Year: 1871

Hospitality seems to be an extinct virtue. Grand parties we have in plenty of all kinds, where those who have vitality sufficient to attend them, and purses long enough to compete with the vulgar show attending them, may return such hollow civilities, and "have it over, as they express it.

 Hdce it orea'!' There's just the fly in the ointment. The old-fashioned, genuine hospitality never was Cover. " Nobody wanted it Cover" A simple, elegant little tea, a well-cooked, we'll served, plain family dinner, ones friend ! was always welcome to join, without a printed card of invitation weeks before hand, accompanied with whispered, "I hope to gracious they won't accept p But that, alas is all in the past Fash ion has decreed an elaborate show of food, dishes and dress. Families pinch themselves awhole year for one grand display of this kind, in the endeavor to complete with those whose means per. haps may justify this barren style of en l tertaining, and where stupefaction and a consequent lack of intelligent converse tion are the only result, save a long bill of expense. The consequence is, that people whose time is valuable, and whose vitality is too precious to .expend in this way, refuse all such invitations But the unfortunate part of it is, that many of them do not revive the old sim pie hospitality; and when expostulated with upon setting better example, only reply, that the prevailing taste for show has so vitiated everything that there are few who care to go where it is not the order of the entertainment.

 Now we don't believe this. We have too often heard sensible, cultivated, re. fined men and women deplore it, tc credit this idea. But they are mal strom; Mrs. So and So is a particular friend, and "she thinks she must gc through with this vulgar parade" or, "her husband likes it," etc. Now il isn't that there are "few who don't like it," but it is true that there are few who have the independence to inaugurate 6 I different state of things-to be trmls hospitable without excessive upholstery or gastronomy, or fine millinery.

 To my mind, there is something bet ter than sitting hours to see servants dexterously place and take away dishes One sees that at home in lesser degree and with less waste of time. One car converse with ones hostess there, an6 she will not answer at random, because her mind is occupied with processions of birds and sugar and wines. Little children's faces, like flowers, are there in place of a stiff bouquet of flowers and silver pyramids obscuring ones ris-a-vis Ihere is home flavor which puts the most modest guest at ease, and permits him or her to bring forth something ir the way of conversation that is not the inhamed product of half dozen kinds of wine-something to remember anc think of afterward with pleasure; instead of blushing next day to associate witt the speaker.

 say there are people, and the bes kind of people too, who much prefer thi. style of entertainment; but they should not rest there. They should inaugurate something better in their place, instead only of retiring in disgust under the shelter of their own roofs, and living only for their own family circles. They owe duty also to society, and it should | be paid by setting sensible example of old-fashioned simplicity in hospitality which in time may reform this matter. People who value their brains want them in decent condition for the next morn ing, and the next morning after that, and cannot afford to waste them in this manner. It is a matter of dollars and cents with them, I'd have you to know as well as matter of taste if, indeed l may be pardoned for putting forward an idea so practical. They wish to retire early, for one thing they prefer out door air for another, when they are of duty with the pen, instead that of a close, stuffed room, and the spectacle of feeding and drinking till sense and vii give out. This is plain talking, but il won't hurt you, my friends, to have 6 little occasionally. FANNY FERN.