Evening star., 1935-07-23

guests. First impressions are vastly
important, and the guests initial well
come necessarily comes from this in
dividual. If one Is met with scowl
and a sullen attempt to take wraps
off. without a word-then ones pleas
antly anticipatory spirit gets quite a
Jolt. 1t doesn't matter, actually, OF
course, but it dasheS little cold wa
ter on the feelings, just the same. A
pleasantly smiling maid or butler, who
opens the door with welcoming ges-
ture and who says nicely, May have
your coat, sir?" makes for much
more pleasing atmosphere. If the
guest is feminine, and all the lady's
wraps are to go upstairs to bed room,
the maid either says, politely, viii
you go upstairs, madam, just to the
left" or she takes the wrap her
self, then and there, and later madam
finds it, neatly placed with the others,
on the bed upstairs. OF course, in
those houses where there is cloak
room next to the front door, the mat
ter is simple. Here may be dressing
table, with all the necessary equipment,
and the guest simply leaves her coat
there in the hands of the maid, takes
a peep at herself in the mirror and
reioins her escort in the hallway,
where he has left his own coat.
Incidentally, do train your maid
In the daily rite Of never admitting
you are at home to any one unexpected
who rings the doorbell. Much unde-
sirable salestalk and many to-be-
avoided visitations may be dispensed
with in this way. OF course, if you
are expecting some one, you inform
the maid beforehand, and that per-
son is admitted at once. But to others
she should say, discreetly, Il will see
If madam is at home" and depart
with the visitors name or card, for
further instructions from headquar-
ters. There is nothing in the world
that spoils a peaceful afternoon like
an unwanted and unexpected caller.
And usually, I think, most OF the
callers are just as chagrined as the
callee to find the latter at home!
That is, naturally, when the calls are
of a formal or semi-ofhcial nature.
y
PUT to get back to our entertaining
u problems There is one custom
in America which I sadly deplore.
1t is that Of waiting until all the
guests are assembled before any aperi-
tifs are served. If you are giving
a fairly large party-perhaps 10 or
12-to which the guests are hidden at
8 o'clock, the chances are, in this
age of slack manners, that at least
6 out Of 10 will be late in varying
degrees. Therefore, the four firSt-com-
ers. who have been courteous enough
to arrive on time, must wait, in desul-
tory fashion in the drawing room,
chatting in a rather hit-and-mlsS
manner with the host and hostess,
who are obviously little annoyed at
having such delay. A much more
congenial and pleasant period may be
passed by having the apertifs served
at once to those guests who have al
ready arrived, and to the host and
hostess. I know that the question
comes up-"but this is not polite
no hostess would think of starting
dinner itself until every one was
there, and this is just the same" All
very well-but I do know several
hostesses who have become so fed
up on casually late guests, that, Is
minutes after the appointed hour, din
ner is announced, and those present
are seated. 1t makes 1t embarrassing
for the later arrivals, I know, but
after all, they were the ones who
were inconsiderate in the first in
stance, and the other members Of
the party should not suffer because
of their bad manners! When they
do arrive, they may have their round
of aperitifs, too, though-not so many
as they would wish, perhaps, and