throom. It is scarcely practical to
change the wiring in old houses; but it can at least be seen that the
bells work.

People who like strong perfumes often mistakenly think they are giving
pleasure in filling all the bedroom drawers with pads heavily scented.
Instead of feeling pleasure, some people are made almost sick! But all
people (hay-fever patients excepted) love flowers, and vases of them
beautify rooms as nothing else can. Even a shabby little room, if
dustlessly clean and filled with flowers, loses all effect of shabbiness
and is "inviting" instead.

In a hunting country, there should be a bootjack and boothooks in the
closet.

Guest rooms should have shutters and dark shades for those who like to
keep the morning sun out. The rooms should also, if possible, be away from
the kitchen end of the house and the nursery.

A shortcoming in many houses is the lack of a newspaper, and the
thoughtful hostess who has the morning paper sent up with each breakfast
tray, or has one put at each place on the breakfast table, deserves a
halo.

At night a glass and a thermos pitcher of water should be placed by the
bed. In a few very specially appointed houses, a small glass-covered tray
of food is also put on the bed table, fruit or milk and sandwiches, or
whatever is marked on the guest card.

=THE GUEST CARD=

A clever device was invented by Mrs. Gilding whose palatially appointed
house is run with the most painstaking attention to every one's comfort.
On the dressing-table in each spare room at Golden Hall is a card pad with
a pencil attached to it. But if the guest card is used, a specimen is
given below.

Needless to say the cards are used only in huge houses that, because of
their size, are necessarily run more like a clubhouse than as a "home."

In every house, the questions below are asked by the hostess, though the
guests may not readily perceive the fact. At bedtime she always asks:
"Would you like to come down to breakfast, or will you have it in your
room?" If the guest says, in her room, she is then asked what she would
like to eat. She is also asked whether she cares for milk or fruit or
other light refreshment at bedtime, and if there is a special book she
would like to take up to her room.

The guest card mentioned above is as follows:

=PLEASE FILL THIS OUT BEFORE GOING DOWN TO DINNER:=

_What time do you want to be awakened? .......................
Or, will you ring? ......................