The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-27
When Unexpected Visitors Arrive
Do Not Embarrass by Obvious
Efforts to Impress Them With
Your Hospitality.

announcement it has in most homes
about the same effect that a mild cy-
clone might have. The housewife racks
her brain to c~onjure up a nice menu.
tbe maid flies tEither and hither get
tin, out the best china and silver, and
in the kitchen the cook is in q state of
excitement which merits the small
boys comparison Of her with "a hen
on y hot griddle."
While the maid is polishing up the
silver and the housewife is comforting
with the cook the daughter Of the
house is taking stock Of the flowers
available for the table or running Out
to purchase something for the purpose.
Ev 9 the small folks Of the household
are worked up owe the visitor. for
after they have been dispatched on
numerous errands they are scrubbed
and cOmbed and inserted into stifly
starched company clothes, in which
their misery is obvious and pathetic.
When at last the guests arrive they
find every ~ fiustered and tired and
scarcely in q state to enjoy their com.
pany. They are waited on by q nerv.
Gus. weary looking maid, their hostess
wcars a ~preoccupied air and is Obvi-
ously exertinx herself to entertain
them.
Puzzled, then annoyed. they end by
giving the house q wide berth the next
time they come to town.
Then there IL the week end visitor.
m In l. oCl-n7 70 onu,n f>w m lnfnp,n0 l
visit. taking-oh, m%endacious phrase
pot luck" When she arrives the
house is found to be in the spic and
sran condition Of the %proverbial new
pin. The most elaborate meals are
served. and the servants are o q
stantly In attendance. Being a mod
erately wise woman. she knows the
household has toiled for q week to
achieve this effect. She il not hum.
plugged In the least and resents the
idea that you should think she might
be 50 easily taken in.
Even If one has only moderate means
It IL possible to entertain without un.
necessary fuss. System in conducting
the daily affairs Of the house makes
this possible.
Recently in visiting some friends !
had an opportunity Of seeing how well
this will werk out" remarked an oh.
serving woman in discussing this sub
ject.
The very morning after I arrived
at the Blanks q telegram came from
their youngest son (who was staying
with q college friend in the next town
saying that he and his friend were
motoring over and would turn up. with
another man. at 1880.
what a lucky thing that we have
that large piece Of cold beef said Mrs.
Blank. placidly going on with her sew
ing. Girls. will one Of you make the
salad for cook. "a she IL rather busy
this morninkf
"'All right! III 70 and get the green
stuff too. I've done the flowers al
ready said the elder daughter cheer
fully. and "a she went through the
house I heard her telling the maid tc
lay three extra places. and. 50 far as
! could we that was all the extra
preparation they made.
when the three men arrived in high
spirits and with tremendous appetites
they found a hearty welcome and a
good. plain meal awaiting them.
"When ! saw bow heartily they en-
| joyed the simple fare-cold meat. salad
from the garden. fruit. a plain cake
and bread and cheese. with the mos,
delicious chocolate. I conld not hell
wondering whether m Of our preten
| tiOus luncheons would have been eaten
with 80 much gustO.
81 can't afford elaborate meals Mrs
| Blank said to me afterwards: but
though the food is plain. there ia al.
ways plenty. And every day. no mat.
ter whether we have visitors or not. ]
insist on having the table nicely laid
One or two extra really don't make
much difference. II people will take
us az We are I am always glad to see
them
~ found out afterward that they al
ways use their silver. even when they
are alone. Mrs. Blank says It lasts a
lifetime. SO why shouldn't they? And
1t saves all the fuss Of having to get
out special things for visitors.
Really. I think Mrs. Blank is q very
wise woman. and ! do not wonder that
people enjoy going to her house. for no
visitor can feel at ase II II ~ apparent
that his advent has upset and tired
the people he has come to see."
A Counterpart Hint.
To remove 4 double counterpane or
bedspread from n he'd without crpasing
It the following plan should be adopt
ed! Fold from the top Of the bed in
half. Point the two top corners to
ward the middle to form a v: then lift
by the center over the foot rail.
One person a do this without help
and az the c%ounterpane avoids the bed.
posts when folded In this manner 1t
keeps increased W. aff..r the bed
clothes have been stripped over It. and
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