Chapter 13

A GRANDMOTHER'S TEA PARTY.

One of the newest suggestions for an original hospitality is "A Grandmother's Tea Party." If you have an "at home" day, as every busy woman should, and you want to serve tea to your guests, offer it to them as it was offered fifty years or more ago.

First of all, collect all of your antique table service. Every family has some dear old treasures of the kind--tea cups, old linen, flower vases, silver epergns, etc.

You probably have somewhere laid away a wonderful old damask cloth which dates back at least half a century. Cover the table with this and scatter over it a handful of carnations, allowing them to fall at haphazard.

The centerpiece will be in the form of a huge cake placed on a high glass dish. This confection might be resplendent in a design of blossoms and turtle-doves carried out in variously tinted icings as the old-time cakes so often were.

On either side of the cake dish are placed tall epergns--veritable antique pieces built high with pyramids of fruit. Bonbons--they should be called sugar plums in this connection--must be old-fashioned sweets quaintly wrapped in fringed papers.

Often the tall glass lamps will also be procurable in a pattern of fifty years ago.

This will produce a thoroughly charming little table with a quaintness and a touch of femininity that everyone will enjoy.

The woman who is looking for a new way to serve tea on her day at home couldn't do better than to attempt this. It is easy to do; it costs little, it is pretty; it is feminine.

AN APRIL FOOL TEA.

Send invitations asking your guests to dress as foolish as possible. The hostesses costume can be combinations of several, as a decollete corsage, short walking skirt, one high-heeled slipper and one bedroom slipper, one side of her hair braided and hanging down and the other piled up high and decorated with feathers from the duster. Or she can dress as "Folly" with pointed black velvet bodice, white blouse, red and yellow striped skirts, pointed cap and wear a small black masque covering the upper part of the face, and carry a stick wound with red and yellow ribbon with tiny bells fastened by ribbons. If you care to take the trouble and the expense (though it need not be very great), you can construct a maze or labyrinth by which the guests approach your door. Make this of frames of wood covered with sheeting, newspapers or heavy cartridge paper, and make as many turns in it as you choose. When the front door is reached have it fly back and display the sign: "April Fool. Try the back door." If you have a side entrance you can have a similar sign and prolong the agony. Have a dummy hostess at the back door and direct the guests to one or two wrong rooms before they reach the right dressing room.

Have a masked person standing at the door of the parlor as hostess. When the guest starts to shake hands, display the sign "April Fool, I am not the hostess." Have two or three hostesses before the right one is reached.

Have the room full of surprises in the way of decorations, cabbage heads and vegetables for bouquets, tin lanterns for lights, a den for stuffed animals and similar fakes.

No talking of any kind will be permitted for the first hour, though two or three notebooks and pencils can be displayed for those who feel they must express their thoughts. The examination of the "fool" costumes will take place in deaf and dumb show. Give a bunch of onions tied with green calico for the worst costume.

Ring a big dinner bell at six o'clock and arrange one or two childish games to be played to fill in the time before tea or ask the guests to represent some noted character in pantomime, the others to guess which character is portrayed.

For the tea pass cards numbered from one to ten and have the guests call for their supper by indicating four numbers--1, fork; 2, sandwich; 3, plate; 4, pickle; 5, napkin; 6, glass of water; 7, cup of coffee; 8, cake; 9, spoon; 10, ice cream.

For instance, a guest writing on his card 1, 3, 5, 6, would receive a fork, plate, napkin and glass of water for his supper. Have several waiters and put names on the lists so that all the articles may be brought in at once. After waiting until those who get articles of food try to eat them, for of course, the sandwiches, cake, pickles and ice cream must be "April Fool" ones made of sawdust, cotton and similar substances. Serve real sandwiches, coffee, cake and ice cream.

A COLONIAL TEA.

A delightful way to entertain six elderly lady friends would be to give a Colonial tea. Word the invitations thus:

"My Dear Madame:--Ye distinguished Honor of your Presence is requested Thursday, ye Second of October, from Three of ye Clock until ye early Candlelight, at Four Hundred and Seven, Sheridan Road, ye City of ----, ye State of ----, to meet your most Obedient and Humble Servant, Mistress ----."

