Etiquette1 and Dress for the Week-end Visitor.—Duties of the Host.—The Neglectful and the Over-zealous Hostess.—Bread-and-butter Letters.
THE special trunks now readily procurable2 for week-end visits remind us not to burden our friends with heavy or excessive luggage. The visitor may have difficulty in deciding what costumes to carry. Hence a considerate hostess often mentions in her note of invitation what the out-of-door amusements are likely to be. If a tennis-court, golf-course, skating-rink, or toboggan-slide is available, she does well to say so. A host who lives by the seaside will perhaps take his guests out in a canoe or a motor-boat or offer them the pleasures of surf-bathing.
If the week-end guest receives no friendly hints about the wardrobe needed, she must be guided by a knowledge of the tastes and habits of the household she is to visit. If she is in ignorance of these, she will take into consideration the age of her hosts and the kind of place in which they live. Thus, if Doris is invited to stay at Newport or some other gay and fashionable watering-place, she will need handsomer costumes and a greater variety of them than would be appropriate at a quiet spot in the real country. In the same way, if her entertainers are rich people whose mode of living is very expensive and who invite many guests, she will require her best clothes.
Three changes of costume should ordinarily suffice—a short, plain skirt, suitable for walking or out-of-door sports, with body of the same material or separate shirt-waist either white or of corresponding color, an evening gown, and one for afternoon or church wear. The last named will suffice for the evening also if Doris is staying with friends who live quietly in the country. An old but extremely convenient arrangement is to have the afternoon costume made with a removable yoke3, thus serving two purposes. The English fashion of wearing a décolleté toilette for late dinner is popular with the smart set in our large cities, but is by no means general in America. It is a pretty custom for young girls, and many follow it, wearing simple frocks of white muslin or similar material in their own homes. For a visit in the country one should always take rubbers or stout4 shoes. For tennis, rubber soles are necessary, as those of leather tear up the court. While some country hostesses are very thoughtful about providing extra wraps, a wise guest, especially if she is inclined to be chilly5, will carry a warm coat or cloak.
An older woman would appear in the evening in a dress cut out somewhat at the throat, or with a lace yoke or jabot if her health did not permit the exposure of her neck. She would choose silk or some handsome material made up in a dressy way, with a train longer or shorter according to the fashion. Short dresses are much worn at the present moment. Doris should take a pair of long white gloves for the evening, as she will need them if there is to be a formal dinner, also a pair of dress slippers6, with stockings to match.
For a week-end visit in summer a young man would carry a pair of white-flannel7 trousers, a soft shirt of flannel, silk, Madras, linen8, or other material, and golf or tennis shoes. He would also take for evening wear a dinner-coat, with trousers and waistcoat to match, a black tie, patent-leather pumps or low shoes, and a couple of dress-shirts. During the heat of midsummer great latitude9 is allowed in the matter of evening dress. Thus, at the informal weekly dances of the Rumson Country Club, at Seabright, near New York, hardly a dress-coat is to be seen, the men all wearing dinner-coats. Many of them substitute a white belt for a waistcoat, white-duck trousers for the usual black ones, and soft white shirts or those with narrow plaits for the regulation stiff-bosomed dress-shirt.
In winter the week-end visitor with out-of-door tastes would take a sweater and a toboggan-cap for skating or coasting. At either season of the year he would travel in his business suit, and would wear this to church should his hosts take him there on Sunday. Formal afternoon dress (see Chapter VI) is the correct attire10 in which to appear at church; but business suits are often worn and are permissible11 for the week-end visitor, because he cannot conveniently carry many varieties of costume in a suit-case.
If the hostess has named a particular train, the visitor should always take that. Should she be delayed, she should telephone or telegraph saying when she will arrive. A host living in the country usually sends a conveyance12 to the station for his guests or comes to meet them himself. If the carriage or car is a hired one, the visitor offers to pay for it, but does not insist upon doing so. Where the trip to the friend’s house is made in a trolley-car, the guest is seldom allowed to pay his own fare. Sometimes the latter arrives and there is no one to meet him. For a man it is usually easy to hire a cab or take a trolley-car. For a young girl traveling alone the situation may be awkward, especially if the place is unfamiliar13 to her. After waiting a little while for her friends, it is perfectly14 proper for her to call them up over the telephone and ask for directions.
It is usual to tell a guest soon after her arrival the hours for meals. Should this be forgotten and should the lunch or dinner hour be approaching, Doris may make the necessary inquiries15. In a very formal household she would ask one of the maids. Should one of the latter offer to unpack16 Doris’s trunk or suit-case the young girl may accept or not, as she pleases. There has been some effort made to import from aristocratic countries the custom of having a valet or maid attend to this duty and assist the guest in his or her toilette. The good-natured fun made of these usages by recent writers reminds us that they are inappropriate in a democratic country. It is true that for certain styles of costume, such as a dress that fastens in the back, the fair wearer needs a little assistance. But as a rule the American spirit makes us prefer to be independent, whether of kings or of lackeys17. Self-reliance is almost indispensable in a land where fortunes are lost as well as made with such speed and frequency.
