home, but at once enter the house; and they
should be ushered at once into the tea-room.

The gentlemen should leave their hats and overcoats in the hall.

At large "at homes" a cloak-room should be provided, so that a lady
could remove a cloak or fur-cape, usually worn during the winter
weather; but at small "at homes" a cloak-room is not necessary, as the
reception-rooms are neither so crowded nor so warm, neither are the
ladies' toilettes so elaborate.

* * * * *

=Refreshments.=--At large "at homes" refreshments should be served in
the dining-room, on a long buffet at one end of the room, or on a long
table the length of the room.

The lady's-maids and other maid-servants should stand behind the table
to pour out and hand the cups of tea or coffee across the table as
asked for.

It is usual to have women-servants on these occasions to pour out the
tea, a man-servant or men-servants being also in attendance, in case
anything is required of them, although gentlemen usually help themselves
to claret-cup, wine, etc.

The usual refreshments given at these "at homes" are tea and coffee,
the latter served from large silver urns. (See chapter "Preparing
Afternoon Tea," in the work entitled "Waiting at Table.") Sherry,
champagne-cup, claret-cup, ices, fruit, fancy biscuits and cakes, thin
bread-and-butter, potted game, sandwiches, etc.

Ice plates are used for ices, dessert plates for fruit and fruit salads.

At small "at homes" champagne, claret-cup, and ices are not given. The
tea should be made in teapots, instead of in urns, at both large and
small "at homes."

At small "at homes" the tea is usually served in the smaller of the two
drawing-rooms, or in an adjoining boudoir or ante-room. The tea is then
poured out by the young ladies of the house, or by the hostess herself,
but seldom by maid-servants when served in the drawing-room.

The most convenient manner, however, of serving tea is to serve it in
the dining-room, unless the number of guests is limited, when it would
appear unsociable if they were to congregate in the dining-room, leaving
the hostess comparatively alone in the drawing-room.

When tea is served in the dining-room, the guests are usually asked by
the servant in attendance if they will have tea before being ushered
into the drawing-room.

At small teas, the cups of tea should be handed to the ladies by the
gentlemen present, or by the young lady officiatin