The Art of Entertaining

1895

How Guests Are Made Happy and How Made Miserable.

If an icy coldness reigns in well heated rooms, if people pass each other distantly, stare at the pictures or turn over the leaves of photograph albums and yet look forward eagerly and with pleasure to the moment when they can bid good night to their host, these are evidences of a discomfort not always expressible in words, for even though conventionality requires that they depart with the fervent assurance that they have spent a delightful evening it is a lie. The host may be charming, cordial and well meaning, but it is a martyrdom to attend a function at his house, for the reason that he is not fitted for the duties of a social leader. The same people who answer his calls would in another house have been able to enjoy themselves thoroughly.

The most dangerous as a host to the peace of mind of society people is the nervous man. The perturbed manner with which he receives his guests betrays the fact that the company is built up like mosaic, figuratively speaking — the falling of one stone would cause the whole edifice to crumble in pieces. He is pale and anxious as he rushes hither and thither, fearful lest something will go wrong, and speaks to the guests who have arrived without knowing what he is talking about.

He looks hurriedly around and exclaims:

"Hasn't Smith come yet? Where can he be? He is always late! Last night in the club he told me — Ah, here he is, at last!" And, going up to Smith, he says, "Why, I was quite worried about you. How can you make us wait so long? Allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Jones."

The introduction over with, he looks at the clock and mops his forehead. The worst of it is that his nervousness is infectious. Before an hour has elapsed the whole company is in the same condition; even the servants with the refreshments seem to be rendered nervous by simple thanks from any of those present. Stolid men become gradually excited, answering the most innocent questions either irritably or absentmindedly. It is only when they are at the table, or lose sight of their entertainer, that the customary equanimity of the guests is restored. — Home and Country.

Hotel Clerks' "Kittie"

1910

Box Into Which Excess Change Is Dropped to Make Up Possible Shortages

"The 'kittie' is the latest thing for the protection of hotel clerks," said John Rohman, chief clerk at the Old Inn.

"The 'kittie,'" he continued, "is a strong box with a slit in the lid in which we drop any excess change that comes along.

"For instance, if a guest overpays his bill and gets away before the mistake is discovered, we drop the extra money into the 'kittie,' which is never opened until some of the clerks find themselves short. The other day one of our boys came up two dollars ahead in his accounts. One of the guests had evidently paid two dollars more than he should in settling his bill. There was no way to locate the guest, and the two dollars went into the 'kittie.' A day or two later I came up two dollars short, so I went into the 'kittie' and got out the two dollars.

"The management of every hotel makes the clerk or cashier stand for any shortage of the cash drawer that occurs on the particular clerk's watch. The 'kittie' is an invention of the clerks at the French Lick hotel, but many hotels have adopted the plan." — Louisville Times.

Clever Butler Briefly Announces Guests

1900

There is no personage quite so imposing as a well-developed specimen of the British butler. The Wellesley Magazine relates an anecdote of one butler whose taste for the impressive was too much for the family whose service he had entered.

He was a newcomer, and almost his first duty was to announce the arrivals at his employer's first "at home" of the season. The earliest guests to appear were Mr. and Mrs. Penny and their daughter, old and familiar friends of the family. The new butler announced them in measured tones and with majestic mien:

"Mr. Edwin Algernon Pembroke Penny, Mrs. Edwin Algernon Pembroke Penny, and Miss Maud Victoria Penny."

Other arrivals were announced at equal length and with equal solemnity. Before the next "at home," the master of the house suggested that so much repetition and elaboration was unnecessary; that he would prefer to have his guests announced more briefly. The magnificent being bowed grave assent and said nothing. But his feelings had been wounded; and he was, unlike most of his kind, as clever as he was majestic.

As before, the first to arrive were Mr. and Mrs. Penny and Miss Penny. When they had ascended the stairs, they paused an instant at the drawing-room door; the next, the butler flung it abruptly open, and they heard themselves briskly announced to their dismayed hosts in the comprehensive formula:

"Threepence!"

