A Rational Way Of Spending An Evening

The &ol4en Age says : Onaof the social needs of our day is a rational way qï spending an evening. Of course ono can ge to tho theater, or ta concert, or a club. Oroii-thu othcr hand, he ïnay stay at bouxe, whioh generally, if he has a home, is better than alL But suppose hc wants a social company - a. dozen, or twenty, or fifty friends at his parlor, what shall b do witk them when ho gets them thero ? They usually coine eloguntly dresaed - tho ladies in silks and sutins, with llowers in their liair andjuwels at t'neir breaststhe geiitleiiion in gvutuol . bvoadcloth, whito kids and prulaticnl cravats. 'AfteE nrriving, thcy rt:ceive the band-shake r,{ tho host ■nri lumtf pass a few observations on the existing condition of tho extemal atwwshere, glido up and down through the mid-parlorsplendors, defleot (x-casionally into tho -corners and pMMgM, elViow MM auotlier with graciooíiy .bgged and granted poidons, talk a ïcw minutó to one and a few minutes to anothcr, sip fi glass ot' lomonudc, nibble kt a fVosted poundciike, spiH a few drops of ooffse on an unrestricted skirt, waltz a little, fau much, and at a proper latoness of hour retire, lea ving awhisper tothe cifeetof having greatíy enjoyed an eveuing which roaliy had oothingejrjoyablo, ail(l which on thu eontrary was ;i supi-rb and costly bore. A few nighti ago we wen at an evoning conniiuiy whose host and hostess ohanged all this. They substituted ratiomvl entertainment fox irratioiwl t.vuldle. Instead of decprating tbc evening with a garden of wall-üowirs, thcy made the occasion spangle glitter with an intelltjotual lustre. Instead of a frivolous pailianient of small-talk, the guests Wüto made either to say, or listen to, something worthy of human tongues and ears, ininds and hearts. There were songs by good singers, und recitations by good readers. Eight or nine different persons in the comnanv had some sein to add to the general crown. Thoro was no hesitation, no backwardness, 110 chili, no iwful pavlor propriety. It was ono of the most successf ui of nights. And yet it did not take anything very gieat to make it so. It was rotea by all present to bo one of tho most interosting evenings of the seasou, and wo went away from it carrying in our minds the memory of its simple plan aud prograramc as fumishing a model for atliousand other households. Our V)Orit sooiety is usually i dreadful bore. It lafks intellect. Sensible peoplo get tirt-.l itaii oveniñg party sooner Üum at any other kind of emptim ss. lïfrery well-regulated tamily ought to be:a little theater and concert room to itself. Let us te&ch our sons and daufihttrr te sing, read, recite and declaim. And aftor a little discipline tliey will make tho eveniug the brigntest part of the day.