A Man to Entertain.

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1178, 27 July 1901, Page 14

A Man to Entertain.

Fbom time immemorial women have enjoyed visiting. Eve and the traditional serpent Indulged in a little unceremonious morning oall, and discussed the affairs of those in authority at the very beginning of oreation. Our female anoeßtors did a good deal of visiting away baok when the oountry was new, and there were no elnbs or sewing societies, or lodges, or guilds, to take up their spare moments. And they went in the morning, and stayed to dinner and Bupper, and carried their knitting or sewing, and their husbands ate ploked-up bites at noontime, and followed their wives to the neighbour's, and made it ap at Bupper. And they all drank tea, and talked, and talked, and drank tea. They had a good time. The BOoial instinct was just as strong as it is to-day. Women enjoy visiting, and they know just how to entertain each other. Yonr friend will be entertained by owning to your house and going up to your room, before the bed is made, and looking over the stockings you bought at Buch a bargain — one-and-six, marked down from half a crown— and she will take heaps of oomfort teaching you that very latest stitch Bhe caught up while visiting her cousin in Australia. And you will Bhow her how to do that pioot in tke tatting on your handkerohief ; and you will both talk incessantly while these processes are going on, and yoa will have Buoh a mutual good time ! She will listen with interest while you tell her how your pet oat bid her kittens in the bureau drawer, and how awfully cunning ehe looked ; and how tbe baby acted when yoa pat hiß first little shoes on his feet ; and how you laid the law down to that hired girl of yours when Bhe was so savoy and Impudent, and refused to bake cakes when you had unexpected company at tea. Talking about servant girls is always exceedingly interesting to housekeeper;. There is bo muoh variety about the hired girl that there is always something new to be said. Ob, a woman will be entertained by almoßt anything when she is visiting. And when girls are visiting each other they have some delightful times talking over what Johnny said, and hew Will aoted when he declared himself, and how Augustas took on when sonnbody said ' no ' But when a man goes a-vlsiting, then Heaven help the woman who has him to entertain. A girl oan entertain her lover very much to their mutual satisfaction, .and it is hoped that a wife can entertain her husband; but when it comes to entertaining just an ordinary male acquaintance — then Heaven deliver ns ! A man in the house is out of his element, and consequently uneasy. He is too big for a parlour. He oan t knit, or sew, or make tatting, or offer to help wash the dlaheß, and he oan't hold the oat, or bathe the baby. So he fidgets. He puts bis hands in his pockets, and then he takes them oat again. He feels his monstaohe, and looks anxiously and often at his finger nails. How he does wish he could make a bolt for life and get out somewhere and smoke ! He wishes he bad never been insane enough to oome on this visit. He wishes Jones would get back from his office, and they could talk about stocks, or prlitioß, or anything exoept who is dead, and who Ib married, aud who has got a baby, or a divorce, among the mutual friends of himself and his hostess. What will Bhe think of to talk about next 7 The man pities her, for be knows how hard it is for her, and he racks his brain for something to say which will help on the entertaining. Of course, there is always the weather. A good deal can be said about the weather. It Is always too hot, or too oold, or too wet, or too dry; and when it rains, nobody likeß it, and when it doesn't rain, every, body says such dreadful weather never was known. But even the weather can be warn out as a subjeot of conversation, and if there falls too long a silenoe it is embarrassing to both entertainer snd entertained. And the interminable houra go on, and the hostess is thoroughly uncomfortable, and the guest iB in a oold sweat ; then all at onoe the olouds break, the san shines, and ail the world ls glorious 1 Dinner is announced, and the spell ls broken, for where Is the living man wbo is not entertained by tbe immediate prospect of dinner J

Consumption's often caused by cold, Negleoted ln its early stage, And onoe lt gets a good, firm hold, It kasn't muoh respect for age Now, when a man's so near the grave, When hope Ib dead and death seema snre, Oh I What oan ease him, what oan save t W. E. Woods' Great Peppermint Core