THE　saying　that　〃One…half　of　the　world　ignores　how　the　other　half
  lives〃　received　for　me　an　additional　confirmation　this　last　week；
  when　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　meet　again　an　old　friend；　now　for
  some　years　retired　from　the　stage；　where　she　had　by　her　charm　and
  beauty；　as　well　as　by　her　singing；　held　all　the　Parisian　world　at
  her　pretty　feet。
  Our　meeting　was　followed　on　her　part　by　an　invitation　to　take
  luncheon　with　her　the　next　day；　〃to　meet　a　few　friends；　and　talk
  over　old　times。〃　　So　half…past　twelve　（the　invariable　hour　for　the
  〃second　breakfast；〃　in　France）　the　following　day　found　me　entering
  a　shady　drawing…room；　where　a　few　people　were　sitting　in　the　cool
  half…light　that　strayed　across　from　a　canvas…covered　balcony
  furnished　with　plants　and　low　chairs。　　Beyond　one　caught　a　glimpse
  of　perhaps　the　gayest　picture　that　the　bright　city　of　Paris　offers；
  …　the　sweep　of　the　Boulevard　as　it　turns　to　the　Rue　Royale；　the
  flower　market；　gay　with　a　thousand　colors　in　the　summer　sunshine；
  while　above　all　the　color　and　movement；　rose；　cool　and　gray；　the
  splendid　colonnade　of　the　Madeleine。　　The　rattle　of　carriages；　the
  roll　of　the　heavy　omnibuses　and　the　shrill　cries　from　the　street
  below　floated　up；　softened　into　a　harmonious　murmur　that　in　no　way
  interfered　with　our　conversation；　and　is　sweeter　than　the　finest
  music　to　those　who　love　their　Paris。
  Five　or　six　rooms　EN　SUITE　opening　on　the　street；　and　as　many　more
  on　a　large　court；　formed　the　apartment；　where　everything　betrayed
  the　ARTISTE　and　the　singer。　　The　walls；　hung　with　silk　or　tapestry；
  held　a　collection　of　original　drawings　and　paintings；　a　fortune　in
  themselves；　the　dozen　portraits　of　our　hostess　in　favorite　roles
  were　by　men　great　in　the　art　world；　a　couple　of　pianos　covered　with
  well…worn　music　and　numberless　photographs　signed　with　names　that
  would　have　made　an　autograph…fiend's　mouth　water。
  After　a　gracious；　cooing　welcome；　more　whispered　than　spoken；　I　was
  presented　to　the　guests　I　did　not　know。　　Before　this　ceremony　was
  well　over；　two　maids　in　black；　with　white　caps；　opened　a　door　into
  the　dining…room　and　announced　luncheon。　　As　this　is　written　on　the
  theme　that　〃people　know　too　little　how　their　neighbors　live；〃　I
  give　the　MENU。　　It　may　amuse　my　readers　and　serve；　perhaps；　as　a
  little　object　lesson　to　those　at　home　who　imagine　that　quantity　and
  not　quality　is　of　importance。
  Our　gracious　hostess　had　earned　a　fortune　in　her　profession　（and　I
  am　told　that　two　CHEFS　preside　over　her　simple　meals）；　so　it　was
  not　a　spirit　of　economy　which　dictated　this　simplicity。　　At　first；
  HORS　D'OEUVRES　were　served；　…　all　sorts　of　tempting　little　things；
  …　very　thin　slices　of　ham；　spiced　sausages；　olives　and　caviar；　and
  eaten　…　not　merely　passed　and　refused。　　Then　came　the　one　hot　dish
  of　the　meal。　　〃One！〃　　I　think　I　hear　my　reader　exclaim。　　Yes；　my
  friend；　but　that　one　was　a　marvel　in　its　way。　　Chicken　A
  L'ESPAGNOLE；　boiled；　and　buried　in　rice　and　tomatoes　cooked　whole　…
  a　dish　to　be　dreamed　of　and　remembered　in　one's　prayers　and
  thanksgivings！　　After　at　least　two　helpings　each　to　this　CHEF…
  D'OEUVRE；　cold　larded　fillet　and　a　meat　pate　were　served　with　the
  salad。　　Then　a　bit　of　cheese；　a　beaten　cream　of　chocolate；　fruit；
  and　bon…bons。　　For　a　drink　we　had　the　white　wine　from　which
  champagne　is　made　（by　a　chemical　process　and　the　addition　of　many
  injurious　ingredients）；　in　other　words；　a　pure　BRUT　champagne　with
  just　a　suggestion　of　sparkle　at　the　bottom　of　your　glass。　　All　the
  party　then　migrated　together　into　the　smoking…room　for　cigarettes；
  coffee；　and　a　tiny　glass　of　LIQUEUR。
  These　details　have　been　given　at　length；　not　only　because　the　meal
  seemed　to　me；　while　I　was　eating　it；　to　be　worthy　of　whole　columns
  of　print；　but　because　one　of　the　besetting　sins　of　our　dear　land　is
  to　serve　a　profusion　of　food　no　one　wants　and　which　the　hostess
  would　never　have　dreamed　of　ordering　had　she　been　alone。
  Nothing　is　more　wearisome　than　to　sit　at　table　and　see　course　after
  course；　good；　bad；　and　indifferent；　served；　after　you　have　eaten
  what　you　want。　　And　nothing　is　more　vulgar　than　to　serve　them；　for
  either　a　guest　refuses　a　great　deal　of　the　food　and　appears
  uncivil；　or　he　must　eat；　and　regret　it　afterwards。　　If　we　ask
  people　to　a　meal；　it　should　be　to　such　as　we　eat；　as　a　general
  thing；　ourselves；　and　such　as　they　would　have　at　home。　　Otherwise
