A VALENTINE TEA. 2.

Here are some contests for a valentine tea. Call on each one for an impromptu valentine. Award a book of rhymes for the best. Turn down the lights and require each man to propose to his partner. Prepare red cardboard hearts and write fortunes on them with baking powder and water. Ask each guest to select a heart and hold it to the fire when the writing will appear. Provide a fish pond with comic valentines. Provide a long table, sheets of fancy paper, flowers, pictures, paste, scissors and watercolors and ask each to make an original valentine. The game of hearts, the auction of hearts and the auction of valentines are old but excellent ways of amusing a company. For the auction of hearts the girls are in a separate room and a clever auctioneer calls off their charms and merits and knocks them down to the highest bidder, who does not know who he has bought until all are sold. A fancy dress party, each girl representing a valentine, is a delightful entertainment for the evening. A small boy may be used for Cupid and blindfolded. He takes a man from one side of the room and presents him to a girl on the other side of the room.



CHAPTER IX.

A GRANDMOTHER'S TEA PARTY.

One of the newest suggestions for an original hospitality is "A Grandmother's Tea Party." If you have an "at home" day, as every busy woman should, and you want to serve tea to your guests, offer it to them as it was offered fifty years or more ago.

First of all, collect all of your antique table service. Every family has some dear old treasures of the kind—tea cups, old linen, flower vases, silver epergns, etc.

You probably have somewhere laid away a wonderful old damask cloth which dates back at least half a century. Cover the table with this and scatter over it a handful of carnations, allowing them to fall at haphazard.

The centerpiece will be in the form of a huge cake placed on a high glass dish. This confection might be resplendent in a design of blossoms and turtle-doves carried out in variously tinted icings as the old-time cakes so often were.

On either side of the cake dish are placed tall epergns—veritable antique pieces built high with pyramids of fruit. Bonbons—they should be called sugar plums in this connection—must be old-fashioned sweets quaintly wrapped in fringed papers.

Often the tall glass lamps will also be procurable in a pattern of fifty years ago.

This will produce a thoroughly charming little table with a quaintness and a touch of femininity that everyone will enjoy.

The woman who is looking for a new way to serve tea on her day at home couldn't do better than to attempt this. It is easy to do; it costs little, it is pretty; it is feminine.

AN APRIL FOOL TEA.

Send invitations asking your guests to dress as foolish as possible. The hostesses costume can be combinations of several, as a decollete corsage, short walking skirt, one high-heeled slipper and one bedroom slipper, one side of her hair braided and hanging down and the other piled up high and decorated with feathers from the duster. Or she can dress as "Folly" with pointed black velvet bodice, white blouse, red and yellow striped skirts, pointed cap and wear a small black masque covering the upper part of the face, and carry a stick wound with red and yellow ribbon with tiny bells fastened by ribbons. If you care to take the trouble and the expense (though it need not be very great), you can construct a maze or labyrinth by which the guests approach your door. Make this of frames of wood covered with sheeting, newspapers or heavy cartridge paper, and make as many turns in it as you choose. When the front door is reached have it fly back and display the sign: "April Fool. Try the back door." If you have a side entrance you can have a similar sign and prolong the agony. Have a dummy hostess at the back door and direct the guests to one or two wrong rooms before they reach the right dressing room.

Have a masked person standing at the door of the parlor as hostess. When the guest starts to shake hands, display the sign "April Fool, I am not the hostess." Have two or three hostesses before the right one is reached.

Have the room full of surprises in the way of decorations, cabbage heads and vegetables for bouquets, tin lanterns for lights, a den for stuffed animals and similar fakes.

No talking of any kind will be permitted for the first hour, though two or three notebooks and pencils can be displayed for those who feel they must express their thoughts. The examination of the "fool" costumes will take place in deaf and dumb show. Give a bunch of onions tied with green calico for the worst costume.

Ring a big dinner bell at six o'clock and arrange one or two childish games to be played to fill in the time before tea or ask the guests to represent some noted character in pantomime, the others to guess which character is portrayed.