Light the rooms with candlelight and decorate with nosegays of garden flowers and autumn leaves. Seat the guests at round tables. Have all the viands on the table at once. Let the menu be cold turkey, pressed chicken, cold tongue, tiny pocketbook rolls, jellies and preserves, gelatines, pound cake and fruit cake, hot tea and chocolate. Decorate the table with old-fashioned flowers in quaint vases. Women of that age generally prefer to bring their own needlework and visit, so have a brief program of old-fashioned music, or an interesting old-fashioned story read.

PRETTY ROSE TEA.

One of the most beautiful "rose" teas can be given if one has a rose garden. Hundreds of dozens of roses, white for the drawing-room, red for the hall and library, yellow for the music room and pink for the dining room can be used. The roses are placed in immense Oriental bowls on polished table tops. The tea table has an immense basket of pink and white roses in rare varieties and the surface of the table is covered with a smilax mat bordered with pink roses and tiny electric light bulbs looking like glow worms. The ice cream is in the shape of a pink cup with green handles filled with fruit the whole being of ice cream and very delicious. With this is served little pink cakes and candy roses and chocolate with whipped cream.

OMBER SHADES OF ROSE.

A beautiful color effect can be secured for a tea by placing on a long table a series of French baskets of roses shading from American beauty to white. The basket at the lower end of the table is in the American beauty shade, the next basket of roses of a lighter shade, the third a deep pink, the fourth a pale pink and the fifth basket bride roses. Tied to these baskets are ribbons in the omber shades of rose. The candles between the baskets are the same shades as the different roses and the electric lights of the chandelier are hooded in rose like shades of varying hues.

A BOUQUET TEA.

Let the invitations read somewhat in this way: "Will you take tea with us under the trees Tuesday afternoon at five o'clock? Please wear a bunch of roses. Hoping that we may have the pleasure of your company, believe me,

Sincerely yours, ----."

The piazza is the most natural place for the guests to assemble, and after hats have been laid aside within doors, the four walls of the house may be left behind, and on the shaded piazza, made charming with a few bowls of roses, the Bouquet Game can be played, making a pleasant beginning to the party. This game is most suitable for a gathering not too large, as it somewhat taxes the memory. The guests are placed at one side of the piazza in a long line and each is provided with a bouquet, holding a few less flowers than there are guests, that is: If there are fifteen guests, each should have a dozen flowers. Each person then takes the name of a flower and as the hostess calls the roll each says slowly and distinctly, "I am a pansy," "I am a rose," "a tulip," "a violet," as the case may be. The hostess writes these names down so that she may have them for reference. She may call the roll once again when this is done to freshen memories, and then until the end of the game no one, under any circumstances, may reveal her flower identity. Then one at a time, beginning at the right hand, each guest is called to the center facing the line to be asked one question by every one in turn in the line. In her answers the one in the center must include the questioners' flower identity. No. 1, for instance, is "Lily" and asks the person in the center. "What animal do you like best?" He answers, "Tiger-lily" and then Lily presents him with a flower. No. 2 may be "Sunflower" and the one in the center cannot remember it, so when asked a question he says to sunflower or No. 2, "Weed I know you not" and gives Sunflower a flower, and so all down the line until the end when the one who has been in the center takes his place in the line and the next in turn comes out to the middle of the piazza to face the ranks and try his memory. Of course many of the flower names can only be brought in awkwardly, but there is a chance for some cleverness and fun.

The game makes merry fun if all enter into the spirit of it. If any one gets entirely out of flowers he drops out of the game. At the end prizes are given to the man and the girl having the largest number of flowers in their bouquets.

SPRING PLANTING.

Spring Planting is another good contest:

