es must be neatly piled on fringed napkins on bread plates,
and must be passed several times, and the olives and salted almonds
may fill small glass dishes. The olives may be helped with a fork or
spoon or with the fingers, the almonds may be served with spoons. The
coffee and chocolate should be poured out at a side table, and sugar
and cream passed with them to each person.

The ice cream should also be served off the table and passed in the
plate or saucer from which it is to be eaten. The cakes should be
prettily arranged in a cake dish with a doily under them. The fruit
should be placed on a flat salver, as high piled dishes are apt to be
top-heavy and difficult to pass. Oranges, bananas, grapes, the last
cut into rather small bunches, make a pretty array. Each guest must be
supplied with a fruit plate, doily, finger-bowl, fruit-knife and fork
or spoon. Souvenirs are sometimes given, or attractive menu cards are
used.

Five O'clock Teas, or "At Homes."

Some ladies make it a point to be "at home" almost every day at a
certain hour, and serve tea or coffee in their drawing-rooms,
accompanied by either wafers, maccaroons, fancy cakes, or small
delicate sandwiches, and perhaps bouillon for masculine callers.

Such a lady who is bright and interesting, who gives a warm welcome,
yet does not bind any one to a longer stay than the conventional ten
minutes, is sure of drawing about her a delightful circle of
acquaintances, men and women alike being pleased to drop in on their
way home from the city, or from more pretentious gatherings.

This is the afternoon tea in its simplest form. In London afternoon
tea is universal. If you are calling anywhere in the latter part of
the afternoon, tea and thin bread and butter will be offered you as a
matter of course, or if it has already been handed round, you will be
asked if you have had your tea, and if not a fresh supply will be
immediately brought.

If bread is thin enough, butter fresh, cake good, and tea and coffee
perfection, you have provided all that is necessary. In warm weather
ices or strawberries could be added. In England you will very seldom
be given more than this at the best houses, and in Italy, where the
afternoon receptions are the most agreeable entertainments imaginable,
you will never be offered anything more than dainty little cakes,
chocolate and tea. These slight refreshments are usually served in the
simplest way. The hostess herself, or if the g