Evening star., 1943-02-22
Hospitality Goes
On Despite Lack
Of Oil and Gas
FoHou'ins offers
Example Of Hou'
To Entertain
BY Emily Post

A letter from Anne Kent my
assistant, who is on vacation. is
so interesting I am making it to-
days whole column by printing it
in full.
The party Saturday evening was
such fun, think it would be Won
derful to tell your readers about it.
1t had all the gypsy appeal of the
outdoors and all the civilized COM
forts Of home. Il think this last is
Of special Importance to husbands,
Judging from my ownD
"On account Of their cold house.
and no gas for pleasure driving,
Harriet and Herb wondered how
they could possibly invite any one
to meet us. Their particular friends
are scattered around the country
A short while ago the distances
separating them meant pleasant
IS or 20 minutes drive. Today it
means a formidable half days hike.
SO Harriet decided to invite their
nearest neighbors.
THE interesting point is that up
until now these neighbors had only
greeted each other in passing on the
road or over the fences. But to go
back to the evening: Harriet in
vited the Browns on their left and
the Smiths on their right and the
Joneses across the road to come for
a bonfire supper to meet their ma
rooned house guests. Meaning
M
bring at least one long handled
fork If possible, and it was suggested
that the wives might prefer to
wear slacks.
The living room has a huge fire.
place and the cellar a good supply
of logs, but there was no CRATE for
the fireplace. So Herb made one
that morning out of few lengths
of old pipe and some wire that
had missed the scrap pile.
I'm preparation for supper the
long living room table at one end
was cleared of its lamps and books,
set with a cloth stacks of napkins,
plates and necessary silver. The
electric grill was attached at one
end. The food was of the depend
able variety-and excellent: A large
pot of homemade New England
style baked beans, and a huge bowl
of vegetable salad. The frankfurter
rolls tSplit not quite through be-
forehand were placed by the grill,
the frankfurters and long handled
forks put on a separate small table
next to the fireplace.
Every one took his (and herr
turn roasting the frankfurters over
the bed of hot fire. The sight of
them sizzling and browning, always
moved one of us to the grill to put
on the next rolls to toast.
There was beer for those who
wanted it. The dessert was a large
mold OF all sorts of cut-up fresh
fruits. Later the coffee maker was
plugged in, because the guests had
IL remembered to bring their own
share. (We, tooD
IF you can get the picture of this
very homelike living room, with big,
easy chairs and a long. wide sofa
against the wall opposite the fire
place, plenty of little tables, flushed
faces grouped In turns around the
fire talking back and forth with
the others whose turn it was to sit
back and eat. the warmth of the
fire, the conviviality Of neighbors
newly discovering each other as
friends, you will understand why I
said it was such fun"
And I am sure my readers will
understand why I wanted to share
this letter.
Dear Mrs. Post: We have a very
large dining room which has a deep
bay window on one side and in this
space we have a second table-a
wing table on which my husband
and I always eat lunch as well as
breakfast when we are alone, be-
cause it is cozier-and also the light
Is brighter Do you think 1t might be
better to use this smaller table when
] have one guest to lunch soon? The
other table is a very large one.
Answer-From your description I
should say that the small table in
the window is decidedly the better
choice.