As so many go abroad as the hot weather begins, a luncheon may be
arranged in honour of some friend who is about to sail. The centrepiece
may be a large toy steamer with the decks filled with flowers, or a
floral piece may be obtained from the florists, who now construct
extremely realistic steamers with flowers, green, and moss; but flowers
are never at their best under such circumstances, and the toy steamer is
to be preferred. Very pretty and inexpensive bonbon boxes are to be had
in the shapes of steamer trunks, dress-suit cases, travelling bags,
trunks ready labelled with the names of foreign cities, and dainty
little lunch baskets tied up with ribbon, as well as the more expensive
but useful favours made to resemble rugs in shawl straps which are to be
used as penwipers after the day is over. The cards may bear the picture
of a steamer disappearing in the distance with its trail of smoke
curving back to form the name of the guest, or the words "Bon Voyage."
The menu could, of course, consist of foreign dishes such as the
traveller is presumably to eat during her absence; but as few of them
are as good as our own luncheon dishes this is not altogether to be
commended. An attractive menu would be:--