For the tea pass cards numbered from one to ten and have the guests call for their supper by indicating four numbers—1, fork; 2, sandwich; 3, plate; 4, pickle; 5, napkin; 6, glass of water; 7, cup of coffee; 8, cake; 9, spoon; 10, ice cream.

For instance, a guest writing on his card 1, 3, 5, 6, would receive a fork, plate, napkin and glass of water for his supper. Have several waiters and put names on the lists so that all the articles may be brought in at once. After waiting until those who get articles of food try to eat them, for of course, the sandwiches, cake, pickles and ice cream must be "April Fool" ones made of sawdust, cotton and similar substances. Serve real sandwiches, coffee, cake and ice cream.

A COLONIAL TEA.

A delightful way to entertain six elderly lady friends would be to give a Colonial tea. Word the invitations thus:

"My Dear Madame:—Ye distinguished Honor of your Presence is requested Thursday, ye Second of October, from Three of ye Clock until ye early Candlelight, at Four Hundred and Seven, Sheridan Road, ye City of ——, ye State of ——, to meet your most Obedient and Humble Servant, Mistress ——."

Light the rooms with candlelight and decorate with nosegays of garden flowers and autumn leaves. Seat the guests at round tables. Have all the viands on the table at once. Let the menu be cold turkey, pressed chicken, cold tongue, tiny pocketbook rolls, jellies and preserves, gelatines, pound cake and fruit cake, hot tea and chocolate. Decorate the table with old-fashioned flowers in quaint vases. Women of that age generally prefer to bring their own needlework and visit, so have a brief program of old-fashioned music, or an interesting old-fashioned story read.

PRETTY ROSE TEA.

One of the most beautiful "rose" teas can be given if one has a rose garden. Hundreds of dozens of roses, white for the drawing-room, red for the hall and library, yellow for the music room and pink for the dining room can be used. The roses are placed in immense Oriental bowls on polished table tops. The tea table has an immense basket of pink and white roses in rare varieties and the surface of the table is covered with a smilax mat bordered with pink roses and tiny electric light bulbs looking like glow worms. The ice cream is in the shape of a pink cup with green handles filled with fruit the whole being of ice cream and very delicious. With this is served little pink cakes and candy roses and chocolate with whipped cream.

OMBER SHADES OF ROSE.

A beautiful color effect can be secured for a tea by placing on a long table a series of French baskets of roses shading from American beauty to white. The basket at the lower end of the table is in the American beauty shade, the next basket of roses of a lighter shade, the third a deep pink, the fourth a pale pink and the fifth basket bride roses. Tied to these baskets are ribbons in the omber shades of rose. The candles between the baskets are the same shades as the different roses and the electric lights of the chandelier are hooded in rose like shades of varying hues.

A BOUQUET TEA.

Let the invitations read somewhat in this way: "Will you take tea with us under the trees Tuesday afternoon at five o'clock? Please wear a bunch of roses. Hoping that we may have the pleasure of your company, believe me,

Sincerely yours, ——."

The piazza is the most natural place for the guests to assemble, and after hats have been laid aside within doors, the four walls of the house may be left behind, and on the shaded piazza, made charming with a few bowls of roses, the Bouquet Game can be played, making a pleasant beginning to the party. This game is most suitable for a gathering not too large, as it somewhat taxes the memory. The guests are placed at one side of the piazza in a long line and each is provided with a bouquet, holding a few less flowers than there are guests, that is: If there are fifteen guests, each should have a dozen flowers. Each person then takes the name of a flower and as the hostess calls the roll each says slowly and distinctly, "I am a pansy," "I am a rose," "a tulip," "a violet," as the case may be. The hostess writes these names down so that she may have them for reference. She may call the roll once again when this is done to freshen memories, and then until the end of the game no one, under any circumstances, may reveal her flower identity. Then one at a time, beginning at the right hand, each guest is called to the center facing the line to be asked one question by every one in turn in the line. In her answers the one in the center must include the questioners' flower identity. No. 1, for instance, is "Lily" and asks the person in the center. "What animal do you like best?" He answers, "Tiger-lily" and then Lily presents him with a flower. No. 2 may be "Sunflower" and the one in the center cannot remember it, so when asked a question he says to sunflower or No. 2, "Weed I know you not" and gives Sunflower a flower, and so all down the line until the end when the one who has been in the center takes his place in the line and the next in turn comes out to the middle of the piazza to face the ranks and try his memory. Of course many of the flower names can only be brought in awkwardly, but there is a chance for some cleverness and fun.

