a sense
Of fun and humor Needless to state,
self consciousness is practically I'M
known to her, for only by getting out
side ones self is it possible to look out
for Others
Perhaps no girl can possess all of
these qualities, certainly they cannot
be acquired in day, but they are
every one of them possible of attain
ment if diligently striven for And the
fun and popularity that will ensue
make the ideal one worth working for.