Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-27
Useful
Hints
Woman andHorne
Why We Quarreled
The Wife Objects TO Unexpected
Guests, Open House. etc.
tBy Virginia Terhuue Van dc w"terJ
tCopyright, 1915. Star Company
My husband and l have MAD many
quarrel on the subject of hospital

ity.
This sounds as II one OF us did not
want friends or guests III our nome.
rrhis is not true am fond OF enter
t,inipr and am always glad TO ask
neople TO our hOme-always. that Is
whom II is convenient But ! do insis,
that /. as the housckccper, am the ocs'
Judge as to when II is convenient.
On this point my husband and }
disagree. He loves to keep open mouse
and is hail fellow well met WIN every
bodv He argues. What is the fun OF
having q home il one cannot ask one
acquaintance to il whenever one
wants to?'
Tho consequence is that, without
word to me, he says TO the man with
whom he chances TO have some Dus!-
ness conversation, Come home TO am
ncr with me, won't you" lie ala inns
one day this summer, when | was up
TO nv ears" preserving strawberries.
] had stood over the hot stove all the
sultry June day.
1t happened to be ironing-day. too;
for that was the time when ! was
able to get q bargain in berries. The
vender from whom J had ordered them
brought them 10 me early TUESDAY
morning. much TO my dismay.
81 did not expect them until to-mor-
row." ! said.
no. ma'am. but l found I could set
em for two cents less box than l
could Tomorrow" he explained.
The Conditions.
When he had gone | examined the
fruit 1t was almost; too ripe, and
had TO be cooked at once II | were not
to lose too much OF 1t. So l set to
work at the strawberries, while my one
maid stood ut the ironing board. My
husband knew these conditions before
he left for the oftice-for the berries
came very early.
You'll be satisfied with a cold sup
per won't YOU. Henry" l asked, as ]
told him goodbye. Il have n hot day
before me-
surely" he answered, and went his
way.
There was half cold chicken in
tin. ice box This, with n head of let
Tue" and French dressing, followed by
iced tea, would make our evening meal.
Imagine. therefore. my CONSERVATION
wien. al Il quarter before 1--as | was
drunins an old gown Of the vintage OF
two wears ago, but delicously thin
heard my husbands voice at the front
door calling:
My dear where are you I've
brought friend home to dinner
greeted him as politely as could.
! had never even seen him before.
My husband accompanied the intro
duction with the remark that he had
always wanted US TO meet each other.
! will not take space 10 tell how
hurried to help my mnid pare and cream
some potatoes, nor how had to ask the
tired girl To run around To dclicates-
ser shop and buy a whole roast chicken
Then I tcicphoncd for quart OF ice
cream and we sat down 30 this unsatis-
factory repast
was too weary 10 talk much but
did try to be pleasant. Yet when oUi
guest had left, my husband chided me
with my evident chaerin AT the pres
erco Of his business friend.
But" explained, II was expecting
nobody. And had ready barely enough
food for ourselves. ! was fearfully
mortified"
u wouldn't have cared a hit" he
maintained stoutly. 1T would have
been nicer TO set out what we had
laughingly explain the situauon' and
show the man that he was welcome
What is good enough for YOU and me Is
good enough for anybody
His Theory.
That is his theory and he lives M
TO il always We have small summer
cottage. and he often brings man
and his wife at the last minute and
cannot understand why am worried
at not having our one guest-roon'
ready for them.
..Whars the use Of maid il she
cant get the room ready in jinNE
he asks.
Perhaps the rsGst toying experience
] ever had a4,n@-tAcSc lines was las,
winter when | was just convalcscinI
from a weeks Illness Ny husband ;
cousin and cousins daughter came &c
the city, and Henry met them on the
street, He Immediately asked them L
come and stay with rs over the week
end-after which he teiephoned me
what he had done ! fairly gaspeo
at the news
But my dear husband" I exclaimed
I'VE have no room for them
"Oh" he said have the girl in with
YOU in our room, and give her father
the guest-room ! can sleep on ih'
parlor couch for those TWO nights. AnC
they won't mind the lack OF Formally
They are. after all, only members Of
the family, YOU know"
They were no; members o. my fam
lily, and reminded Henry 81 this fac
after they had gone home While they
were with US, ! Kept silence on thu
subject But ON Monday night, wher
we were once more by ourselves ant
had gone to bed with a nervous head
ache. ] spoke my nina.
1T is not fair" remarked 1t,
make me keen free boarding nous,
for your family and friends. do no
force my relatives and intimates OF
you at ALI times and seasons withou
asking your permission. am not we'll
and you should consider me in suci
matters"
Henry was mad. OF course. and callet
me inhosp!table.
You go TO too much trouble" h
chded You care too much for ap
pearances. Let our guests take us n
they find us, They come 10 see US
not our house. If YOU could only un
derstand that what Is good enough 70
us is good enough for anybody"
"Oh, I'm tired Of that theory ] ex
claimed. Then. because | was hal
sick, ! began 10 cry softly.
AS my husband walked out OF tn
room, ! knew h. was thinking me
monster of inhos pitality
Yet II lac had to do the extra worI
and pacify the rebeliious maid. woul