The game makes merry fun if all enter into the spirit of it. If any one gets entirely out of flowers he drops out of the game. At the end prizes are given to the man and the girl having the largest number of flowers in their bouquets.

SPRING PLANTING.

Spring Planting is another good contest:

Plant the days of the year and what will come up?—Dates. Plant a kiss and what?—(two lips) Tulips Plant a girl's complexion and what?—Pinks. Plant tight shoes and what?—Acorn. Plant a millionaire and what?—(Astor) Aster. Plant a disciple of St. Paul and what?—Timothy. Plant a landing for boats and what?—Docks. Plant an unfortunate love affair and what?—Bleeding heart. Plant some cats and what?—Cat tails. Plant a government building and what?—Mint. Plant the author of "The Marble Faun" and what?—Hawthorn. Plant a tramp and what?—(beat) Beet. Plant a dude and what?—Coxcomb. Plant something black and what?—Nightshade. Plant a vessel for holding liquid and what?—Pitcherplant Plant the signet of a king of Israel and what?—Solomon's seal. Plant a fortune hunter and what?—(marry gold) Marigold. Plant a little puppy and what?—Dogwood. Plant a happy love affair and what?—Hearts-ease. Plant a lover's request and what?—Forget-me-not. Plant a wise man and what?—Sage. An Israelite with the habit of traveling and what?—Wandering Jew. Plant a young lady on a foggy morning and what?—Maid-in-the-mist. Plant an afternoon hour and what? Four o'clock. Plant a bird in old clothes and what?—Ragged robin. Plant the unmarried man's bane and what?—Bachelors buttons. Plant something neat and what?—Spruce. Plant a dainty piece of china and what?—Buttercup. Plant a cow and what?—Milkweed. Plant Solomon's sceptre and what?—Goldenrod. Plant a little boy and what?—Johnny-jump-up. Plant a young minister and what?—Jack-in-the-pulpit. Plant a royal lady and what?—Queen-of-the-meadow.

Then if the hostess has even a bit of a garden, a bell rung out under the trees calls the merry throng to partake of old-fashioned "high tea" at little tables set where the afternoon shadows slant restfully, and with the birds' music about, the charm of out-of-doors will add flavor to the dainties. Tea biscuit, chicken salad and tea or chocolate, ices or frozen custard and sponge cake are most suitable.

A HIGH TEA.

A High Tea is one of the most complimentary entertainments to which a hostess may invite her friends in the afternoon. The number of guests is limited, but the possibilities for decoration, daintiness and elegance are unlimited. The exact hour is written on the invitation, as High Tea at 4:00 o'clock (or 5:00 o'clock). The guests may number about twenty-four, but twelve or sixteen is a desirable number. They arrive exactly at the appointed hour. They are seated at small tables having places for four at each table. The menu is a little more substantial than for a reception. Here is a typical "High Tea" menu:

Hot Bouillon Sweetbread and Mushroom Patties Tiny Pickles Creamed Chicken in Green Peppers Cauliflower Scalloped Hot Rolls Spiced Cherries Asparagus Salad Grated Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream in form of Fruits, Flowers, or any desired form Angel Food Coffee

This menu, of course, may be varied. Clam cocktail, grape fruit, a fruit cup or hot fruit soup may be served for the first course, croquettes, any sort of salad and ice cream or gelatines.

