Evening star., 1937-10-16
HOStesseS'
Duties to-
Guests
Should Arrange for
Transportation
To Theater.
BY EMILY POST.

DEAR MRS. POST: I have just
accepted an invitation to dine
at the house Of new friend who Is
taking her dinner party to the theater
afterward. I live only two blocks away
from her house and can easily walk
to dinner, but I'm little worried as
to what arrangement 1 am expected to
make for getting to the theater.
Answer-You will not be expected
to make any arrangement further
than to arrive at the house OF your
hostess at the hour of dinner. The
fact that She has invited you to
dine and go with her to the theater
afterward makes it her obligation
to see that all her dinner guests
have, or are provided with, the means
Of getting to the theater and to their
homes afterward. She will either
take you in her own car, or arrange
beforehand to have you and any
other guests who have no cars 20
with those who have.
YEAR MRS. POST: Please settle
the question of whether it is
proper or not for group Of, let's say
Is women alone to gather at a -otel,
having engaged private dining room.
in evening dress? It seems utterly
ridiculous to me for any one to say
that it was not proper, yet each
and every time I try to promote a
dinner of this type some OF the men,
bers think that the absence of men
does not permit our wearing eve
ming clothes. Why in the world
would men have anything to do with
the type of clothes we may choose?
Answer-1 don't know how people
feel in other communities, but in
New York, for example, dinners Of
women alone are in every particular
table setting, food, and women's
dresses-exactly the same whether
men are present or not.
nEAR MRS. POST: Several months
ago the invitations had gone out
for large tea, which mother was CIV
Ing to announce my engagement. At
the last minute fell very Ill and the
party had to be called of. I've only
just recovered sufficiently to receive
at such big party, but in the mean
time the news Of our engagement has
leaked out and every one knows. Do
you think the party would be ridicu-
lous now? Mother feels that we ought
to have it since the invitations had
already gone out.
Answer-The only difference in Civ
ing this party now instead Of several
months ago Is that now 1t will be 4
party in honor Of your engagement in
stead OF to announce 1t.
DEAR MRS. POST: A man and
his wife whom we met during
my husbands vacation at Summer
hotel-an older couple-asked us to
dinner soon after We got back in
town. We couldn't 60 because we
had accepted another invitation for
the evening. This occurred over
month ago and 10 date we have not
invited them back and I'm afraid
tnere Is no reason except q lack Of
mutual interests, not only between
them and ourselves, but they and
our own friends would not have any,
thing at all in common. But I
wouldn't want to be rude or have
hem consider our inhospitableness
in the light Of a social slap. NV
husband says I am worrying about
nothing and that it would be much
worse to pretend to build up friend
ship which has no real material to
build it with, than to let it stay
in acquaintance.
Answer-Unless you really find
them congenial, then it seems to
me that your husband Is right. Friend.
ship with a stranger cannot be built
on fear Of hurting the feelings of
that stranger. This, however, does
not mean that you are to be rude.
You should have paid your party
call, and your manner should be
friendly when you meet.