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.