court　about　them；　ladies　and　gentlemen　in　waiting；　pages　and
  jesters。　　Nature　abhors　a　vacuum；　so　a　class　of　people　immediately
  felt　an　irresistible　impulse　to　rush　in　and　fill　the　void。　　Our
  aristocrats　were　not　even　obliged　to　send　abroad　to　fill　these
  vacancies；　as　they　were　for　their　footmen　and　butlers；　the　native
  article　was　quite　ready　and　willing　and；　considering　the　little
  practice　it　could　have　had；　proved　wonderfully　adapted　to　the　work。
  When　the　mania　for　building　immense　country　houses　and　yachts　（the
  owning　of　opera　boxes　goes　a　little　further　back）　first　attacked
  this　country；　the　builders　imagined　that；　once　completed；　it　would
  be　the　easiest；　as　well　as　the　most　delightful　task　to　fill　them
  with　the　pick　of　their　friends；　that　they　could　get　all　the
  talented　and　agreeable　people　they　wanted　by　simply　making　a　sign。
  To　their　astonishment；　they　discovered　that　what　appeared　so　simple
  was　a　difficult；　as　well　as　a　thankless　labor。　　I　remember　asking　a
  lady　who　had　owned　a　〃proscenium〃　at　the　old　Academy；　why　she　had
  decided　not　to　take　a　box　in　the　（then）　new　opera…house。
  〃Because；　having　passed　thirty　years　of　my　life　inviting　people　to
  sit　in　my　box；　I　intend　now　to　rest。〃　　It　is　very　much　the　same
  thing　with　yachts。　　A　couple　who　had　determined　to　go　around　the
  world；　in　their　lately　finished　boat；　were　dumbfounded　to　find
  their　invitations　were　not　eagerly　accepted。　　After　exhausting　the
  small　list　of　people　they　really　wanted；　they　began　with　others
  indifferent　to　them；　and　even　then　filled　out　their　number　with
  difficulty。　　A　hostess　who　counts　on　a　series　of　house　parties
  through　the　autumn　months；　must　begin　early　in　the　summer　if　she　is
  to　have　the　guests　she　desires。
  It　is　just　here　that　the　〃professional；〃　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　use
  such　an　expression；　comes　to　the　front。　　He　is　always　available。
  It　is　indifferent　to　him　if　he　starts　on　a　tour　around　the　world　or
  for　a　winter　spree　to　Montreal。　　He　is　always　amusing；　good…
  humored；　and　can　be　counted　on　at　the　last　moment　to　fill　any
  vacant　place；　without　being　the　least　offended　at　the　tardy
  invitation；　for　he　belongs　to　the　class　who　have　discovered　〃how　to
  live　well　on　nothing　a　year。〃　　Luxury　is　as　the　breath　of　his
  nostrils；　but　his　means　allow　of　little　beyond　necessities。　　The
  temptation　must　be　great　when　everything　that　he　appreciates　most
  （and　cannot　afford）　is　urged　upon　him。　　We　should　not　pose　as　too
  stern　moralists；　and　throw　stones　at　him；　for　there　may　enter　more
  〃best　French　plate〃　into　the　composition　of　our　own　houses　than　we
  imagine。
  It　is　here　our　epoch　shows　its　improvement　over　earlier　and　cruder
  days。　　At　present　no　toad…eating　is　connected　with　the　acceptance
  of　hospitality；　or；　if　occasionally　a　small　〃batrachian〃　is
  offered；　it　is　so　well　disguised　by　an　accomplished　CHEF；　and
  served　on　such　exquisite　old　Dresden；　that　it　slips　down　with　very
  little　effort。　　Even　this　rarely　occurs；　unless　the　guest　has
  allowed　himself　to　become　the　inmate　of　a　residence　or　yacht。　　Then
  he　takes　his　chance　with　other　members　of　the　household；　and　if　the
  host　or　hostess　happens　to　have　a　bad　temper　as　a　set…off　to　their
  good　table；　it　is　apt　to　fare　ill　with　our　friend。
  So　far；　I　have　spoken　of　this　class　in　the　masculine；　which　is　an
  error；　as　the　art　is　successfully　practised　by　the　weaker　sex；　with
  this　shade　of　difference。　　As　an　unmarried　woman　is　in　less　general
  demand；　she　is　apt　to　attach　herself　to　one　dear　friend；　always
  sure　to　be　a　lady　in　possession　of　fine　country　and　city　houses　and
  other　appurtenances　of　wealth；　often　of　inferior　social　standing；
  so　that　there　is　give　and　take；　the　guest　rendering　real　service　to
  an　ambitious　hostess。　　The　feminine　aspirant　need　not　be　handsome。
  On　the　contrary；　an　agreeable　plainness　is　much　more　acceptable；
  serving　as　a　foil。　　But　she　must　be　excellent　in　all　games；　from
  golf　to　piquet；　and　willing　to　play　as　often　and　as　long　as
  required。　　She　must　also　cheerfully　go　in　to　dinner　with　the　blue
  ribbon　bore　of　the　evening；　only　asked　on　account　of　his　pretty
  wife　（by　the　bye；　why　is　it　that　Beauty　is　so　often　flanked　by　the
  Beast？）；　and　sit　between　him　and　the　〃second　prize〃　bore。　　These
  two　worthies　would　have　been　the　portion　of　the　hostess　fifteen
  years　ago；　she　would　have　considered　it　her　duty　to　absorb　them　and
