Certain rules are easy to observe once they are brought to attention.  A hostess should never speak of annoyances of any kind—­no matter what happens!  Unless she is actually unable to stand up, she should not mention physical ills any more than mental ones.  She has invited people to her house, and as long as they are under her roof, hospitality demands that their sojourn shall be made as pleasant as lies in her power.

If the cook leaves, then a picnic must be made of the situation as though a picnic were the most delightful thing that could happen.  Should a guest be taken ill, she must assure him that he is not giving the slightest trouble; at the same time nothing that can be done for his comfort must be overlooked.  Should she herself or some one in her family become suddenly ill, she should make as light of it as possible to her guests, even though she withdraw from them.  In that event she must ask a relative or intimate friend to come in and take her place.  Nor should the deputy hostess dwell to the guests on the illness, or whatever it is that has deprived them of their hostess.

=THE GUEST NO ONE INVITES AGAIN=

The guest no one invites a second time is the one who runs a car to its detriment, and a horse to a lather; who leaves a borrowed tennis racquet out in the rain; who “dog ears” the books, leaves a cigarette on the edge of a table and burns a trench in its edge, who uses towels for boot rags, who stands a wet glass on polished wood, who tracks muddy shoes into the house, and leaves his room looking as though it had been through a cyclone.  Nor are men the only offenders.  Young women have been known to commit every one of these offenses and the additional one of bringing a pet dog that was not house trained.

Besides these actually destructive shortcomings, there are evidences of bad upbringing in many modern youths whose lack of consideration is scarcely less annoying.  Those who are late for every meal; cheeky others who invite friends of their own to meals without the manners or the decency to ask their hostess’ permission; who help themselves to a car and go off and don’t come back for meals at all; and who write no letters afterwards, nor even take the trouble to go up and “speak” to a former hostess when they see her again.

On the other hand, a young person who is considerate is a delight immeasurable—­such a delight as only a hostess of much experience can perhaps appreciate.  A young girl who tells where she is going, first asking if it is all right, and who finds her hostess as soon as she is in the house at night to report that she is back, is one who very surely will be asked again and often.

A young man is, of course, much freer, but a similar deference to the plans of his hostess, and to the hours and customs of the house, will result in repeated invitations for him also.

The lack of these things is not only bad form but want of common civility and decency, and reflects not only on the girls and boys themselves but on their parents who failed to bring them up properly.