November, 1912 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Two ways of serving canned asparagus. 
burden the whole family with the change. ‘The right feel- 
ing toward the expected guest will not allow you to em- 
barrass her by making such preparations too evident. 
After all, it is the spirit of hospitality we must seek for 
and develop. With this spirit, all effort becomes a joy, and 
wisdom seems to be given the hostess to guide her way, 
making her home a refuge for tired souls, and also a place 
for the young to enjoy. 
The hostess should be wise as a serpent and harmless as 
a dove. She must learn to gage her guest’s qualities, for 
this business of entertaining is one which calls for the knowl- 
edge of human nature as well as love for it. She should 
be watchful of these transient members of her family, quick 
to show sympathy when needed, and ready for the confi- 
dence sure to be realized from these fine acts of attention. 
She should follow the 
example of the Orientals, 
“who have trained into 
gentleness every tone and 
gesture, every expression 
of the face, till they have 
by the light of courtesy 
illumined their own lives, 
and show their kindly na- 
ture to even the smallest 
and lowest of God’s crea- 
tures.” Surely this is an 
ideal to work for, and 
mothers have much re- 
sponsibility in the exam- 
ple they set to their grow- 
ing children, for too few 
reach out the strong hand 
and greet with courteous 
kindness the shy and dif- 
fedent stranger, whether 
A NOVEL WAY OF SERVING FRUIT 
By MARY H. NORTHEND 
Photographs by Mary H. Northend 
and women, all did a part, and you know how true the old 
adage is, ‘‘Many a smale maketh a grate.” 
When the girls helped to set the table or to do the despised 
dishes, all was turned into a frolic, because the boys, some 
awkward and some skillful, were there to help either with 
advice or actually taking hold. It is really very surprising 
to me how very helpful boys can be to some other fellow’s 
mether or sister. All this was far more entertaining than 
sitting around and being served more formally. Flowers 
were gathered and every attention given to making the 
house attractive, and the table inviting by these temporary 
members of the family. 
Girls developed an interest in the art of cooking, and 
more than one engaged girl took lessons from this hostess. 
All, boys and girls, found that farm-kitchen a delightful 
place to be in. If that 
hostess had not possessed 
a great love for boys and 
girls, she would never 
have had them under foot 
at all hours; and be as- 
sured that they were most 
happy being with her, in- 
stead of belonging to the 
front porch or parlor. 
As hostess, I have 
found that the guest has 
responsibilities too. ‘‘Why 
do I invite Nell so much,”’ 
a woman once said. 
“Why? Just because she 
is a joy to have around. 
She never looks bored, 
she is always enthusiastic 
over every plan you make 
under their own roof or 
away from home. 
Then, too, she must not 
think that she is the per- 
Apple House—Select large, sound apples, pare, core, and cut in halves. 
Cut each half to resemble a tiny house, filling the core cavity, which 
portion should serve as the bottom of the house, with chopped raisins 
and nuts. Ice the whole in white frosting, and when set, top the roof with 
a chimney cut from citron with the bricks outlined in chocolate frost- 
ing, and at the front insert a bit of citron to serve as a door. 
for her, is in for every- 
thing, yet does not expect 
to be on the go every min- 
ute.” A guest who would 
be popular, must learn to 
fect hostess because she 
waits upon a guest by in- 
ches. I have in mind a home, an hour’s ride from Boston 
which was the gathering place of old and young for many 
years. The home family numbered six, and there was only 
one maid kept. There was never a Friday or Saturday that 
there was not a jolly crowd of week-enders, and Sunday 
seldom saw fewer than a dozen at the table. 
They were a changing crowd, these happy week-enders, 
as various in kind as human beings generally are. But they 
all fell in line and helped to do the work. The girls did 
the chamber work, while the boys helped gather the vege- 
tables, and even the lazy ones, by force of example and the 
whirl of good feeling, did their share. Boys and girls, men 
be pleased with trifles and 
accept graciously what is 
done, and to be always in accord with everything. If you 
can’t do these things, just don’t visit. 
A hostess should choose carefully those who are to com- 
pose a house-party, then, with a little guiding here and there, 
with seeming carelessness, not following after them all the 
time, her party will take care of itself and be happy. In 
order to do all this the hostess must love her people and be 
glad to serve them when needed. 
Where this love exists you will be sure to find that tend- 
erer feeling, which was embodied in the old-time hospitality. 
It does not mean that large sums of money must be spent 
to give your guests a good time, but it does mean that you 
