The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-28

STRAW -IIUkf- lQOk LlldL AuSUduA
in hand, and after what seemed ae-
tually hours of his fooling around
to me, he seemed ready TO depart,
only that every minute he forgot
something else to make US later
Rather Late
1T was therefore Just two hours
and half after the invitations
had stated that we were starting to
the affair."
Il hurried Mr.. Loehr within an
inch of his life.
"And | give you my word that
when we got to the scene of the
dinner, | nearly expired We were
lust among the first arrivals
THAT husband of mine, having
lived so long in China, was exactly
familiar with the customs. 1t
wouldn't have been good form TO
have arrived any sooner; and he
had made up his mind from the
moment we got the invitation that
he would have a delectable time
playing little practical joke on
me.
Inviting you hours ahead Of
time and then sending messengers
to tell you to speed up and hurry
on is the little way the Chinese
have of being ultra-polite. They've
discovered that that's one sure way
of getting guests present after
awhile, l guess.
Didn't Cease There
"But my husbands delight in
completing the joke on me the
didn't end there. Indeed not.
after we had been entertained
by a number of Chinese actors, he
ups and passes me the chicken and
the ham. This was the first
course, which actually the natives
had cooked after our arrival at the
house, and l promise you that l did
myself proud.
Il was starved, and If it was
compliment to enjoy what was set
before me, my extreme compli-
ments were to the hosts, and Wis
ible to all. I ate like tired field
hand; and after | had eaten AMI
drunken deeply, they brought OH
just ~ courses more! There were
so many ! couldn't help but wonder
if the cook was encouraged by my
attitude toward his first rood.
Il was like the fellow about the
soup. He saw the first course of
crackers and soup, raved over it.
thought that was all of the meal,
and, at the polite encouragement OF
his hostess to have more, had him
self helped to seven servings of
soup before the actual meal was
onl
New Lease on Appetite
However, feeling that | must
not be impolite by passing up the
other 72 varieties, l took new
lease on my appetite, and / flatter
myself I did as well as any gour-
met. | sat there bursting.
''Now and then noticed that my
husband gave me a sort OF sur
prised look-one even tinged with
sadness. But kept right on I'M
til nobody could have imagined |
didn't enjoy regular meals.
When we got home, with MY
chief concern whether | should die
of apoplexy from such determi-
nation to be polite to my hosts, my
husband greeted me with:
Irma, you've disgraced usi
Didn't you know you were not sup
posed to eat that food?'
Not supposed to eat the foodp
II cried. Then what on earth did
they mean by setting it in front of
us? Don't they eat food in China?'
Yes, yesp my husband assured
me, but went on to relate that l
was only supposed to nibble along
much as if | had been i'll, had a
delicate appetite, or was so much
of an ephemeral creature I didn't
care for anything so coarse and un-
refined.
Meant for Others
"All | could say for myself was
that | was very sorry but that
there'd be few hungry beggars
who would come up lacking the NOR
row.
81 taxed my husband as to why
he hadn't told me.
''He looked at me coldly.
=" Tell you. l couldn't stop
your
"Of course he hadn't told me
because he wanted something to
tease me about and gloat over. He
wouldn't have missed his oppor-
tunity for worlds"
Mrs. Loehr related then, the most
soul-satisfying method of advertis-
ing which any woman's heart could
possibly desire. It's the Chinese
way.
1t was necessary, a week later,
following the dignitaries dinner,
for the Loehrs to entertain in their
/ turn.
Instead Of letting me know the
exact time" Mrs. Loehr related,
my husband invited our guests
two or three days in advance.
First Effort
"Now mind, this was my first
time ever to try to give a dinner in
China, | upset my whole house.
and was just in the midst of a mad
house cleaning when my husband
telephoned that | must get myself
dressed at once and hurry right
down town. Our guests had ar
rived, and we are all going to the
summer palace on sightseeing
/ trip.
Naturally, there was nothing
else for me to do but to go.
Il was in anguish thinking Of all
those foreign dishes we must ser/.
that night and particularly the IL
courses But, in my American
way, told the head cook and
housekeeper to do the best they
could to have everything as they
called it, No. /, proper. | must
leave it in their hands.
Imagine my surprise when I got