1884 .] 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 
131 
ENLASGIN& THE DINING-ROOMS. 
In the good old times when the mistress 
and her daughters did all the housework, 
there was not the necessity for a room conse¬ 
crated to ornamental china and fancy cook¬ 
ing that is now felt in all well regulated and 
high-tonedfamilies. Indeed, the clean, bright, 
open kitchen, with its sanded or polished iloor, 
was a very comfortable and con venient place 
for the family to assemble, not only for their 
evening work and amusement, but for tlioir 
daily bread. 
Wlien the mistress retired from the kitchen 
and gave up its care and management to 
subordinates, the change in that department 
is scarcely less than the modification of the 
style of living throughout the house. From 
being an inviting place it became an un¬ 
comfortable and confused workshop whose 
appearance and character were highly un¬ 
certain. 
Generally, the modern dining-room is an 
apartment devoted to a special xmrpose. In 
families where the old fashion of doing her 
own work is kept up by the mistress it is 
practicable to use this room even for a sit¬ 
ting room; but if the business of clearing 
and setting the table is carried on by the 
ordinary kitchen servant, it must be aban¬ 
doned by the rest of the-family so largo a 
part of the time that it cannot well be made 
to serve anything else than its own legiti¬ 
mate purpose. 
In many houses, especially those that were 
built several years ago, there was a sort of 
compromise by making this room very small, 
barely large enough to contain the table and 
its row of chairs; consequently, houses other¬ 
wise capacious are often found with a dining¬ 
room of altogether inadequate dimensions. 
In houses that are blessed with hospitable 
intentions this should be at least as large as 
any other single apartment in the house. 
How to get more room is a question more 
commonly asked in regard to the dining¬ 
room than of any other in the house, unless 
the front hall be excepted. Like the familiar 
advice concerning the resumption of specie 
payments, it may be said that the best way 
to enlarge a dining-room is to enlarge it. If 
this cannot be done without encroaching 
upon other rooms of the house which a,re 
already small enough, then space mus e 
taken from outside. As tables are ariange ^ 
in a majority of eases, the first deman is oi 
more length. Many rooms wluch would b 
large enough if it were not for a projecting 
chimney-breast or sideboard, aie crampe 
by these articles so as to be practically of 
very small size. _, . 
Hence, if a recess can be made to 
the sideboard, with space enoug 
for the servant who waits upon e 
stand without encroaching ,, 
itself, such an addition will ^ 
capacity of the room just as muc , 
whole side were extended, and ® 
e,s. » .eU »the 
be very great. Of course tl 
only intended for houses and b , t-here 
feel their limitation in this respec , . ^ . 
i.g™.t...l...etleh i» 
such a way as to convert it 
advantage .—The JBuiJder. 
COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY, 
A groat xiart of the world lies under the 
delusion that the only place where people 
ought to have or desire to have company is 
in the country. Country teas have come to 
be proverbial for their abundance. And yet, 
in many respects, it is much harder to enter¬ 
tain in the country than in the city. Counti-y 
lesidonts must be tlirown on their own re¬ 
sources, and are obliged to roly upon them ; 
and though the results may bo most satis¬ 
factory, yet the attainment thereto is by no 
means so easy. 
Entertaining in the country is very pleas¬ 
ant, and helps to brighten up life. Why 
should it bo made a burden ? There sm'cly 
is no reason, if the entertainers will only be 
indoiiendent, and instead of trying to imitate 
the ways of others, would inaugurate ways 
of their omti. 
For instance, if you want to give an even¬ 
ing party, why need the supper have the 
aroma of a restam-ant about it, tricked olf 
with Frenchified names not one person in 
twenty can comprehend ? Why send five 
miles for oysters and ice cream, when Plenty 
is smiling at your own door, holding out her 
hands filled with riches a city caterer little 
dreams of ? 
Very much deiiends upon the garniture of 
the table; and in the country with our 
wealth of autumn leaves glowing with every 
hue divine, and our Holly in winter, our 
bright and varied assortment of berries, 
from the dusky Sumac to the Bitter-sweet’s 
pale-red and yellow, all are ornamental and 
effective in dressing a room or table taste¬ 
fully ; to say nothing of summer with its 
trailing festoons of flowers, its glossy leaves 
and cool Ferns. Make but use of what is 
with you and around you, and there will be 
no room for other adornment. 
