An evening reception may be conducted in a similar way, but at this time coffee and chocolate take the place of tea. Or, if the host prefer, he may serve only cake and coffee, or punch, or ices in addition to the cake and coffee.
If a bachelor be also a householder to the extent of running a regular ménage, he may give a dinner in his home just as a woman might. He first engages his chaperon, then invites his guests. The chaperon is the guest of honor, is taken out to dinner by the host and sits at his right. It is also her place to make the move for the women to leave the men to their cigars and coffee, and proceed to the drawing-room. Here, after a very few minutes, the women are joined by the men or, at all events, by the host, who may, if he like, give his men guests permission to linger in the dining-room a little longer than he does. They will, however, not take long advantage of this permission, but, at the expiration of five or ten minutes, will follow their host to the drawing-room.
THE RESTAURANT SUPPER
The man who can not entertain in his own rooms may return any hospitality shown to him by giving a supper or dinner at a restaurant or hotel. In this case he must still have a chaperon,—if the party is to be made up of unmarried persons. For such an affair as this he engages his table and orders the dinner beforehand, seeing for himself that the flowers and decorations chosen are just what he wishes. It is his place to escort the chaperon to the restaurant and to seat her at his right. Everything is so perfectly conducted at well-regulated restaurants that the course of the dinner will progress without the host’s concerning himself about it. If, however, the host wishes to give an order, he should beckon to a waiter, and in a low tone make the necessary suggestion or give the requisite order. It is, at such a juncture, the part of the chaperon to keep the conversational ball rolling,—in short, to act as if she were hostess.
The dinner over, the host escorts his guests as far as the door of the restaurant, going to the various carriages with the women, then calls up the chaperon’s carriage and, himself, accompanies her to her home.
THE BACHELOR DINNER