Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-11

ONES GUESTS

had just been listening to the
confidential complaints of an intimate
friend anent a weeks stay she had
made at country house, writes Mrs.
Edward Brunson Clark. My friend
is rather lively young matron, who,
as she expresses 1t, likes to have
something doing" most of the time.
She does not ask for anything elab-
crate, but is satisfied with small
pleasures.
Our conversation set me wondering
If we are not, as nation, apt to run
to two extremes when we entertain
our friends for any length of time. We
either rush them from one thing
to the other so rapidly, that they
scarcely have time to breathe. or we
allow them to be bored 1t Is thought
less and selfish to invite visitors to
ones home and leave them to pick
up diversion as best they may and 1t
is also no less an infection of cruelty
on innocent persons to over entertain
not to leave the visitor moments
time to read a, book or paper, to take
nap or to write few letters.
have found tnak it invariably
works out excellently when planning
the entertainment of guests to have
part of the day open, in which the
visitors may be left to their own de-
vices. For instance, If the morning is
to be given over to long drive or a
let the guests do as they please dur
ing the afternoon, which gives the
hostess time to prepare something
for their entertainments In the even
ing. Unless the day has been very
strenuous indeed. something should
be planned OUT for the evening, no mat
ter how simple. Don't leave your
guests, as my friend expressed it, ito
look at the moon" OF course, there
are cases where people prefer to be
left alone to take their pleasure very
quietly.
Then, there is another don't want
to impress upon would be hostesses If
they desire to be popular with their
friends. and want them to come again,
and that is, don't invite more people
at once than you have comfortable
accommodations for Hospitality to-
day is looked at askance If the visit
or has to be asked to sleep with
some restless child, or two guests
who know each other but slightly are
requested to share the same room.
This caution, of course, does not APP
ply to the case of young people asked
to stay over night for a big dance
that occurs at some nearby country
club. Young girls and men are usu-
ally so eager for such festivities that
they are glad to put up with anything.
In inviting guests to visit one now
adays it is decidedly better form as
well as much more sensible to give
a definite invitation for certain date,
and stipulate how long the visit is to
extend.
If the hostess has horses or an au-
tomobile, she should meet the guests
at the station or boat either in per-
son or the chauffeur or coachman
should be sent to look out for them.
If her establishment boasts no such
luxury, then she should write to her
guests full information regarding
stage lines or carriages that may be
hired at the station or dock, and in
the latter case the guests should pay
their own carriage hire.
The welcome guest Is naturally the
one who most gracefully falls in with
the customs of the household, takes
pains to be pnctual to meals, and
shows her appreciation of the efforts
that are made to entertain her.
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