LUNCHEON GUESTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 11

LUNCHEON GUESTS.

; ; ,(From VTho Queen.") ~One-thirty'is now the accopted, hour for luncheon.' ■■■'"'•■, ;1 ;.,-■■.;..■'■•.■'■' , invitatioiis to luncheon are issued in the name-of,the hostess' only, as the host is not included therein, being .so [seldom, present on. these occasions': 'Iheyaro'issued in written '• notes, on correspondence cards, and oftener.■; still Verbally. The- notes are not *ritten in the third person, and "the pleasure of Mrs A——'s .company"'-'is not re-; quested,, .neither is the form "Will you' give me' the pleasure of ''your".company,' etc.," '.in use, -The invitation is far less formal, and generally: runs somewhat in this wise,' with variations according: to ['friendship', and affectiott: '.'I ■; should Abe so pleased if you could ,'cb'me to luncheon on -Wednesday nest, the;2lst.,'at 1.30." I expect; etc., etc.";''or,. \Will you.come' to luncheon?■■: 1 have only asked, one or two people",; 'or,.a little mora formal,, "If disengaged, will yon come to Moheon'on Wednesday, the [21st, at 1.30? T;should be very pleased to "see, you"; or, still, on a correspondence card, Can youcome to luncheon : Wednesday. 21st., at 1.30? -Yours ■:.:,':; ■ •: Whether .the guests number four; or eight, the. invitations are generally ,in the foregoing style,' conbise. and to the' point. , ■ i,4 s regards verbal ' invitations, they are given' on the spur [of. the moment, and al-""o^'confihed-to: putting the question of, Will .you .como -to luncheon?", and "Can ■you come to luncheon on this or that day?"; or, "I wish you would come to luncheon. Do you,think you can?" -~-■,■ -..'.-.'>' ; ; '-^P".. tu, J}. to acceptances of the same, .they. are .equally .prosaic and brief, but they are sent at once, and.run in this groove: "Thank you very much.- I shall ; be'delighted to come telunohepn with you on Wednesday next"; 1 I .shall be very happy to come to' luncheon with you.on Wednesday next. ; Many thanks for iyour;kind invitation";; "I can and will with much pleasure.!'. When refusals have tp'.be Bent, they are a little more wordy, as regrets have to be expressed and reasons' given;':.. /J. I '-; ':.'■..■;-';..-■'; v ; - ;. .-_• ■.■:".•.,■.■

Wh«n smart luncheons are ': given, the menu Contains many cold things in addition to 1 hot:;ones,--this refers to the home luncheons inl large ;)ionses,, but in' small houses' these,cold-,delicacies are not attempted, -and the luncheon consists of very .simple fare m- comparison; 'two'.hot inir.-s and two to;follbw.;'; , ;,.,-' . '[,;.-;; ;-\As regards a luncneoiT given' at[ a restaurantvor ;-a club,; if [.from four 'to' six'..'guests .are'.invited, -it';is usiial; to ; choose a table pn;the .morning' of the day or tho day 'pre-' vious}i and to ;'select from [the' '■ menu the dishes ;required,;unless'thb luncheon is given a;la. carte. ■ If only .'one -or two' are inyited,on;the[;.spur/of [the. moment, there is no .necessity "for, this 'precaution;- and a table for so'small a party is easily. forindVvacant. r-[[At' small" or large -luncheon.[patties-, given in .-private, bouses, the servants'-remain in the , dihing-ro'om ;during, the [whole .'of .the meal,, whether men or women servants, and the; custom, 'of the men of a. party helping theladies ito.'what they, 'require/is 'now out

of;;date.' was'., thought : a more sociable. ;plan,;'. but:'it;'gave, rise to many inconven!ierico3...; v . ; ;7V-';.. ;? ..'.\,V;. /" •,;' ■•'• V'-.'-'.-.'! ; : : '' v -.- ,:.:Fruit. generally;>forms a part of luncheon iu '.all. bouses,':but',.it ia not regarded as dbasert'Jj'antl' 'the tablo is not clea.ed lor ft as at dinner,--although dessert -plates and dessert knives, and forks:,'aro 'used, but: no't d'oyleys..' Coffeo is brought into, .the diniiig-room .at'';the. conclusion of luncheon,/.and,'.tho ;guests not: infrequently ■take.'their'departure-; from' the dining-room, and, do "not return, to the; drawing-room.'Now and again the old custom is in fotce in some house's: of ': coffee-brought .to the drawing-room, and-for the, ladies to have it .with': their /hostess;-, but "the former :plan• is' moro general. ■■i.'-'v V:'-'"''■"•■'" ". Guests arc usually, 'punctual as regards tho hour of their arrival. -"If: 1.30 k'named in the" invitation; theyjappea'r,' if'possible, five minutes • earlier; 'this- gives ;opportunity for the/hostess to', make any'-introductions she may consider'necessarv...The/occupations of men .often' preclude tnem' from, being 'luncheon 'guests,-: and a hostess does not consider it a matter of. excuse, or apology if her guests include but one- man "to six ladies; it 'is. quite understood' that.' this, is unavoidable'>ia;town..:;.:o:/;: '\,/-'!,' :'.; ::./,'•:' ..