An original embroidery contest to precede the tea is to secure the large pattern initials which come very inexpensive, getting the initial of each guest. Prepare oblong pieces of linen or lawn which will fold into envelope shape, six by fourteen inches. Give each guest a piece of the linen and the pattern for her initial. She embroiders the initial in the corner or center of the flap to the "envelope" which is a stock and turnover case when finished. Each guest is given her turnover case to finish as a souvenir. Give prizes for the best initial, the one completed first and for the slowest.

A SIMPLE MENU FOR HIGH TEA.

For a high tea for ladies, serve first an oyster cocktail in glasses, fruit punch or brandied peaches. Then serve sweetbread salad, with bread and butter sandwiches. Frozen eggnog and fig cake are a change from the regulation ice cream. Follow by tea.

A "BOOK-TITLE" TEA. 1.

The latest novelty in afternoon entertainments in England is what is called a "book-title" tea. Of course, this would be just as amusing in the evening, and any refreshments may be served that the hostess prefers.

The guests are all expected to devise and wear some particular badge or ornament which indicates, more or less clearly, the title of some book, preferably works which are well known.

The "badges" worn may be very clever and most tastefully executed. "Dodo" may be impersonated by showing a bar of music containing the two representative notes of the tonic sol-fa method. "Little Men" is represented by a badge bearing the names of little great men, such as Napoleon, Lord Roberts, etc.

A lady may wear around her neck fragments of china tied by a ribbon. This represents "The Break-Up of China," Lord Charles Beresford's book. Another lady, whose name is Alice, may wear a necklace of little mirrors, and this represents "Alice Through A Looking Glass." An ingenious design consists of a nickel coin, a photo of a donkey, another nickel coin, and a little bee, meaning "Nickolas Nickleby." A daisy stuck into a tiny miller's hat stands for "Daisy Miller," and the letters of the word olive twisted on a wire for "Oliver Twist."

Two little gates, made of paste board and a jar, represents "Gates Ajar," and a string of little dolls dressed as men, "All Sorts and Conditions of Men." There are many other interesting and ingenious designs.

A BOOK TITLE TEA. 2.

This is an original entertainment for a few friends. Have amusing pen and ink sketches handed around together with a small note book and pencil for each guest. Explain that each sketch is supposed to represent some well-known book and each guest is given an opportunity to put on his or her thinking cap and name the volume in his note book and pass the sketch on. This novel game affords no end of mirth and enjoyment and at a given time the hostess looks over the books and corrects them.

The House of Seven Gables is very simple and easy to guess, it being simply a rough sketch of a house with seven gables.

An Old-Fashioned Girl is represented by a girl of ye olden time in simple and quaint costume with a school bag on her arm.

A small snow covered house is enough to suggest "Snow Bound" to many of the guests.

The Lady and the Tiger ought not to puzzle anyone, it is a simple sketch of a lady's head in one corner and a tiger in the other.

On one card appears 15th of March, which seems more baffling than all the others. It proves to be "Middlemarch."

A large letter A in vivid red of course represents "A Scarlet Letter."

"Helen's Babies" is a sketch of two chubby boys in night robes.

"Heavenly Twins" is represented by twin stars in the heavens.

"Darkest Africa" needs nothing but the face of a darkey boy with mouth stretched from ear to ear.

One of the sketches is a moonlight scene with ships going in opposite directions and is easily guessed to represent "Ships that Pass in the Night."

Anyone with originality can devise many other amusing and more difficult sketches. Prizes might be given to the one who guesses the largest number correctly.

PATRIOTIC TEA.

"While other constellations sink and fade, And Orient planets cool with dying fires, Columbia's brilliant star can not be stayed, And, heaven-drawn, towards higher arcs aspires; A Star of Destiny whose searching rays Light all the firmament's remotest ways."

"That force which is largely responsible for the greatness and grandeur of the Republic is the woman behind the man behind the gun."