—Youth's Companion

Letting the Wife Know Guests Are Coming

1914

It is difficult for some men to see that it makes it much easier for a wife, in her domestic arrangements with the cook and behind the scenes, if her husband sends her word before the arrival of a guest that he intends bringing home for dinner or over night, ventures the Ladies' Home Journal.

Of course, in any well regulated family the latch string always hangs out, as the saying goes, and an extra plate is easily laid for the unexpected guest. But does a man in his business like to get an order that he cannot fill? Does he like to say he hasn't it in stock? Does he care to be caught shorthanded? Neither does a good housekeeper nor a good cook.

In households where there are money and food to throw away the case is different. But in most homes, where every penny — or every potato — counts, it is only fair for the office side to the let the distaff side know beforehand. It is the right of the wife to know.

Etiquette — "When a Guest, When Do You Retire for the Night?"

1910

Delicate Point at Issue

Whether Guest or Hostess Should Make First Move for Retiring for the Night

Until the end of time it will probably be a mooted question whether guest or hostess should make the first move for retiring for the night. When staying in a house for the first time this is one of the most difficult points for a guest to decide, and it takes a great deal of tact and discernment to arrive at a correct conclusion.

In the summer house at country or seashore the chances are, if the host goes to town for business every day, that the whole household is up early. The hostess is certainly, as a rule, if her husband is a business man. In that case it is almost essential that they go to bed early. Logical as this conclusion may seem, a guest fears to suggest going too early to her own room, lest she should seem to be bored during the evening, and thus it is, when both really would like to turn in at a reasonable hour, they and others are kept up by a desperate attempt to be polite.

If any rule of procedure may be laid down for a stranger in the house it is to find out, as soon as possible, at what time breakfast is served and when the host goes to town. It is a safe method, if he goes early, and especially if breakfast is served for all at an early hour, to suggest retiring by ten o'clock at the latest, and in more than one household in the summer the same people who turn night into day in the winter go to their rooms by nine o'clock in the evening. It is better for guests to err on the side of going too soon than too late, for nothing will make strangers more unpopular than to overturn the comfortable habits of the household.

Host and hostess are not required to go to their own rooms because guests may have retired to theirs, but they are obliged to stay up if the stranger makes no move to retire.

It is by no means difficult, even for a person making a first visit, to suggest retiring. She may say that she is tired from having been so much out of doors, or that the heat is rather trying, or any other such simple excuse as may come into her mind, and declare that she would like to retire. She makes her good-nights then at once, and the host and hostess are at liberty to follow their usual customs.

Meeting Teddy Roosevelt, Crippled for Life

1903

At the army and navy reception the White House, says the Washington Post, a woman visiting the city from the far West went to shake hands with President Roosevelt. She was buffeted and knocked about, and after a struggle of half an hour reached Col. Bingham. As she was introduced, she said:

"Mr. President, I've had an awful time getting here. I think one of my feet will be crippled for life."

"De-light-ed, madam, de-light-ed," said the president, shaking hands and bowing profoundly.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 4, 1903, page 5.

Mrs. Underhill Entertains

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Underhill entertained with a progressive high five party Friday evening, Jan. 6th at their home, in honor of Everett Rundlett, of Omaha, Nebraska. A splendid time was reported by all who attended.

The honors of the evening were awarded to Mrs. A. B. Connley and W. E. Caskey. The card tables were laid with dainty lunch cloths and a two-course lunch was served which was greatly enjoyed by all.

During the evening, George Chapman and Everett Rundlett rendered several selections on piano.

The guests were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Chapman, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Connley, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Morton, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Kuhn, Mr. and Mrs. Barofsky, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shoemaker, Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Baumer, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Caskey, Messrs. Everett Rundlett and George Chapman.

--The Ellis Review-Headlight, Ellis, Kansas, January 1911.

Comment: Connley perhaps should be Connely.