he tea party; it would depend on who the stranger
might be, and who the New Yorker. Mrs. Worldly would never dream of
speaking to anyone--no matter whom--if it could be avoided. Mrs. Kindhart
on the other hand, talks to everyone, everywhere and always. Mrs.
Kindhart's position is as good as Mrs. Worldly's every bit, but perhaps
she can be more relaxed; not being the conspicuous hostess that Mrs.
Worldly is, she is not so besieged by position-makers and
invitation-seekers. Perhaps Mrs. Worldly, finding that nearly every one
who approaches her wants something, has come instinctively to avoid each
new approach.

[Illustration: "THE AFTERNOON TEA-TABLE IS THE SAME IN ITS SERVICE WHETHER
IN THE TINY BANDBOX HOUSE OF THE NEWEST BRIDE, OR IN THE DRAWING-ROOM OF
MRS. WORLDLY OF GREAT ESTATES." [Page 171.]]

=THE EVERY-DAY AFTERNOON TEA TABLE=

The every-day afternoon tea table is familiar to everyone; there is not
the slightest difference in its service whether in the tiny bandbox house
of the newest bride, or in the drawing-room of Mrs. Worldly of Great
Estates, except that in the little house the tray is brought in by a
woman--often a picture in appearance and appointment--instead of a butler
with one or two footmen in his wake. In either case a table is placed in
front of the hostess. A tea-table is usually of the drop-leaf variety
because it is more easily moved than a solid one. There are really no
"correct" dimensions; any small table is suitable. It ought not to be so
high that the hostess seems submerged behind it, nor so small as to be
overhung by the tea tray and easily knocked over. It is usually between 24
and 26 inches wide and from 27 to 36 inches long, or it may be oval or
oblong. A double-decked table that has its second deck above the main
table is not good because the tea tray perched on the upper deck is
neither graceful nor convenient. In proper serving, not only of tea but of
cold drinks of all sorts, even where a quantity of bottles, pitchers and
glasses need space, everything should be brought on a tray and not
trundled in on a tea-wagon!

A cloth must always be first placed on the table, before putting down the
tray. The tea cloth may be a yard, a yard and a half, or two yards square.
It may barely cover the table, or it may hang half a yard over each edge.
A yard and a quarter is the average size. A tea cloth can be colored, but
the conventional one is of white linen, with little or much white
nee