Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-06
THE HOW-THE WHEN-THE WHY
BY ANNE ARDEN.

g. 'Tis as easy to he right as to be
wrong-and to ones glory
Often and much discussed is the
question of when and where guests
are not, separately and one at a time,
to be introduced to each other-that
Is to say. where it actually becomes a
burden and something of an awkward
situation The rule of custom govern
ing all this is u vague one, and so in
definite as to render it almost useless.
We are told never to introduce UNI
necessarily--but, when is "unneCcs-
sarily"?
For example We have. supposedly,
gone to supper party and been one
of the last to arrive. And, after lCav-
ing our outer apparel in the hall, we
have entered the drawing room to
stand suddenly first on one foot and
then on the other, and wonder the
while why we accepted the party only
to feel out of place and frigid. We
have all felt just this, have we not?
But let us give IL thought to our
hostess, whose place we feel should he
at our side to ease our aWkWardncSS.
She is doubtless at the moment great
~ taken up with the processes of sup
per, which is about to be served. She
wishes to see that all things start as
they should. and she has just taken
the guests whom she has asked to as
| SiSt her to their places at the great
| table III the dining room. How dread
| ful, then, it would be, and how much
| worse we should feel, if, of a sudden.
our hostess should spy us and rush TO
| us. and command silence while she
| heralded our lateness, and introduced
US to the assembly.
AT f1rSt, of IN evenings gathering,
the hostess Attempts to introduce the
guests that are not known to each
other as they come into the room.
The group is then small and nothing
is awkward about the situation. 1t
is not necessary for her to command
silence that the introduction may take
place. As the guests come faster and
faster. and the rooms become slightly
crowded seeing that each person
meets each other person becomes al
most out of the question.
At this point should the guests
shift somewhat for themselves. MAX
ing a decided effort at converse ton
however i'll at ease they feel with but
strangers gathered about them. The
gentlemen, of course, make known
their names to each other, and
if the lady one is escOrting
is near at hand. she has the
other gentlemen presented to her by
her escort. But even this is not re.
quired. for it is a very simple matter,
this matter of graciously mingling with
the other guests. In fact, why should
there be the necessity of a formal in
PRODUCTION? All of the charming PEG
pie gathered together upon these oc-
casions are there at the invitation of
one or two persons. known to all.
The guests are, therefore. at least
known to each other in a bond of
mutual acquaintance. There need be
no hesitancy regarding conversation
and names are not necessary that
people may talk together.
And it is OF greatest assistance to
a hostess when the guests ably and
delightfully."- look after themselves
chatting and laughing and obviously
having a splendid time of it, She may
go about among them, nodding here,
stopping there to speak for a mo-
ment, or to sit down for a snatch of
conversation. between bites from the
plate in her hand, with u long absent
friend.
Only in one instance must each
guest be presented to at least one per-
son present, and that in the usual
manner. This is the guest of honor.
If we have been invited to meet Miss
Jones, meet Miss Jones we must, and
if the evening affords a dance, and
we are a gentleman, we must assist
in supplying partners. and an album
dance of conversation, that this honor
guest need not have dull moment at
the party given for her.
AS for the rest of the guests. move
about among them. forgetting the
detail of an introduction. Act quite as
though one had. a few moments be-
fore. met the charming lady balanc-