rong, a hostess should never seem to notice it to
the annoyance of her guests. By passing it over herself, it will very
frequently escape the attention of others. If her guests arrive late,
she should welcome them as cordially as if they had come early, but she
will commit a rudeness to those who have arrived punctually, if she
awaits dinner for tardy guests for more than the fifteen minutes of
grace prescribed by custom.

RETIRING FROM THE TABLE.

When the hostess sees that all have finished, she looks at the lady who
is sitting at the right of the host, and the company rise, and withdraw
in the order they are seated, without precedence. After retiring to the
drawing-room, the guests should intermingle in a social manner. It is
expected that the guests will remain from one to three hours after
dinner.

ACCEPTING HOSPITALITY A SIGN OF GOOD-WILL.

As eating with another under his own roof is in all conditions of
society regarded as a sign of good-will, those who partake of proffered
hospitalities, only to gossip about and abuse their host and hostess,
should remember, that in the opinion of all honorable persons, they
injure themselves by so doing.

CALLS AFTER A DINNER PARTY.

Calls should be made shortly after a dinner party by all who have been
invited, whether the invitation be accepted or not.

RETURNING HOSPITALITY.

Those who are in the habit of giving dinner parties should return the
invitation before another is extended to them. Society is very severe
upon those who do not return debts of hospitality, if they have the
means to do so. If they never entertain anyone because of limited means,
or for other good reasons, it is so understood, and it is not expected
that they should make exceptions; or if they are in the habit of giving
other entertainments and not dinners, their debts of hospitality can be
returned by invitations to whatever the entertainment might be. Some are
deterred from accepting invitations by the feeling that they cannot
return the hospitality in so magnificent a form. It is not the costly
preparations, nor the expensive repast offered which are the most
agreeable features of any entertainment, but it is the kind and friendly
feeling shown. Those who are not deterred from accepting such
invitations for this reason, and who enjoy the fruits of friendliness
thus shown them, must possess narrow views of their duty, and very
little self-respect, if, when an opportunity presents it