Plague of Unbidden Guests.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 12, 16 September 1908, Page 52

Plague of Unbidden Guests.

Hostesses are complaining this season more than ever of the presence of uninvited guests at their parties, remarks a London paper. This is an increasing nuisance which it is very difficult to stop. Many young men, who ought to knew better, think it rather a good joke if they see an awning across the pavement to enter a perfectly strange house, trusting to being unrecognised in the crowd. The hostess, as a matter of fact, cannot know all her guests by sight, particularly in these days of “brought men,” and very rarely dares to risk offence by asking whether the presumed interloper has received an invitation. A duchess did this once. The guest simply bowed and left, and she found out later that she had praetieai.y turned out of her house the husband of one of her best friends, who took mortal offence at the. insult. The device has been tried of having detectives present at large parties, but this does not answer, as these uninvited guests are not of the criminal classes, but merely smart young men. who do it “for a lark.” Besides, it happened recently that two detectives who were present did not know one another, and each denounced the other to the hostess as an undesirable. Explanation was difficult. A particularly flagrant case occurred in Belgrave Square recently, when, it is said, for a bet, two young men uanced and supped at a well-known house where a very smart ball was going on and, what isj more, met friends there, wno naturally imagined that tuey were invited guests, which they were. not. Things have now come to such a pass that it is practically possible for any well-dressed and presentable man to walk into almost any big house when a party is going on, and if he behaves discreetly and appears pt home he may eat a good supper, have a few glasses of champagne, and go away with one of his unknown host's cigars in his mouth, This is done every night of the season by a number of impudent youths, who are sometimes foolish enough to boast of their exploits.