ill place chairs for
them, open the blinds (if the room is too dark), and intimate civilly
that he goes to inform his mistress. If the lady is in her drawing-room,
he announces the name of the visitors, having previously acquainted
himself with it. In this part of his duty it is necessary to be very
careful to repeat the names correctly; mispronouncing names is very apt
to give offence, and leads sometimes to other disagreeables. The writer
was once initiated into some of the secrets on the "other side" of a
legal affair in which he took an interest, before he could correct a
mistake made by the servant in announcing him. When the visitor is
departing, the servant should be at hand, ready, when rung for, to open
the door; he should open it with a respectful manner, and close it
gently when the visitors are fairly beyond the threshold. When several
visitors arrive together, he should take care not to mix up the
different names together, where they belong to the same family, as Mr.,
Mrs., and Miss; if they are strangers, he should announce each as
distinctly as possible.

2202. _Receptions and Evening Parties_.--The drawing-rooms being
prepared, the card-tables laid out with cards and counters, and such
other arrangements as are necessary made for the reception of the
company, the rooms should be lighted up as the hour appointed
approaches. Attendants in the drawing-room, even more than in the
dining-room, should move about actively but noiselessly; no creaking of
shoes, which is an abomination; watching the lights from time to time,
so as to keep up their brilliancy. But even if the attendant likes a
game of cribbage or whist himself, he must not interfere in his master
or mistress's game, nor even seem to take an interest in it. We once
knew a lady who had a footman, and both were fond of a game of
cribbage,--John in the kitchen, the lady in her drawing-room. The lady
was a giver of evening parties, where she frequently enjoyed her
favourite amusement. While handing about the tea and toast, John could
not always suppress his disgust at her mistakes. "There is more in that
hand, ma'am," he has been known to say; or, "Ma'am, you forgot to count
his nob;" in fact, he identified himself with his mistress's game, and
would have lost twenty places rather than witness a miscount. It is not
necessary to adopt his example on this point, although John had many
qualities a good servant might copy with advantage.

THE COACHHOUS