opens from the parlor make it dainty and sweet and close the portieres until merely a glimpse appears.

Wax your hardwood floors and keep them shining like mirrors; if rugs are scarce they will be a good apology. Make your friends welcome and give them a good time when they come. An old-fashioned candy-pull is often more entertaining than the most elaborately prepared function.

A Stag Supper. 1.

In the main room have a mellow light from two or three swinging iron lanterns and several in Japanese paper. Off in one of the corners, have a cut-glass bowl filled with punch and around it a ring of smilax. The guests select their places by each choosing the name of one of six popular actresses. A silver tray containing six small blank envelopes is passed, and in each envelope is enclosed one of the host's cards, on the back of which is inscribed the name of an actress. Passing into the dining-room they find, at each place, a photo to correspond, on the back of which is written some well-known quotations from the actresses' most famous plays. These photos are removed from their original cards by soaking, and are rebuffed and mounted on rectangular mats of dull gray, on which the inscriptions are written in white ink.

In the dining room over the heavy damask cloth, is stretched a quaint old German table runner, reaching from end to end of the table. In the center, embroidered in the red cotton used in such work, hospitality encourages jollity in the familiar old motto, "Ein froher Gast is Niemand's Last" (a merry guest is no one's burden). "Wein, Weib und Geasang," the faithful trio, is all represented. At each place, beside the napkin, is a rich red rose, just large enough to form a dainty boutonniere.

Mounds of red pickled cabbage accompany the oysters, rich tomato soup follows, and the nougat ice cream is decorated with candied cherries.

The introduction of the bonbons in the form of candy cigars, tied in bunches with the familiar yellow bands, causes amusement. Brandy is burned on the coffee, and genuine cigars passed.

A Stag Supper. 2.

Turn the ballroom into a "roof garden" for a bachelor supper. Cover the walls with canvas or grey cartridge paper painted to imitate grey bricks with ivy leaves painted over the surface. In each window arrange a little hedge of plants in pots and use screens of wire covered with vines. Hang many colored lanterns from the roof and at intervals about the room between tables and have tall branching standards with arms from which hang the lanterns. Tall palms and bay-trees in tubs set about the room add to the effect. Have a hidden orchestra to play airs from the popular operas or have an impromptu vaudeville, the guests furnishing the talent. A band of Gypsy fortune-tellers (men dressed to imitate Gypsy girls) admitted at the close of the feast will furnish fun, especially if they are men knowing the lives of the guests. Serve a beefsteak supper with any kind of beverages you choose. For name cards have steins cut from cardboard and decorated in imitation of the Mettlach steins.

A Bachelor Supper.

Have small mice pins for souvenirs. Decorate the long table in green vines, white flowers and odd candle holders. Creeping in and out of the vines have artificial snakes, frogs, and other reptiles. Have the napkins held by toy spiders and fasten bats over the chandelier globes. If one wishes a plain dinner serve oyster cocktails, tenderloin steak with mushrooms, French fried potatoes, stewed corn, Lima beans, tomato and onion salad with mayonnaise, cheesestraws, Bavarian cream, peach cake, cheese, crackers, coffee. Pass cigars. Have colored waiters who are good singers and between each course have them give a jubilee song. After dinner let them entertain the guests with songs, and banjo and guitar music.

CHAPTER IV.

Suppers for Special Occasions—Danish Valentine Supper—A Hallowe'en Ghost Hunt—A Hallowe'en Supper—Hallowe'en Supper Menus—A Pie Party for Thanksgiving Season—The Pie Shelf—Birthday Suppers—Birthday Party.

In Denmark our well known snowdrop, one of the earliest messengers of spring, has been since olden days held sacred to St. Valentine.

On that auspicious eve the Danish lover sends his lady a bunch of snow-drops (vinter-gjaeks), (winter jokes they are called, because they peep out while it is yet winter and try to hoax people into thinking spring has come), with a card attached bearing a verse or sentiment and as many pin pricks as there are letters in his name. If she cannot guess the name from this clew she is fooled (gjaekket), and at Easter must pay the sender a forfeit of colored eggs.

This quaint bit of folk-lore can be used in a novel Valentine supper.

The invitations, bearing a bunch of painted snow-drops in one corner, invite you to a "Danish Valentine supper."

Cherry and white are the national colors of Denmark, and these should be used in the dining-room. The candles have cherry shades and in the center of the snowy cloth have a square of cherry velvet, on which snow-drops and ferns are banked with dainty effect. The menu cards are shaped like hearts, tied with a knot of cherry ribbon and edged with painted snow-drops. Across the top in gold letters is the word "welbekomin" (may it agree with you.)

At each place have a tiny heart-shaped cup of cherry crepe paper, holding a little bunch of snow-drops. The ices are in the shape of hearts with a candied cherry in the center of each. Heart-shaped cakes can be iced in pink, and mingled in the salad have tiny hearts cut from slices of red beef.

When all are assembled in the parlor give each guest a square white envelope enclosing a card having a knot of snow-drops in one corner with cherry ribbon, and containing a verse and numerous pin pricks. Each one must guess from these the name of his companion for supper.

Here are some of the verses, some of which are translations from the Danish.

"Though a child of winter's cold and storm,
I bring to you love-greetings warm.
From whom? Ah, yes!
That shall you guess!
And that you may the sender surely know,
Count all the little pin-pricks signed below."
.... ......

"Little maiden fair and neat,
Here on stalk so light,
Fine as silk by fairies spun,
Hangs a snowdrop white;
From a friend I come—
Tell me now—from whom?"
.... .. ......

"Love's first kisses are the snow-drops,
Ringing here like fairy bells;
Let thy heart bend low and listen
To the tale their music tells."
...... ......

"Sir Knight, wouldst know thy lady's name?
These pin-pricks tell from whence I came."
.... .. ......

"Love wove the snow-flakes in a flower
To deck his lady's secret bower;
With them my love I now