Conduct of a Guest.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 998, 17 April 1891, Page 5

Conduct of a Guest.

Suppose you are cordially invited to pass a week in a friend's house. Now, at the expiration oE that week, if all the kings of all the nation are to assemble in that place on exhibition, you must not suggest to your hostess that you would like to remain another day if it would not inconvenience her. No matter if she is your own sister, you must remember that she has a husband whom it ia her duty to please before all others ; and you may not know what plans he has formed for the use of his home after the expiration of your visit. , . Nothing can be more embarrassing for a hostess than to have a guest say, ‘ If I thought it would not inoonvenience you I would stay over until after the ooncert, or after this or that occurrence.’ If you have any accomplishment which can give pleasure it is your place to exercise it while you are visiting your friend*. You Bhould sing, play, recite, or dance, if you are able to do bo without being urged. You must seek to give pleasure to your hosts, as well as receive it from them. Never tax your entertainers with your presence all day long, when you are passing some days under a roof not your own. No matter how fond they are of you your occasional absence—in yonr room, or out for a walk, will be a relief to them ; quite likely

they will not know it Is a relief, bnt at the same time they would know that they were taxed if yon remained constantly within eight and Bound. A tactful guest will know just when to be absent. If you are visiting a wife whose husband is absent, never prolong your visit till his retarn, as few men care to find guests in the house to entertain when they return, tired and nervous from a wearisome railroad journey. If your visit is only half finished it would be tasteful to make some excuse to be absent for a day at least on the husband’s return. Rob yourself of some pleasure rather than fail to make the servants soma kind of a gift. The presence of a stranger in any house adds materially to the work, and servants do not get the pleasure out of entertaining which the host and hostess find. A little money or a gift of some kind will render servants gracious and obliging to guest and employer.