A guest should be punctual at all meals and on all occasions. With regard to breakfast a diversity of customs exists, the family assembling for the meal at most houses, while many people prefer to take it in their own rooms. A guest will endeavor to conform to the usage of the household. If the hostess proposes to have his breakfast sent up, he may accept the offer, unless he has reason to suppose that this will be inconvenient18. In the evening he will be careful not to keep his hosts up beyond the hour when they ordinarily retire for the night.
For a week-end visit a guest places his time at the disposal of his entertainers and does not usually make any engagements elsewhere. Should it happen, however, that he wishes especially to call on friends in the neighborhood, he should mention this soon after his arrival, so that the trip may be arranged for an hour that will not interfere19 with the plans of his host. The agreeable guest falls in readily with these. He tries to have a pleasant time himself and to contribute to the pleasure of others, even if some of them are tedious people. He will enjoy talking with the most interesting person present, but will not try to monopolize20 the lion of the occasion. If an excursion is proposed to see something he has seen many times before, or to do a thing he especially dislikes, he will not say: “Oh, I know that place by heart!” or “What a bore!” but will make the best of the situation. Should he have any “parlor tricks,” such as the ability to sing, recite, or tell fortunes, he will be ready to display these at an opportune21 moment. A guest, however, should follow rather than lead. It is the province of the host to make the programme and arrangements. The visitor must be careful not to behave as if he thought it was his party!
While, as we have said, he will join in the amusements, he will not overstep the limits prescribed by good-breeding. It sometimes happens that a group of young people, carried away by the contagion22 of high spirits, will behave like boisterous23 school-children. The manners of our day are much less formal than those of an earlier generation, but they impose of necessity a certain degree of restraint. Our girls and young men must remember that it is always easy to relapse into the barbarism from which mankind has emerged by a slow and tedious process. As the cultivated apple-tree tends always to return to the wild crab24, so does our civilization, if it is not vigilantly25 guarded, incline to revert26 to the savagery27 of the primitive28 man. A guest should never feel obliged to join in anything which he considers wrong. Thus, if it is proposed to play cards for money he should simply say, “Can’t we arrange another table? I always play for coffee-beans,” or make some other half-jesting remark. In a word, while he quietly maintains his own opinions, he should avoid saying anything in criticism of those who differ with him.
If he thinks it wrong to drink wine or beer, or does not care to do so, he should place his open hand palm downward against the side of the glass when the servant offers to fill this. Should it be filled by mistake the guest need not feel compelled to drink the wine. Among well-bred people his failure to do so would cause no comment. It is only very young and inexperienced or extremely timid persons who fancy that it is necessary to behave like the proverbial sheep blindly following the leader. A girl who should undertake to smoke a cigarette simply because those around her were doing so would clearly demonstrate, not her good manners, but her lack of backbone29. In the opinion of most people there is nothing wicked in the use of tobacco. But the great majority of Americans consider it in bad taste for women to smoke, especially in public.
Doris should inquire in good season about the trains and ascertain30 to which one it will be convenient to send her. She should never stay beyond the time for which she was originally invited, unless under exceptional circumstances. A week-end visit is supposed to terminate on Monday morning, or a business man may find it necessary to leave on Sunday evening.
The out-of-town hostess does well to select her guests from those who enjoy out-door sports or who are fond of the country and its amusements. Of course, such a choice is not always possible, and in the heat of midsummer every one likes to have a breath of fresh air and to escape from the noise and dust of the city streets. For a house-party it is best to ask persons of more or less congenial tastes, who will therefore be likely to enjoy the same things. While the affair will be more successful if some of the guests are already acquainted with one another, an agreeable stranger may add a pleasant variety. People who see one another constantly in the city may find it tiresome31 to meet at a week-end party.
If neither the hostess nor her deputy goes to meet the guest at the station, some member of the family should be on hand to welcome the latter on her arrival at the house. The guest-rooms should be well aired, made warm in winter and cool in summer. Unless the hostess has servants who are thoroughly32 reliable, she should visit these apartments before the arrival of her friends and make sure that all is in order, with everything provided for the comfort of her guests. There should be plenty of bed-clothes suitable for the time of year, a supply of stationery33 and sewing-materials, a few good books, a well-lighted dressing-table, some bureau and closet space, and ample washing facilities. At night the visitor should always find a pitcher34 or glass of drinking-water in her room and a few crackers35.
