South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-03
FRENCH WOMAN IS
TACTFUL HOSTESS
Knows When to Lead and When
to Follow Her Guests In
CIinationS - Needle Women
Work Out Embroidery De-
signs.

a WIllti WHO went dOIOhQ THIS
summer TO make a special study of
the fashions has some interesting
things 10 say in comparing French,
English and American hostesses. Il
must turn for a mOment 10 the sub
jet OF French hostesses from the
chateau season point Of view" he
said. They are really perfect. They
do not. as is now so much the fash
ion in England. impress their guests
with the idea that the Liberty hall
element prevails. They do not try TO
make their houses limitations of pub
lie hotels. But, on the other hand,
they do lay themselves out TO make
each individual guest perfectly happy
that they seem TO know instinctively
when TO take the lead and when to
permit teeir guests to do so.
Il am an immense admirer of Eng
lish and American hostesses, but I
must confess that where country
houses are concerned I give the palm
TO French women. II seems to me
that they are specially endowed for
the purpose Of entertaining and being
entertained. And here l will say n
few words on the subject of a contrO-
versy which has been raging in one
of the leading London newspapers,
the secret of effective conversation"
says the New York Sun. II have read
many different opinions on this i'm
ions have been full Of humCr, some
have been merely spiteful. But IT has
seemed TO me that almost all AVE
missed the mark.
Table Conversation.
Last night at dinner I put forward
the question, Wherein lies the soul
Of dinner table conversation? p Almost
Immediately my hostess replied: 1t
lies In the ability TO carry on a con-
V~ersation in the immediate presence
of total strangers of various nation
alitieS without suspicion OF offense.'
And IL was an excellent answer; for
1t meant that personalities should be
avoided n such dangerous subjects
as religion or politics.
"One OF the most famous of all the
French writer's of the last century
laid down the law that no mamie
meant woman, too-could consider
himself we'll bred unless he had the
ability to intelligently for
several hours with complete strang-
ers having once given cause
Tor onense. 1t was a rather severe
test, but a correct one.
In England and in other countries
there Is a growing tendency toward
introducing all sorts Of personal top
les into general conversation. People
seem 10 think nothing of expressing
strong, even violent. views on such
subjects as-politics and religion. This
would not be possible in French So
ciety of the best order. for general
conversation is considered the only
possible.
Since 1 am devoting this article
10 chateau life l think it will not be
out Of place to mention one or two
little dainty details which 1 gathered
from my hostess. One of these ideas
was connected with table linen.
New Embroidery Designs.
She had a little army Of clever
needle women on the estate and at
stated intervals in the year a skilled
embrolderess comes down from Paris
10 instruct them and to give fresh
All the table linen used at the
chateau and in several of the neigh
boring country houses is made by
these workers, and the embroidery
designs are exquisite.
For a small dinner party, for ex-
ample, the floral decorations were ear
ried gu In spikes Of scarlet iaponica
and dark green ferns. The table
VI III Nd0A ms Il
which showed the ~japonica scarlet as
well as several paler tints. II was
bordered with heavy Maltese lace.
and the table was lighted by a num- |
Der of candles which had little pago-
da shades Of white pOngee fringed
with crystal and with tiny coral
beads. The candles were set in dull
sticks, which matched the long
oval bowl which held japonica stalks
in the middle of the table.
My hostess has had her workers
TO combine motifs of different
laces in a very clever way. She show
me some lovely afternoon tea
which had elaborate corners
inset with Maltese lace and with rich
motifs OF Irish crochet, the two laces
being introduced into a splendid de-
sign of raised embroidery. l have re-
Gently noticed that Maltese lace is be-
Ing very much used in connection with
table linen; il is rapidly ticking the
place Of heavy guipure."