Booklets with small silk flags mounted on the covers and bearing these quotations with tiny red, white and blue pencils attached make suitable favors for the guests at a high tea. For one contest give twenty minutes in which to write a list of words ending in "nation" as, carnation, condemnation, etc. For this prize give a red, white and blue streamer on which tiny flags of all nations are fastened. For a second contest allow a given length of time in which to write correctly the words of the American national anthem. A book containing a description of national music would make a suitable prize for this contest. Decorate the dining room with silk flags and red, white and blue bunting and in the center of the table have a blue vase filled with red and white hyacinths or carnations or roses. Have the ice cream frozen in form of a bust of Washington on a shield in three colors.

DEBUT TEA.

The leading color in the refreshment room is yellow. The table has a beautiful lace cover and in the center is a large basket of yellow roses, the Golden Gate variety. Around the center are candles with yellow silk shades and a silver compote holding green glace grapes tied with yellow ribbon. The mantel is filled with ferns and a mass of yellow roses in the center. The electric lights at either side of the mantel have yellow silk shades. Instead of ice cream and cake, the menu for the afternoon tea is a delicious meringue filled with whipped cream and wine jelly, coffee and glace grapes.

YELLOW TEA.

Yellow is a pretty color for a bridal tea given in June. Use scores of yellow candles in crystal candlesticks and candelabra and yellow roses in vases, baskets and wall pockets on window and book ledges, plate rails, book cases and hung in the doorways by yellow ribbons. An immense basket of yellow roses and ferns with a white cupid in the center is pretty in the center of the tea-table. Outside this basket have a border of individual crystal candlesticks with yellow tapers and small golden hearts attached to the tapers. The bonbons are yellow hearts and all the refreshments are yellow and heart shaped.

A CANDLELIGHT TEA.

Illuminate the rooms with candles in different colors with shades to correspond, green and white in the parlor, setting a row of candles in a straight line across the mantel and banking them with masses of feathery green. Use pink in the dining or supper room. Have a round table lighted by pink candles and pink shades in flower forms, placing the candles either in a pyramid in the center or in a wreath with Christmas green tied with broad pink ribbon, in the center. At each plate put a tiny Dresden candle stick (such as come in desk sets) with pink candles for favors. Serve hot bouillon, oyster and mushroom patties, tiny pickles, creamed chicken in green peppers, cauliflower au gratin, hot rolls, spiced cherries, asparagus salad, grated Parmesan cheese, wafers, ice cream in form of pink candles with lighted tapers, Christmas cakes.

A FLOWER TEA.

For early September a flower tea is a most enjoyable affair and is easily arranged with little expense. Have the invitations sent out at least a week before the event.

The parlors should be tastefully arranged and decorated with flowers. Wild flowers are in abundance at this time and they are always bright and cheery.

Let each guest, as she arrives, be presented with a bouquet of flowers, no two being alike.

For amusement there is nothing better and more instructive than the following:

Pass to each lady a sheet of paper with a pencil, the paper containing typewritten questions. Explain to the company that the contest is to last fifteen or twenty minutes as desired.

The printed questions are to be answered by the name of flowers.

Here are appropriate questions for the contest, with correct answers:

What lady veils her face? Maid-of-the-Mist. Who is the sad lady? Ane-mone. What lady weeps for her love? Mourning-bride. Who is the bell of the family? Bell-Flower. What untruthful lady shuns the land? False-Mermaid. What young lady is still the baby of the family? Virginia Creeper. What lady comes from the land where ladies bind their feet? Rose-of-China. Who is the neat lady? Prim-rose.

After the given time expires let each guest sign her name to the paper she holds and exchange with her nearest neighbor. Then the fun begins as one rises and reads the questions and answers.

Each lady should mark the paper she holds and in rotation they rise and give the number of correct answers, not mentioning the name on the paper. When it has been decided which paper holds the greatest number of correct answers, the contestant's name is given as winner, and she is presented with a dainty souvenir, such as a flower vase, or a dainty painting of flowers. Other games and contests may follow, all suggestive of flower land.

