The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-07-01
NOW
BritOn LdudS
II. s. SERVANTS
AND HOSTS
BY HELEN ESSARY

and successfully with the casual
ness of guests that would not only
cause an English staff" to give
notice in body but would per-
Suade the English hostess to stop
entertaining permanently.
My English friend says, more
over, that American servants. IN
stead of being inferior to English
servants, are both competent and
angelic. He doesn't know how they
manage smilingly to serve we'll
cooked meals half an hour or two
hours late to six or sixty people
and keep from committing muir
der.
AS an example of the perfection
of American hospitality, my Eng
lish friend is going to describe in
q British weekly a party given last
week in Philadelphia at a beautiful
estate Just outside of the town.
The party began at noon and
continued until midnight and be-
yond. Unknown quantities OF
guests arrived at unknown hours.
Meanwhile, the host and hostess
were watchfully but most unob-
truSively directing the serving of
food and drinks and the enter
tainment of each guest and grace
fully making each one feel impor-
tant to the success Of the party.
The days festivities, as far as
we were concerned, started when
we met the host at Houston Hall
at the University of Pennsylvania.
We arrived at the hall in taXiS
IS minutes late. This did not
seem to annoy the host. He looked
us over, said that we were five
less than he expected in the first
cavalcade. The missing five had
had to stay in town to write the
news of the convention. He said
he would stop a minute and tele-
phone his wife that We were on
our way, so the soup would be
sure to be hot. Then he would
take us to the waiting cars.
We drove half an hour through
the charming Pennsylvania coun-
tryside with its rolling hills, COM
Portable gray stone houses and
bright gardens-homes of people
satisfied with their place in the
sun.
Turning in at a side road we
saw half mile away the estate
of our hosts. Its gray stone barn
sloped down hillside and
around a courtyard. The house,
also of gray stone, was at once
substantial and rambling. 1t
spread out welcomicgly on a knoll
and was joined by guest houses of
like architecture. Said the Eng
lishman:
I'm Europe this would be a.
CASTLE"
The hostess was at the door,
smiling and very pretty and say
ing how happy she was that we
had come-not What in the
world made you so late?"
Passing through rooms bright
with flowers and chintZes and
sunshine streaming through very
large windows we came to the
large drawing room where the
guests were gathered. After mint
juleps in thickly frosted glasses
we wandered into the sitting
room, especially gay with bloom
ing ported plants single pinks,
geraniumS and petunias and ole
anders.
Here, with no clutter or con-
fusion, small tables were set up.
From the big table in the adjoin-
ing dining room a delicious lunch
was brought.
I am going to tell you the
menu because it was so satisfac-
tory for a buffet meal. Cups of
very hot broth, chicken hash
served with small squares of
Drowned corn meal mush, small
cubes of tomato, flaky hot bis
cults. The dessert-peach ice
cream-was appetizing on pale
blue china and was served with
sponge cake squares. Big wooden
platters with half a dozen kinds
of cheese and crackers followed.
Small cups of coffee came last.
AS We went out to admire the
garden and its great variety of
flowers and Shrubbery and the
flocks of sheep in the distant
meadow, three or four carloads of
guests arrived. They were terribly
sorry to be so late but
The hostess sat companionably
with the new arrivals while Serv-
ants brought lunch. Every few
minutes thereafter phone mes
Sages arrived. These were relayed
to the host who took them calmly
and efficiently. Some people were
waiting in town. Could one or two
cars be spared? Some guests
wanted to bring friends. Others
would come for supper, also with
friends.
Meanwhile, newcomers were be-
ing welcomed. The serving Of
lunch continued The mixing Of
mint julepS began again.
About 4 o'clock sandwiches and
canapes appeared to cheer the
first arrivals and those who were
now coming to listen to a delight.
fully amusing quartette.
About half past five some of
us decided to leave. Said the
hostess: