The salad eaten, the table is cleared and . 102 A 8MALL LUNCHEON crumbed, and the dessert brought in — ices in some pretty form, accompanied by fancy cakes. Fruit may succeed this, or it may be omitted, and the final cup of chocolate or cof- fee served at once. The bonbons now re- ceive attention, and are usually carried into the drawing-room by the guests, who, being women, seem to find almost as much enjoy- ment in nibbling these as men do in discuss- ing their post-prandial cigars. 103 A LARGE LUNCHEON. A MUCH more ceremonious affair than that described in the preceding chapter is the large luncheon, where there are present anywhere from eight to twenty guests. The invitations for this are issued at least ten days, and often three weeks or more, previous to the date for which the guests are asked, and should be written, not verbal, except when given to an intimate friend. The recipient should reply at once. The hour set is usually one or half -past one, and the most punctil- ious promptness should always be observed. Nothing short of a serious accident or illness or a death in the family can justify any one in breaking such an engagement. "People don't always keep that precept,'' says a woman, decidedly. " I can give more than one example to the contrary from my own experience. Here is an instance. I had 104 A LABGE LUNCHEON a letter not long ago from a friend living out of town, begging me to fix a time when she <50uld come and see me. She dreaded mak- ing the trip into town when it was doubtful if she would find me at home. I knew she had few outings, so I wrote and asked her to lunch with me upon a certain day, adding that there would be a couple of other old friends present whom she would be glad to meet again. The appointed day came, and was misty and drizzly. It never occurred to me that the, weather would keep any one housed, and at the lunch hour Hhe guests were met, the feast was set' — or, at least, two of the guests were there — but the one in whose honor they had been invited failed to appear. A whole mortal hour did we wait for that woman. Then in despair we sat down to a luncheon that had been in no wise improved by the delay. It was to have been a partie carree^ and one side of the table looked wofuUy blank and bare." "But did you not get a satisfactory ex- planation of your friend's absence ?" queries an interested listener. 105 WHAT TO EAT — HOW TO SEBVE IT " Only a note the next day, stating that as it had stormed, she had supposed I would not expect her. It never seemed to occur to her that she ought at least to have tele- graphed." "I had an experience that equals that," chimes in another. " I had promised a young girl friend a lunch party whenever she should come to the city. Just before the holidays she wrote to me that she would be in town ^ for a week. I was run to death with Christ- mas preparations and social engagements, but I sent her a note at once, asking her to fix a day for her luncheon, and enclosing the list of guests — most of them old school friends — whom I would invite to meet her. She re- plied, setting a day. I went to no end of trou- ble and expense to get up the most recherche luncheon I could devise. Just before the ap- pointed hour one of the guests, who had promised to call for my young friend and bring her to my house, brought instead a ver- bal message that Jennie ' was not very well, and would be unable to come. She was ex- tremely sorry,' etc. As I learned from an- 106 A LARGE LUNCHEON other source that she went to the theatre that night, I concluded her indisposition, what- ever it was, had not been very serious."

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The salad eaten, the table is cleared and . 102 crumbed, and the dessert brought in — ices in some pretty form, accompanied by fancy cakes. Fruit may succeed this, or it may be omitted, and the final cup of chocolate or coffee served at once. The bonbons now receive attention, and are usually carried into the drawing-room by the guests, who, being women, seem to find almost as much enjoyment in nibbling these as men do in discussing their post-prandial cigars. A LARGE LUNCHEON. A MUCH more ceremonious affair than that described in the preceding chapter is the large luncheon, where there are present anywhere from eight to twenty guests. The invitations for this are issued at least ten days, and often three weeks or more, previous to the date for which the guests are asked, and should be written, not verbal, except when given to an intimate friend. The recipient should reply at once. The hour set is usually one or half -past one, and the most punctilious promptness should always be observed. Nothing short of a serious accident or illness or a death in the family can justify any one in breaking such an engagement. "People don't always keep that precept,'' says a woman, decidedly. " I can give more than one example to the contrary from my own experience. Here is an instance. I had A LARGE LUNCHEON a letter not long ago from a friend living out of town, begging me to fix a time when she could come and see me. She dreaded making the trip into town when it was doubtful if she would find me at home. I knew she had few outings, so I wrote and asked her to lunch with me upon a certain day, adding that there would be a couple of other old friends present whom she would be glad to meet again. The appointed day came, and was misty and drizzly. It never occurred to me that the weather would keep any one housed, and at the lunch hour the guests were met, the feast was set' — or, at least, two of the guests were there — but the one in whose honor they had been invited failed to appear. A whole mortal hour did we wait for that woman. Then in despair we sat down to a luncheon that had been in no wise improved by the delay. It was to have been a partie carree^ and one side of the table looked wofuUy blank and bare." "But did you not get a satisfactory explanation of your friend's absence ?" queries an interested listener. " Only a note the next day, stating that as it had stormed, she had supposed I would not expect her. It never seemed to occur to her that she ought at least to have telegraphed." "I had an experience that equals that," chimes in another. " I had promised a young girl friend a lunch party whenever she should come to the city. Just before the holidays she wrote to me that she would be in town ^ for a week. I was run to death with Christmas preparations and social engagements, but I sent her a note at once, asking her to fix a day for her luncheon, and enclosing the list of guests — most of them old school friends — whom I would invite to meet her. She replied, setting a day. I went to no end of trouble and expense to get up the most recherche luncheon I could devise. Just before the appointed hour one of the guests, who had promised to call for my young friend and bring her to my house, brought instead a verbal message that Jennie was not very well, and would be unable to come. She was extremely sorry,' etc. As I learned from an- A LARGE LUNCHEON other source that she went to the theatre that night, I concluded her indisposition, whatever it was, had not been very serious."

What to eat, how to serve it