The afternoon-tea should be dainty and appropriate. A big doll, literally covered with flowers, makes a pretty centerpiece for the table. Let ice lemonade be served, each glass having a sweet flower floating on its surface. The cakes should be in the form of flowers and the bonbons, flower candies.

It is pretty to call each guest by the name of the flower given her when she arrives.

If there is music after tea let a song of the flowers be rendered.

AN EXCHANGE TEA.

This style of party is intensely amusing, and will keep a large company interested for several hours of an evening or afternoon, as it is one continued round of mirth-provoking "sells," in which everybody is "sold." It is not so much in vogue for small affairs, where only a few guests are invited, but where a large crowd is to be entertained it is just the thing to furnish enjoyment and fun.

This is how it is arranged. When requested to attend an exchange tea, each person, male and female, picks out from his belongings, personal or otherwise, such an article as he or she does not want, and after wrapping it well, takes it to the party. Of course, everybody desires to get rid of his parcel, and the exchange business waxes warm and furious as it progresses, for usually not one individual obtains anything which he wishes to keep, as a "pig in a poke" is scarcely ever a bargain.

Constant exchanging is not compulsory, so that if by any lucky chance you have gotten rid of your own bundle, and become the proud possessor of another whose hidden treasures happen to suit you, then you are privileged to stop and hold on to your prize. Generally speaking, however, the contents of the mysterious parcels are hardly ever desirable, which creates all the more excitement and enthusiastic bargaining, and in the end each one will be left with something ridiculous or utterly useless, upon his hands.

And that's just where the fun comes in.

Serve this menu:

Cold Sliced Chicken, garnished with tiny Radishes and Hard-boiled Eggs Olives Nut Sandwiches Orange and Pineapple Salad Sweet Wafers Strawberry Ice Cream Iced Tea

A WATERMELON TEA.

Ask a congenial party, being sure that all are fond of watermelon. Have the fruit on ice at least twenty-four hours before serving, and above all things give this affair when the temperature is up in the nineties if you want it fully appreciated. Have a sharp knife and cut the melons at the table (for it is such a decorative fruit), and use only white dishes and flowers. Let each guest count the seeds in the piece or pieces and give a souvenir to the one having the largest number. A pretty prize and appropriate is to procure a very small and symmetrical melon, cut off the end, hollow out and line with oiled paper, fill with bonbons and tie the end on with broad pink satin ribbon.

If expense is no object, have a quartet of colored singers with banjos concealed and let them sing good old plantation songs for an hour or two, not forgetting "Den, oh, dat watermelon." Grape juice is a good drink to serve this party. Have the tumblers half filled with finely cracked ice.



CHAPTER X.

UNIQUE IDEAS FOR TEA.

A CHOCOLATIERE.

A chocolatiere is a pretty affair. The decoration is an immense mound of bride roses in the center of the dining room table. The refreshments are baskets of chocolate ice cream filled with whipped cream. The cakes are chocolate squares. The candies are all chocolate and cream, and hot chocolate is served. Chocolatieres are very popular entertainments for young girls and for matrons. They are given in the morning or afternoon. As nearly every woman loves chocolate, they are pretty certain to please the guests.

A KAFFEE KLATCH.

The kaffee klatsch is an afternoon affair where ladies meet and chat as they sew and are served a luncheon of German dishes—cold meats, salads, coffee-cake, pickles, coffee, etc. Each guest is given a bit of needlework, button-holes to work, or a small doily to embroider and a prize is given for the best work.

Have a number of tea towels, cheesecloth dusters, Canton flannel bags for brooms, silverware towels, etc., cut and ready to hem. When the ladies assemble, let them hem these as a gift for the bride (for whom the kaffee klatsch is given) to take home with her. Ask each to tell some of her first experiences in housekeeping, and at the close of the afternoon take a vote on the funniest experience, the cleverest in emergency and the best told. To do this successfully, you will have to lead the conversation and not let the ladies know they are talking purposely. Another way is to assign topics as for a conversation party, giving such topics as: "My first attempt at making bread," "My first housecleaning," "Unexpected guests," "My first pie," etc. Or, ask each guest to write her first housekeeping experience (some funny incident) and bring it. Have the papers read aloud, but not the names. Let the guests guess whose the experiences are. Use this contest.