  it　becomes　ostentation　and　vulgarity。　　Why　should　one　be　expelled
  to　eat　more　than　usual　because　a　friend　has　been　nice　enough　to　ask
  one　to　take　one's　dinner　with　him；　instead　of　eating　it　alone？　　It
  is　the　being　among　friends　that　tempts；　not　the　food；　the　fact　at
  skilful　waiters　have　been　able　to　serve　a　dozen　varieties　of　fish；
  flesh；　and　fowl　during　the　time　you　were　at　table　has　added　little
  to　any　one's　pleasure。　　On　the　contrary！　　Half　the　time　one　eats
  from　pure　absence　of　mind；　a　number　of　most　injurious　mixtures　and
  so　prepares　an　awful　to…morrow　and　the　foundation　of　many
  complicated　diseases。
  I　see　Smith　and　Jones　daily　at　the　club；　where　we　dine　cheerfully
  together　on　soup；　a　cut　of　the　joint；　a　dessert；　and　drink　a　pint
  of　claret。　　But　if　either　Mrs。　Smith　or　Mrs。　Jones　asks　me　to
  dinner；　we　have　eight　courses　and　half　as　many　wines；　and　Smith
  will　say　quite　gravely　to　me；　〃Try　this　'75　'Perrier　Jouet'；〃　as　if
  he　were　in　the　habit　of　drinking　it　daily。　　It　makes　me　smile；　for
  he　would　as　soon　think　of　ordering　a　bottle　of　that　wine　at　the
  club　as　he　would　think　of　ordering　a　flask　of　nectar。
  But　to　return　to　our　〃mutton。〃　　As　we　had　none　of　us　eaten　too　much
  （and　so　become　digesting　machines）；　we　were　cheerful　and　sprightly。
  A　little　music　followed　and　an　author　repeated　some　of　his　poetry。
  I　noticed　that　during　the　hour　before　we　broke　up　our　hostess
  contrived　to　have　a　little　talk　with　each　of　her　guests；　which　she
  made　quite　personal；　appearing　for　the　moment　as　though　the　rest　of
  the　world　did　not　exist　for　her；　than　which　there　is　no　more　subtle
  flattery；　and　which　is　the　act　of　a　well…bred　and　appreciative
  woman。　　Guests　cannot　be　treated　EN　MASSE　any　more　than　food；　to
  ask　a　man　to　your　house　is　not　enough。　　He　should　be　made　to　feel；
  if　you　wish　him　to　go　away　with　a　pleasant　remembrance　of　the
  entertainment；　that　his　presence　has　in　some　way　added　to　it　and
  been　a　personal　pleasure　to　his　host。
  A　good　soul　that　all　New　York　knew　a　few　years　ago；　whose
  entertainments　were　as　though　the　street　had　been　turned　into　a
  SALON　for　the　moment；　used　to　go　about　among　her　guests　saying；
  〃There　have　been　one　hundred　and　seventy…five　people　here　this
  Thursday；　ten　more　than　last　week；〃　with　such　a　satisfied　smile；
  that　you　felt　that　she　had　little　left　to　wish　for；　and　found
  yourself　wondering　just　which　number　you　represented　in　her　mind。
  When　you　entered　she　must　have　murmured　a　numeral　to　herself　as　she
  shook　your　hand。
  There　is　more　than　one　house　in　New　York　where　I　have　grave　doubts
  if　the　host　and　hostess　are　quite　sure　of　my　name　when　I　dine
  there；　after　an　abstracted　welcome；　they　rarely　put　themselves　out
  to　entertain　their　guests。　　Black　coats　and　evening　dresses
  alternate　in　pleasing　perspective　down　the　long　line　of　their
  table。　　Their　gold　plate　is　out；　and　the　CHEF　has　been　allowed　to
  work　his　own　sweet　will；　so　they　give　themselves　no　further
  trouble。
  Why　does　not　some　one　suggest　to　these　amphitrions　to　send　fifteen
  dollars　in　prettily　monogrammed　envelopes　to　each　of　their　friends；
  requesting　them　to　expend　it　on　a　dinner。　　The　compliment　would　be
  quite　as　personal；　and　then　the　guests　might　make　up　little　parties
  to　suit　themselves；　which　would　be　much　more　satisfactory　than
  going　〃in〃　with　some　one　chosen　at　hazard　from　their　host's
  visiting　list；　and　less　fatiguing　to　that　gentleman　and　his　family。
  CHAPTER　33　…　The　Introducer
  WE　all　suffer　more　or　less　from　the　perennial　〃freshness〃　of
  certain　acquaintances　…　tiresome　people　whom　a　misguided　Providence
  has　endowed　with　over…flowing　vitality　and　an　irrepressible　love　of
  their　fellowmen；　and　who；　not　content　with　looking　on　life　as　a
  continual　〃spree；〃　insist　on　making　others　happy　in　spite　of
  themselves。　　Their　name　is　legion　and　their　presence　ubiquitous；
  but　they　rarely　annoy　as　much　as　when　disguised　under　the　mask　of
  the　〃Introducer。〃　　In　his　clutches　one　is　helpless。　　It　is
  impossible　to　escape　from　such　philanthropic　tyranny。　　He；　in　his
  freshness；　imagines　that　to　present　human　beings　to　each　other　is
  his　mission　in　this　world　and　moves　through　life　making　these
  platonic　unions；　oblivious；　as　are　other　match…makers；　of　the
  misery　he　creates。
  If　you　are　out　for　a　quiet　stroll；　one　of　these　genial　gentlemen　is
  sure　to　come　bounding　up；　and　without　notice　or　warnin