Plant the days of the year and what will come up?--Dates. Plant a kiss and what?--(two lips) Tulips Plant a girl's complexion and what?--Pinks. Plant tight shoes and what?--Acorn. Plant a millionaire and what?--(Astor) Aster. Plant a disciple of St. Paul and what?--Timothy. Plant a landing for boats and what?--Docks. Plant an unfortunate love affair and what?--Bleeding heart. Plant some cats and what?--Cat tails. Plant a government building and what?--Mint. Plant the author of "The Marble Faun" and what?--Hawthorn. Plant a tramp and what?--(beat) Beet. Plant a dude and what?--Coxcomb. Plant something black and what?--Nightshade. Plant a vessel for holding liquid and what?--Pitcherplant Plant the signet of a king of Israel and what?--Solomon's seal. Plant a fortune hunter and what?--(marry gold) Marigold. Plant a little puppy and what?--Dogwood. Plant a happy love affair and what?--Hearts-ease. Plant a lover's request and what?--Forget-me-not. Plant a wise man and what?--Sage. An Israelite with the habit of traveling and what?--Wandering Jew. Plant a young lady on a foggy morning and what?--Maid-in-the-mist. Plant an afternoon hour and what? Four o'clock. Plant a bird in old clothes and what?--Ragged robin. Plant the unmarried man's bane and what?--Bachelors buttons. Plant something neat and what?--Spruce. Plant a dainty piece of china and what?--Buttercup. Plant a cow and what?--Milkweed. Plant Solomon's sceptre and what?--Goldenrod. Plant a little boy and what?--Johnny-jump-up. Plant a young minister and what?--Jack-in-the-pulpit. Plant a royal lady and what?--Queen-of-the-meadow.

Then if the hostess has even a bit of a garden, a bell rung out under the trees calls the merry throng to partake of old-fashioned "high tea" at little tables set where the afternoon shadows slant restfully, and with the birds' music about, the charm of out-of-doors will add flavor to the dainties. Tea biscuit, chicken salad and tea or chocolate, ices or frozen custard and sponge cake are most suitable.

A HIGH TEA.

A High Tea is one of the most complimentary entertainments to which a hostess may invite her friends in the afternoon. The number of guests is limited, but the possibilities for decoration, daintiness and elegance are unlimited. The exact hour is written on the invitation, as High Tea at 4:00 o'clock (or 5:00 o'clock). The guests may number about twenty-four, but twelve or sixteen is a desirable number. They arrive exactly at the appointed hour. They are seated at small tables having places for four at each table. The menu is a little more substantial than for a reception. Here is a typical "High Tea" menu:

_Hot Bouillon_ _Sweetbread and Mushroom Patties_ _Tiny Pickles_ _Creamed Chicken in Green Peppers_ _Cauliflower Scalloped_ _Hot Rolls_ _Spiced Cherries_ _Asparagus Salad_ _Grated Parmesan Cheese_ _Ice Cream in form of Fruits, Flowers, or any desired form_ _Angel Food_ _Coffee_

This menu, of course, may be varied. Clam cocktail, grape fruit, a fruit cup or hot fruit soup may be served for the first course, croquettes, any sort of salad and ice cream or gelatines.

An original embroidery contest to precede the tea is to secure the large pattern initials which come very inexpensive, getting the initial of each guest. Prepare oblong pieces of linen or lawn which will fold into envelope shape, six by fourteen inches. Give each guest a piece of the linen and the pattern for her initial. She embroiders the initial in the corner or center of the flap to the "envelope" which is a stock and turnover case when finished. Each guest is given her turnover case to finish as a souvenir. Give prizes for the best initial, the one completed first and for the slowest.

A SIMPLE MENU FOR HIGH TEA.

For a high tea for ladies, serve first an oyster cocktail in glasses, fruit punch or brandied peaches. Then serve sweetbread salad, with bread and butter sandwiches. Frozen eggnog and fig cake are a change from the regulation ice cream. Follow by tea.

A "BOOK-TITLE" TEA. 1.

The latest novelty in afternoon entertainments in England is what is called a "book-title" tea. Of course, this would be just as amusing in the evening, and any refreshments may be served that the hostess prefers.

The guests are all expected to devise and wear some particular badge or ornament which indicates, more or less clearly, the title of some book, preferably works which are well known.

The "badges" worn may be very clever and most tastefully executed. "Dodo" may be impersonated by showing a bar of music containing the two representative notes of the tonic sol-fa method. "Little Men" is represented by a badge bearing the names of little great men, such as Napoleon, Lord Roberts, etc.

A lady may wear around her neck fragments of china tied by a ribbon. This represents "The Break-Up of China," Lord Charles Beresford's book. Another lady, whose name is Alice, may wear a necklace of little mirrors, and this represents "Alice Through A Looking Glass." An ingenious design consists of a nickel coin, a photo of a donkey, another nickel coin, and a little bee, meaning "Nickolas Nickleby." A daisy stuck into a tiny miller's hat stands for "Daisy Miller," and the letters of the word olive twisted on a wire for "Oliver Twist."