What stitch is:

Hard to live with? (Cross stitch.) A part of a cough? (Hemstitch.) A part of a window? (Blindstitch.) Is found on a fowl? (Featherstitch.) Is a fish and something everyone has? (Herring-bone.) Is made of many links? (Chainstitch.) Is not forward? (Backstitch.) Is useless without a key? (Lockstitch.) Repeats itself? (Over and over stitch.)

For a prize for the best answers give a little leather sewing case fitted with needles and thread.

A "RUSHING" TEA FOR SORORITY.

Generally speaking, one will use their sorority colors in flowers and ribbons and their insignia cut from paste-board and covered with tissue paper of the desired color. A gigantic insignia would make a suitable wall decoration. Hang pennants of the colors everywhere, and if it is a musical sorority, work in the staff and notes in the decorations. These can be painted on cheap white muslin or paper and tacked about the walls. If one cares to learn a little musical yell, do so as a surprise. If the "rushing" is for new members, one can easily plan a series of funny tableaux picturing the new member in various incidents: Leaving home, or Breaking Home Ties; Arriving at College; Crossing the Campus; Meeting the President; Meeting Her Roommate; Unpacking, etc. Insist upon the new members' answering each question to the tune of some college song, or else coach the old members to answer all questions by new members in this manner. Have a sorority of dolls dressed in the colors, each doll holding a pennant, in the center of the table. Paint the staff and notes on the muslin table-cloth and make little paper drums to hold the salted nuts and bonbons. Serve grape juice, a salad of mixed fruits, sweet wafers and chocolate.

SANDWICHES FOR TEAS.

The first requisite in the preparation of good sandwiches is to have perfect bread in suitable condition. Either white, brown or entire wheat bread may be used, but it should be of close, even texture, and at least one day old.

For very small, dainty sandwiches to be served at afternoon teas or breakfasts, the bread may be baked at home in baking-powder tins. These should be only half-filled, and allowed to rise before baking. The butter should be softened by creaming, not melting, and spread smoothly on the bread before it is cut. Cut the slices as thin as possible, and when a variety is offered it is well to keep each kind of a different shape, as, for instance, circles of anchovy, triangles of chicken, fingers of game and squares of fruit butters.

Flavored butters are much used in making sandwiches, and are simply and easily prepared. Fresh, unsalted butter should be used. After creaming the butter, add the flavoring material, and beat until smooth and thoroughly blended. Caviare, anchovy, sardines, oysters, salmon, lobster, cheese, cress, chives, Chili, Chutney, olives, parsley, cucumbers, horseradish and paprika are all used for flavoring these various butters.

For afternoon teas, fruit and flower butters make delicious sandwiches. Of these the most popular are strawberry, pineapple, red raspberry and peach. Lemon butter mixed with fresh grated cocoanut is also a delectable sandwich filling, and cherry jelly with shavings of dried beef another. Butters flavored with rose or violet petals are very delicate and attractive, but, as may easily be imagined, find little favor with the sterner sex, who prefer their refreshments of a more substantial order.

Anchovy Sandwiches—Rub the yolks of hard-boiled eggs to a paste, season to taste with anchovy essence, and add a few olives, stoned and chopped very fine. Spread this mixture on very thin slices of buttered bread and cut into dainty shapes.

Caviare Sandwiches—Spread thinly-buttered bread with fresh caviare seasoned with lemon juice and on top of this lay a little minced lobster. Finish with another piece of buttered bread.

Olive Sandwiches—Scald and cool twelve large olives, stone them, and chop very fine. Add one spoonful of mayonnaise dressing, and one teaspoonful of cracker dust; mix well, and spread on buttered bread.

Queen Sandwiches—Mince finely two parts of cooked chicken or game to one part of cooked tongue, and one part minced cooked mushrooms or truffles. Add seasoning and a little lemon juice, and place between thin slices of buttered bread.