  prevent　her　other　guests　suffering。　　MAIS　NOUS　AVONS　CHANGE　TOUT
  CELA。　　The　lady　of　the　house　now　thinks　first　of　amusing　herself；
  and　arranges　to　sit　between　two　favorites。
  Society　has　become　much　simpler；　and　especially　less　expensive；　for
  unmarried　men　than　it　used　to　be。　　Even　if　a　hostess　asks　a　favor
  in　return　for　weeks　of　hospitality；　the　sacrifice　she　requires　of　a
  man　is　rarely　greater　than　a　cotillion　with　an　unattractive
  debutante　whom　she　is　trying　to　launch；　or　the　sitting　through　a
  particularly　dull　opera　in　order　to　see　her　to　the　carriage；　her
  lord　and　master　having　slipped　off　early　to　his　club　and　a　quiet
  game　of　pool。　　Many　people　who　read　these　lines　are　old　enough　to
  remember　that　prehistoric　period　when　unmarried　girls　went　to　the
  theatre　and　parties；　alone　with　the　men　they　knew。　　This　custom
  still　prevails　in　our　irrepressible　West。　　It　was　an　arrangement　by
  which　all　the　expenses　fell　on　the　man　…　theatre　tickets；　carriages
  if　it　rained；　and　often　a　bit　of　supper　after。　　If　a　youth　asked　a
  girl　to　dance　the　cotillion；　he　was　expected　to　send　a　bouquet；
  sure　to　cost　between　twenty　and　twenty…five　dollars。　　What　a
  blessed　change　for　the　impecunious　swell　when　all　this　went　out　of
  fashion！　　New　York　is　his　paradise　now；　in　other　parts　of　the　world
  something　is　still　expected　of　him。　　In　France　it　takes　the　form　of
  a　handsome　bag　of　bon…bons　on　New　Year's　Day；　if　he　has　accepted
  hospitality　during　the　past　year。　　While　here　he　need　do　absolutely
  nothing　（unless　he　wishes　to）；　the　occasional　leaving　of　a　card
  having　been　suppressed　of　late　by　our　JEUNESSE　DOREE；　five　minutes
  of　their　society　in　an　opera　box　being　estimated　（by　them）　as　ample
  return　for　a　dinner　or　a　week　in　a　country　house。
  The　truth　of　it　is；　there　are　so　few　men　who　〃go　out〃　（it　being
  practically　impossible　for　any　one　working　at　a　serious　profession
  to　sit　up　night　after　night；　even　if　he　desired）；　and　at　the　same
  time　so　many　women　insist　on　entertaining　to　amuse　themselves　or
  better　their　position；　that　the　men　who　go　about　get　spoiled　and
  almost　come　to　consider　the　obligation　conferred；　when　they　dine
  out。　　There　is　no　more　amusing　sight　than　poor　paterfamilias
  sitting　in　the　club　between　six　and　seven　P。M。　pretending　to　read
  the　evening　paper；　but　really　with　his　eve　on　the　door；　he　has　been
  sent　down　by　his　wife　to　〃get　a　man；〃　as　she　is　one　short　for　her
  dinner　this　evening。　　He　must　be　one　who　will　fit　in　well　with　the
  other　guests；　hence　papa's　anxious　look；　and　the　reason　the
  editorial　gets　so　little　of　his　attention！　　Watch　him　as　young
  〃professional〃　lounges　in。　　There　is　just　his　man　…　if　he　only
  happens　to　be　disengaged！　　You　will　see　〃Pater〃　cross　the　room　and
  shake　hands；　then；　after　a　few　minutes'　whispered　conversation；　he
  will　walk　down　to　his　coupe　with　such　a　relieved　look　on　his　face。
  Young　〃professional；〃　who　is　in　faultless　evening　dress；　will　ring
  for　a　cocktail　and　take　up　the　discarded　evening　paper　to　pass　the
  time　till　eight　twenty…five。
  Eight　twenty…five；　advisedly；　for　he　will　be　the　last　to　arrive；
  knowing；　clever　dog；　how　much　eCLAT　it　gives　one　to　have　a　room
  full　of　people　asking　each　other；　〃Whom　are　we　waiting　for？〃　when
  the　door　opens；　and　he　is　announced。　　He　will　stay　a　moment　after
  the　other　guests　have　gone　and　receive　the　most　cordial　pressures
  of　the　hand　from　a　grateful　hostess　（if　not　spoken　words　of　thanks）
  in　return　for　eating　an　exquisitely　cooked　dinner；　seated　between
  two　agreeable　women；　drinking　irreproachable　wine；　smoking　a　cigar；
  and　washing　the　whole　down　with　a　glass　of　1830　brandy；　or　some
  priceless　historic　madeira。
  There　is　probably　a　moral　to　be　extracted　from　all　this。　　But
  frankly　my　ethics　are　so　mixed　that　I　fail　to　see　where　the　blame
  lies；　and　which　is　the　less　worthy　individual；　the　ostentatious
  axe…grinding　host　or　the　interested　guest。　　One　thing；　however；　I
  see　clearly；　viz。；　that　life　is　very　agreeable　to　him　who　starts　in
  with　few　prejudices；　good　manners；　a　large　amount　of　well…concealed
  〃cheek〃　and　the　happy　faculty　of　taking　things　as　they　come。
  CHAPTER　36　…　American　Society　in　Italy
  THE　phrase　at　the　head　of　this　chapter　and　other　sentences；　such　as
  〃American　Society　in　Paris；〃　or　London；　are　constantly　on　the　lips
  of　people　who　should　know　better。　　In　reality　these　societies　do
  not　exist。　　Does　my　reader　pause；　wondering　if　he　can　believe