In the eoimtry, fruit jjarties are always 
delightful and always acceptable. We can 
call to mind a really splendid entertainment, 
where all the long suites of rooms were deco¬ 
rated with fruit in every imaginable way ex¬ 
cept an ugly one. Peaches and early Ajjples 
IXeeped out from behind clusters of gracefiil 
leaves; festoons and piles of Grapes and 
flowers vied with any ever offered at Ceres’ 
or Flora’s shi-ine in fragi-ance and beauty. 
When you have nature, use it; it isbefoie 
you in the country; when you have art, 
employ it; it is all you have in the city; 
but do not banish nature, which you do not 
understand and know x>erfeetly, to bring 
in art, which has to bo studied or else is 
ridiculous. 
Unexpected ^^sitors are easily compared 
with those who set the time and do not 
come. The carriage meets the train at four 
precisely. The man has been taken out of 
the field to harness up and drive, ouly to 
find the labor in vain, and another afternoon 
has to be wasted on a similar errand. How 
a little consideration would obviate all this 
trouble! If any one makes an engagement 
to visit the country, and expects to be met at 
cars or steam-boat, it ought to bo a settled 
rule that nothing but illness should prevent 
that engagement from being kept. 
The “ spare room ” has been set in order, 
other friends have been put off, the bountifiil 
tea or the late dinner has been set to suit 
your hour. Everybody has dress and face 
all fixed for a welcome. How disappointing 
to see the carriage return empty, with no 
happy face beaming out a pleasant return for 
the vociferous welcome of the children and 
dogs! Perhaps the next day will not be so 
propitious; the man of the house may be 
cross, the horses lame, the harness out of or¬ 
der, or else some one else has “ stepped in 
before you.” A friend is twice welcome who 
comes iM’omptly. But how few think so 1 
Many fancy they are conferring a wonderful 
favor by bestowing their society at all where 
else they fancy it must be so lonesome, and 
who take it for granted that horses and men 
must be always ready at the disposal of every 
visitor who designs to relieve_ such tedious¬ 
ness. 
Another hint to those who visit in the 
country. Do not fancy that you will find 
everything so very rustic that you can leave 
all your good gowns at home, and embrace 
the occasion for wearing out all the old- 
fashioned ones that chance to be left of last 
year’s wear, too often in a sadly dilapidated 
condition. 
It is very well to have one stout “ mount¬ 
ain ” or “ sea-side ” dress, but have also 
something tasteful and new in case you are 
invited out, that you may not mortify your 
hosts; for be sure country people know just 
as much about good apparel as others; and 
even if it were not so it is by no means fiat- 
teringto be reminded of their deficiencies by 
the display of a shabby wardrobe. In fact, 
few can appreciate the latest fashions or the 
newest styles, or the pretty, dainty little 
touches that finish ofif di-ess more than those 
to whom they come with the freshness of 
novelty ; and although we ought not always 
to be judged by our dress, yet that is almost 
the only way in which strangers can judge ; 
and a neat, genteel appearance goes far to¬ 
ward wiiming favor in the eyes of our 
Mends’ aequamtanees. Ayormglady of style 
at home would hardly wish, when she visits 
abroad, to have the remark made; “Who 
was that dowdy girl in Jones’ pew ?” or, “A 
pretty face, only how forlorn she looked 
when I met her at Mrs. E’s party.” 
Now as to having Mends as guests. It is 
often made a task where it might be a pleas¬ 
ure, because, instead of letting them slide 
into your ways, you try to fashion your 
domestic arrangements to theirs. 
Instead of letting all the wheels of life 
stand still in consequence of company, let 
the company, no matter who they are, see 
that you are by no means to be defrauded 
of your household engagements by their 
presence, aiid by and by they will enjoy a 
little ramble alone, or a book on a sunny 
piazza, until you are at leisime to join them, 
or else will gladly go the roimds with you, 
cutting the flowers, training the plants, in¬ 
specting the poultry yard, the kitchen gar¬ 
den, or even dispensing the stores from the 
store-room. 
Time then will pass easilj' and agi’eeably. 
Although there are many inconveniences at¬ 
tending company in the country, still they 
need not be increased by useless care and 
foolish ambitions. Few people but feel the 
tacit compliment of being made for the time 
being one of the family, and happy in being 
sharers in all that is going on. The very 
dogs instinctively know such guests, and en¬ 
joy theiri society full as much as do their 
masters, and indeed in the country your dogs 
and bh’ds and cats do their full share toward 
entertaining your Mends, and making them 
feel at home. As for the children, they dote 
on them.— Harjjo-’s Bazar. 