Two little gates, made of paste board and a jar, represents "Gates Ajar," and a string of little dolls dressed as men, "All Sorts and Conditions of Men." There are many other interesting and ingenious designs.

A BOOK TITLE TEA. 2.

This is an original entertainment for a few friends. Have amusing pen and ink sketches handed around together with a small note book and pencil for each guest. Explain that each sketch is supposed to represent some well-known book and each guest is given an opportunity to put on his or her thinking cap and name the volume in his note book and pass the sketch on. This novel game affords no end of mirth and enjoyment and at a given time the hostess looks over the books and corrects them.

The House of Seven Gables is very simple and easy to guess, it being simply a rough sketch of a house with seven gables.

An Old-Fashioned Girl is represented by a girl of ye olden time in simple and quaint costume with a school bag on her arm.

A small snow covered house is enough to suggest "Snow Bound" to many of the guests.

The Lady and the Tiger ought not to puzzle anyone, it is a simple sketch of a lady's head in one corner and a tiger in the other.

On one card appears 15th of March, which seems more baffling than all the others. It proves to be "Middlemarch."

A large letter A in vivid red of course represents "A Scarlet Letter."

"Helen's Babies" is a sketch of two chubby boys in night robes.

"Heavenly Twins" is represented by twin stars in the heavens.

"Darkest Africa" needs nothing but the face of a darkey boy with mouth stretched from ear to ear.

One of the sketches is a moonlight scene with ships going in opposite directions and is easily guessed to represent "Ships that Pass in the Night."

Anyone with originality can devise many other amusing and more difficult sketches. Prizes might be given to the one who guesses the largest number correctly.

PATRIOTIC TEA.

"While other constellations sink and fade, And Orient planets cool with dying fires, Columbia's brilliant star can not be stayed, And, heaven-drawn, towards higher arcs aspires; A Star of Destiny whose searching rays Light all the firmament's remotest ways."

"That force which is largely responsible for the greatness and grandeur of the Republic is the woman behind the man behind the gun."

Booklets with small silk flags mounted on the covers and bearing these quotations with tiny red, white and blue pencils attached make suitable favors for the guests at a high tea. For one contest give twenty minutes in which to write a list of words ending in "nation" as, carnation, condemnation, etc. For this prize give a red, white and blue streamer on which tiny flags of all nations are fastened. For a second contest allow a given length of time in which to write correctly the words of the American national anthem. A book containing a description of national music would make a suitable prize for this contest. Decorate the dining room with silk flags and red, white and blue bunting and in the center of the table have a blue vase filled with red and white hyacinths or carnations or roses. Have the ice cream frozen in form of a bust of Washington on a shield in three colors.

DEBUT TEA.

The leading color in the refreshment room is yellow. The table has a beautiful lace cover and in the center is a large basket of yellow roses, the Golden Gate variety. Around the center are candles with yellow silk shades and a silver compote holding green glace grapes tied with yellow ribbon. The mantel is filled with ferns and a mass of yellow roses in the center. The electric lights at either side of the mantel have yellow silk shades. Instead of ice cream and cake, the menu for the afternoon tea is a delicious meringue filled with whipped cream and wine jelly, coffee and glace grapes.

YELLOW TEA.

Yellow is a pretty color for a bridal tea given in June. Use scores of yellow candles in crystal candlesticks and candelabra and yellow roses in vases, baskets and wall pockets on window and book ledges, plate rails, book cases and hung in the doorways by yellow ribbons. An immense basket of yellow roses and ferns with a white cupid in the center is pretty in the center of the tea-table. Outside this basket have a border of individual crystal candlesticks with yellow tapers and small golden hearts attached to the tapers. The bonbons are yellow hearts and all the refreshments are yellow and heart shaped.

A CANDLELIGHT TEA.

Illuminate the rooms with candles in different colors with shades to correspond, green and white in the parlor, setting a row of candles in a straight line across the mantel and banking them with masses of feathery green. Use pink in the dining or supper room. Have a round table lighted by pink candles and pink shades in flower forms, placing the candles either in a pyramid in the center or in a wreath with Christmas green tied with broad pink ribbon, in the center. At each plate put a tiny Dresden candle stick (such as come in desk sets) with pink candles for favors. Serve hot bouillon, oyster and mushroom patties, tiny pickles, creamed chicken in green peppers, cauliflower au gratin, hot rolls, spiced cherries, asparagus salad, grated Parmesan cheese, wafers, ice cream in form of pink candles with lighted tapers, Christmas cakes.