As we have already said, the hostess arranges the programme for the visit. She should not, however, insist too strenuously36 on its strict fulfilment. The entertainment must be fitted to the guests; they should not be expected to fit exactly into it, as if they were so many pegs37 in a cribbage-board. The plans must be elastic38; a wide margin39 should be left for the tastes and preferences of different individuals. The hostess does well to think out beforehand, perhaps to write down on paper, a provisional programme for each day. But if every one is happy playing tennis, she will not drag the players out in a motor-car simply because her schedule says, “Tuesday, 5 o’clock, all ride in automobile”!
Her social experience has probably shown her that two people may talk so long together as to become utterly40 bored. With an anxious eye she sees that Jack41 Quarterback has been talking for half an hour to Ida Vergil, the clever young Latinist from Vassar. She bears down upon them, dragging reluctant in her wake Thomas Pundit42, a prize-winner from the verdant43 shades of Princeton. Now in breaking up this particular tête-à-tête, the chatelaine is making the mistake of her life. Ida has been listening with the deepest interest to Jack’s story of how he stood X—— on his head and made the famous end-run that saved the day for Yale. At this moment her indifference44 to all the classic authors is supreme45. She greets Pundit as coldly as if he were indeed a Latin lexicon46 instead of a fairly good-looking young man. In this magical hour the glitter of his prizes is as nothing to her.
The over-zealous hostess perceives she has made a mistake, though she played the game according to her rules. If either party had shown signs of distress47, if Ida had yawned behind her fan or Jack had cast furtive48 glances around the room indicating a desire to escape, Mrs. Anxious would have been justified49 in her man?uver. A certain hostess who lived not a hundred miles from the Hub used to irritate her guests very much by breaking up the conversation at the expiration50 of what she considered the time-limit. She entertained so charmingly in other respects that people enjoyed going to her house. But they disliked very much her habit of interrupting a talk. Most persons prefer to direct their own affairs. The guiding hand of the hostess should be felt rather than seen.
While her guests may rebel at the social maternalism51 which hampers52 their freedom of action, they prefer Mrs. Anxious to the inert53 or cold and formal house-mistress who seems quite indifferent to their welfare. The neglectful hostess may be lazy or inexperienced, or she may lack the true spirit of hospitality. In the first case her guests will forgive her if she is trying to do her best. Since laziness is a form of selfishness, the woman who takes no pains to provide entertainment for her friends is seldom popular. The worst offender54, however, is the hostess who is so much occupied with her own amusements that she has neither time nor thought to bestow55 on other people. The question naturally arises in their minds, “Why did she invite us? Was it simply to show us her finely appointed household?”
During the morning hours the lady of the house may reasonably ask to be excused. She may be in the habit of breakfasting in her room, while later letters and household cares will occupy her time. If she does not expect to appear until the luncheon-hour, however, she should inquire overnight whether there is anything she can do for her guests in the morning. Although these will usually occupy themselves and amuse one another in the forenoon, their entertainer will have some plans probably for the afternoon and almost certainly for the evening. It is wise to arrange the night before, or betimes in the morning, the programme for the day, so that the guests will know what to expect. If these are all young people and the hostess an older woman, she will hardly take part in the more active out-of-door amusements. Where there is neither son nor daughter of the house, as deputy in the sports, it often happens that a young friend acts for the lady of the house.
The hostess should, if possible, be on hand to receive the adieux of the departing guests. If these are to leave in the morning and forget to inquire overnight about the train service, the hostess may with perfect propriety56 ask at what time they would like to start. She should do so in a tactful way, and might say, for instance: “At what hour are you obliged to be in New York, Miss Y——? I should like to let the chauffeur57 know to-night, so that he may be ready in good season to take you to the train.”
A “bread-and-butter letter” thanking the lady of the house for her hospitality should be written within a few days of the visit. If the guest is a young girl she should write very promptly58, in order to let her hostess know of her safe arrival at her destination. Such a note need not be long, but it should show a cordial appreciation59 of the kindness received.
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1
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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procurable
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| adj.可得到的，得手的 | |
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yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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permissible
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| adj.可允许的，许可的 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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unpack
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| vt.打开包裹（或行李），卸货 | |
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lackeys
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| n.听差( lackey的名词复数 )；男仆（通常穿制服）；卑躬屈膝的人；被待为奴仆的人 | |
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inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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monopolize
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| v.垄断，独占，专营 | |
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opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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contagion
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| n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延 | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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vigilantly
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| adv.警觉地，警惕地 | |
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revert
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| v.恢复，复归，回到 | |
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savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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stationery
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| n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封 | |
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pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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strenuously
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| adv.奋发地，费力地 | |
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pegs
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| n.衣夹( peg的名词复数 )；挂钉；系帐篷的桩；弦钮v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的第三人称单数 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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pundit
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| n.博学之人；权威 | |
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verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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lexicon
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| n.字典，专门词汇 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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expiration
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| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
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maternalism
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| 纵容，溺爱 | |
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hampers
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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