The Guest Who is Welcomed Again.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue II, 12 January 1901, Page 91

The Guest Who is Welcomed Again.

Girl guests are of two well defined types, the one who makes herself agreeable, and always has a string of invitations waiting their turn of fulfilment, and the one who is “difficile,” and is not asked again to any house where she has proved a failure. One of these is she who outstays her welcome. Asked for a week, she remains for ten days on one pretext or another, makes a convenience of her hostess and her house, imposes upon the family hospitality, usurping, in short, the attitude and prerogatives of the hostess herself. Particularly is such a girl aggressive if there are shops of keen allurements in the place from which she does not wish to tear herself, or a love affair hanging fire, which she thinks can be fanned into a blaze by her presence. Another species of tiresome visitor is the girl who keeps meals waiting and does not tidy her room. A hostess is in a predicament here. She is not at liberty to put the room to rights herself, and she is not at lib-

erty to ask her guest to do so. The guest chamber thus becomes a scene of chaos painful to behold, and the servants who have to cope with it wax pro|>ortionately impatient. A hostess who entertains largely, and is in the habit of superintending all her own household affairs, says that she always kce|>s " tem|>er work ” on hand. She knits a counterpane at odd times while she is waiting for her guest to come to breakfast, and thus maintains her mental equilibrium, for she works her wrath into the bedspread with a zeal worthy of a better cause. The model guest, it may therefore be inferred, is the one who comes when she is invited and goes home at the expiration of the time specified in the invitation. She is always ready when the gong announces that the meal is served. She busies herself with an attractive piece of needlework, which she afterwards, if it has been admired, presents to the hostess. She makes friends with the dog and cat. and tells stories to the children, praises the family baby, and never forgets a little fee to the servants. She does not intrude herself during the houseworking hours, but settles herself in a corner with a book, and has a comfortable “ read,” though if she can help she does so willingly with a duster. or a rolling pin. making herself particularly beloved by introducing some new puddings and cakes into the repertory of the cook. The model guest knows how to win appreciation, and when she goes home every one is fond of her. and regrets 1 er departure.