The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-07-29
THE ART OF BEING A GUEST.

What has become of the old-fash-
toned guest? asks the Montreal Trib-
une. Has the modern weekend visits,
with their casualness, their freedom
and informality been the death of
her? So seldom do we meet her that
one fears she has become thing of
the past. 1t is a pity. She possessed
charms that the modern guest would
do we'll to initiate.
One hears much comment now
adays about the perfect hostess, and
it has come to the point when people
decline to visit houses where the
hostess does not measure up to the
mark. The general standard appar
emily demands that a perfect hostess
should in no way interfere with the
whims and caprices of the modern
guest, but must allow them to use
her house, her servants, her horses
and her motor cars as if they were
their own, and for the matter of that,
use them far more roughly and in
considerably than their own.
If modern guests were not so busy
demanding perfection in their hostess
and would give more thought and
attention to their own shortcomings,
visiting would be far more agreeable
than it is now, and the weekend
visit, which has become an establish
ed fashion, would be robbed of much
of it's discomfort.
If one is visiting a large country
house or big establishment in the
city where numerous servants are
kept it is not so essential for girl to
study the art of being perfect guest,
for such places are run after the man
ner of hotels, and the arrival and de-
parture of guests and their constant
demands are provided for. But even
here a girl who has tact and consi-
deration will be more welcome than
one who uses hostess and house as
she would hotel and it's proprietor.
But where the art of being per-
feet guest becomes necessity is in
the average home where only one or
two servants are kept. Here, ones
arrival or departure at uncomfortable
hours, and ones conduct during the
visit may seriously incommode the
household, and make what was in
tended to be an enjoyable visit an or.
deal for the hostess. No woman OF
heart is comfortable when there are
mutterings beneath the stairs, and she
realizes that her servants consider
themselves imposed upon.
Girls should remember this and
&1
other peoples servants as possible
A young girl unaccustomed to the
services of a personal maid in her
own home visited a friend who was
fortunate enough to afford this lux
ury. She made so many demands
upon the friends maid, ringing fo1
her at all hours and even asking hel
hair, that the maid gave notice. Con
duct of this kind is not only incon.
siderate, but in wretched taste.
The girl who is most often asked
to visit is the girl who adapts her
self pleasantly and happily to the
conditions of the house she is visiting
No girl of tact will make herself ar
intrusive guest. If her hostess keeps
only one maid, she will quietly Offer
to help in any of the household tasks
but she will not embarrass her hos
tess by forcing this. Many women
prefer to attend to such things
themselves, and it is rather upsetting
to have guest who will not permit
you this privilege.
An important thing that every girl
should learn about visiting is that a
hostess should be allowed hours to
herself. Nothing is more annoying
than a guest who is always in ones
pocket. No matter how agreeable
she may be, there are times when il
is relief to have her stop In her
room.