Lobster Sandwiches—Pound two tablespoonfuls of lobster meat fine; add one tablespoonful of the coral, dried and mashed smooth, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a dash of nutmeg, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of paprika, and two tablespoonfuls of soft butter. Mix all to a smooth paste and spread between thin bread and butter.

Jelly Sandwiches—Mix a cupful of quince jelly with half a cupful of finely chopped hickory or pecan nuts, and spread on buttered bread.

Date Sandwiches—Wash, dry and stone the dates, mash them to a pulp, and add an equal amount of finely chopped English walnut or pecan meats. Moisten slightly with lemon juice. Spread smoothly on thinly-sliced brown bread.

Fig Sandwiches—Stem and chop very fine a sufficient number of figs. Add enough water to make of the consistency of marmalade, and simmer to a smooth paste. Flavor with a little lemon juice, and when cool spread on thin slices of buttered bread, and sprinkle thickly with finely chopped nuts.

Fruit Sandwiches—Cut equal quantities of fine fresh figs, raisins and blanched almonds very small. Moisten with orange juice and spread on white bread and butter.

Beef Sandwiches—To two parts of chopped lean, rare beef, add one part of finely minced celery, salt, pepper, and a little made mustard. Place on a lettuce leaf between thin slices of bread and butter.

Ginger and Orange Sandwiches—Soften Neufchatel cheese with a little butter or rich cream. Spread on white bread, cut in very thin slices, and cover with finely minced candied orange peel and preserved ginger. Place over another slice of bread. Candied lemon peel and preserved citron, finely minced, also make a delicious sandwich filling.

NOVELTIES IN TEA SERVING.

If you wish to vary the serving of your tea add three cloves to the lemon and sugar. Or a thin slice of apple added with sugar is delicious. In Sweden a piece of stick cinnamon is added by some to tea while it is steeping.

SUMMER PORCH TEA PARTIES.

One of the prettiest decorations for a porch tea party is a hanger or pocket for flowers made by cutting pockets in large round pieces of bamboo, the rods being about three feet long. These pockets are filled with scarlet lilies and hung in the corners and on the posts of the porch. Hang Red Chinese lanterns in the open spaces and have red paper fans in Chinese jars on tables and ledges. The porch boxes along the railings can have their real contents almost concealed in ferns, and scarlet lilies stuck in amid the ferns. Across one corner the gay striped hammock, with its open meshes filled with wild cucumber and clematis vines fastened against the house, makes a background for the punch bowl. Orange ice and cream cake can be served on plates decorated with gold and white, with a bunch of daisies tied with pale green gauze ribbon on each plate.

SUMMER PORCH TEA PARTY. 2.

A porch tea party given in the summer is a most enjoyable affair. The guests are seated on the porch which has immense jardinieres filled with garden flowers, and draperies of large American flags. The punchbowl is just inside the door in the hall. The guests bring their needlework and as they sew, one of the number reads a group of original stories. Following this have a little contest called The Menu. The prize for the correct list is a solid silver fork with a rose design. The refreshments are lemon sherbet, macaroons, sweet wafers, pecans and bonbons.

MENU.

Soups. The Capital of Portugal. An imitation reptile. Roasts. A gentle English author. Found in the Orient. Boiled meats. Woman's chief weapon. A son of Noah. Game. A Universal crown. A part of Caesar's message and a male relative. Relishes. A complete crush. Elevated felines. Lot's wife. Vegetables. Slang for stealing. To pound. Pudding. What we don't want our creditors to do. Fruits. What a historian delights in. Must be married at home. Wines. What a lover says to his sweetheart. Imitation agony. A sailor's harbor.

Answers: Soups: Lisbon, mock turtle; Roasts: lamb, turkey; Boiled Meats: tongue, ham; Game: hare, venison; Relishes: jam, catsup, salt; Vegetables: cabbage, beef; Pudding: suet; Fruits: dates, canteloupe; Wines: Madeira, champagne, Port.

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