A FLOWER TEA.

For early September a flower tea is a most enjoyable affair and is easily arranged with little expense. Have the invitations sent out at least a week before the event.

The parlors should be tastefully arranged and decorated with flowers. Wild flowers are in abundance at this time and they are always bright and cheery.

Let each guest, as she arrives, be presented with a bouquet of flowers, no two being alike.

For amusement there is nothing better and more instructive than the following:

Pass to each lady a sheet of paper with a pencil, the paper containing typewritten questions. Explain to the company that the contest is to last fifteen or twenty minutes as desired.

The printed questions are to be answered by the name of flowers.

Here are appropriate questions for the contest, with correct answers:

What lady veils her face? Maid-of-the-Mist. Who is the sad lady? Ane-mone. What lady weeps for her love? Mourning-bride. Who is the bell of the family? Bell-Flower. What untruthful lady shuns the land? False-Mermaid. What young lady is still the baby of the family? Virginia Creeper. What lady comes from the land where ladies bind their feet? Rose-of-China. Who is the neat lady? Prim-rose.

After the given time expires let each guest sign her name to the paper she holds and exchange with her nearest neighbor. Then the fun begins as one rises and reads the questions and answers.

Each lady should mark the paper she holds and in rotation they rise and give the number of correct answers, not mentioning the name on the paper. When it has been decided which paper holds the greatest number of correct answers, the contestant's name is given as winner, and she is presented with a dainty souvenir, such as a flower vase, or a dainty painting of flowers. Other games and contests may follow, all suggestive of flower land.

The afternoon-tea should be dainty and appropriate. A big doll, literally covered with flowers, makes a pretty centerpiece for the table. Let ice lemonade be served, each glass having a sweet flower floating on its surface. The cakes should be in the form of flowers and the bonbons, flower candies.

It is pretty to call each guest by the name of the flower given her when she arrives.

If there is music after tea let a song of the flowers be rendered.

AN EXCHANGE TEA.

This style of party is intensely amusing, and will keep a large company interested for several hours of an evening or afternoon, as it is one continued round of mirth-provoking "sells," in which everybody is "sold." It is not so much in vogue for small affairs, where only a few guests are invited, but where a large crowd is to be entertained it is just the thing to furnish enjoyment and fun.

This is how it is arranged. When requested to attend an exchange tea, each person, male and female, picks out from his belongings, personal or otherwise, such an article as he or she does not want, and after wrapping it well, takes it to the party. Of course, everybody desires to get rid of his parcel, and the exchange business waxes warm and furious as it progresses, for usually not one individual obtains anything which he wishes to keep, as a "pig in a poke" is scarcely ever a bargain.

Constant exchanging is not compulsory, so that if by any lucky chance you have gotten rid of your own bundle, and become the proud possessor of another whose hidden treasures happen to suit you, then you are privileged to stop and hold on to your prize. Generally speaking, however, the contents of the mysterious parcels are hardly ever desirable, which creates all the more excitement and enthusiastic bargaining, and in the end each one will be left with something ridiculous or utterly useless, upon his hands.

And that's just where the fun comes in.

Serve this menu:

_Cold Sliced Chicken, garnished with tiny Radishes and Hard-boiled Eggs_ _Olives_ _Nut Sandwiches_ _Orange and Pineapple Salad_ _Sweet Wafers_ _Strawberry Ice Cream_ _Iced Tea_

A WATERMELON TEA.

Ask a congenial party, being sure that all are fond of watermelon. Have the fruit on ice at least twenty-four hours before serving, and above all things give this affair when the temperature is up in the nineties if you want it fully appreciated. Have a sharp knife and cut the melons at the table (for it is such a decorative fruit), and use only white dishes and flowers. Let each guest count the seeds in the piece or pieces and give a souvenir to the one having the largest number. A pretty prize and appropriate is to procure a very small and symmetrical melon, cut off the end, hollow out and line with oiled paper, fill with bonbons and tie the end on with broad pink satin ribbon.

If expense is no object, have a quartet of colored singers with banjos concealed and let them sing good old plantation songs for an hour or two, not forgetting "Den, oh, dat watermelon." Grape juice is a good drink to serve this party. Have the tumblers half filled with finely cracked ice.