mportance, it would be best in such a case only to
leave cards.

When a second visitor calls, a servant should not be permitted to say
that his mistress is "engaged with a lady," or "with a gentleman," but
should usher the second caller into the drawing-room, as he has
previously done the first caller. He should not inquire as to whether
his mistress will see the second caller or not. Neither should he inform
the second caller as to whether any one is or is not with his mistress,
as ignorant servants are too apt to do.

It is not usual to offer coffee at afternoon tea; tea only is given. To
offer coffee is a foreign fashion, and not an English one.

"Morning" callers should not be conducted to the dining-room to have
tea; and tea is only served in the dining-room on the occasion of a
large afternoon tea, or afternoon "at home," etc. (See chapter on
"Afternoon 'At Homes'" p. 151.)

The tea hour varies from 4 to 4.30 o'clock. When callers are present at
4 o'clock, tea should be brought in at that hour. It should be placed
upon a small table, which is first covered with a white linen or damask
tea-cloth. The tea-tray should be large enough to hold, in addition to
the china, silver teapot, etc., an urn for hot water, which should be
brought in and placed upon it. A stand containing hot cakes, an uncut
cake, small cakes, tiny sandwiches, and thin bread-and-butter should be
placed near to the tea-table. Tiny tea-plates should be placed in a pile
upon the tea-tray, they being in general use. The hostess or her
daughter should pour out the tea.

Apart from the foregoing style of afternoon tea is the newer fashion of
what might be termed "a round-table tea," at which hostess and guests
sit, but this style is more usual at country houses than in town houses
at present, on account of the space required, if for no other reason.
The tea is served in a smaller drawing-room, upon a large round or oval
table, which is covered with a white table-cloth, upon which the
tea-tray with all its contents is placed. Cakes, hot and cold,
sandwiches, pastry, fruit, jam, bread-and-butter, biscuits, dry toast,
etc., are given, and the visitors seated at the table help themselves to
what they require. The hostess pours out the tea and hands the cups as
when guests are not seated in this way. Dessert plates and dessert
knives and forks should be placed on the table beside the small
tea-plates, to be taken as required.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] See