Dinners, receptions, and concerts have been attended through the winter
until everybody is tired of the old routine; but entertainment which
is associated with trees, flowers, gorgeous sunsets, out-of-door life,
touches the heart and makes of every such occasion a real joy.
How shall we give a _fête champêtre_?
A lawn is a necessity, and should the trees not prove sufficiently
exclusive, surround the grounds with canvas. The canvas may be
concealed with boughs of green, running vines, flags, banners, or
anything that will lessen its ugliness. The entire grounds must be
decorated. Japanese lanterns might be used freely; several hundreds
of them will be required, as they should be liberally scattered
everywhere—not only in the grounds, on the trees or canvas serving as
fence, but on the piazzas of the house.
A good orchestra should be hidden behind a clump of balsam or other
bushy trees. The leader should be untiring in his efforts to give
enough and desirable music. If ballads are sung, the orchestra leader
is responsible for the accompaniment, and he is equally responsible
for the dances, should such be given. The air should be filled with
music, but to the pleasure and not the annoyance of guests.
Conversation and music are always important factors of entertainment;
but to these an extravaganza may be added, or a play—for example, the
whole or part of _As You Like It_, or _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_.
Should _As You Like It_ be given, screen a section of the lawn to
represent the Duke’s palace. A conversation-room may readily be
arranged. Remove one or more screens and see a room, the ceiling of
which would be the sky; the side walls folding screens, which may be
adjusted to any shape and size; the floor would be the grass covered
with rugs. On these rugs stand a few chairs, a couch, and a small
table. With such surroundings, altogether at home would Celia seem,
while she would say:
“Why, cousin; why Rosalind;—
Cupid have mercy!—Not a word?”
The many songs, especially “Under the Greenwood tree” and “What shall
He have that killed the Deer?” would prove very appropriate in the
forest of Arden environment, and the trees would be quite in place for
the love-verses of Orlando.
Or the guests might be served with a literary salad. Paste or draw
pictures on cards to illustrate the title of a book, and give one to
each person. Whoever shall make a correct guess without assistance
within fifteen minutes may be presented with a wreath of laurel. This
may be worn on the head or carried on the arm.
Sometimes a _fête champêtre_ is given for sweet charity. It then
assumes a different phase, as booths, chalets, or tents are erected,
within which saleable articles are offered. An effective fête might
be given in athletic grounds, which should be noticeably gay with
streamers of bunting and little and big flags. At such a fête a large
orchestra should play the entire afternoon.
It would be very attractive if those in charge of the chalets would
represent milkmaids, as this allows picturesque apparel. The young
ladies might go bareheaded, or wear a gay handkerchief coquettishly
knotted under their braids or curls, or cover their heads altogether by
donning the new lawn sunbonnet, which is such a dainty feature of this
summer’s outing.
The chalets should be small lean-tos, their roofs tilting towards the
back and resting on four poles, one at each corner. These chalets
should be festively trimmed, and contain such products as milk, cream,
cheese, and eggs. As these are all necessities in housekeeping, the
financial result should be quite large.
Gowns and hats, flounces and ribbons, form a conspicuous part of
a _fête champêtre_. Sheer grenadines, nets, and gauzes, clouds of
Valenciennes lace, beflowered organdies, any of the effective summer
costumes, the more fetching the combination the more satisfactory the
attire. The color contrasts are allowed to a greater extreme than for
street apparel, and brilliant colors produce a smart effect on the
lawn; and yet the dainty white, yellow, pink, or blue fabrics may be
always afterwards worn to advantage, they are so fresh and youthful.
The smart costume requires the broad-brimmed hat coquettishly rolled,
and massed with lilacs, morning-glories, sweet-pease, roses, or
carnations, and the often added long ribbon streamers. But the flower
toque, and the parasol of white mousseline de soie trimmed with flowers
and a flounce of lace, and the pretty or quaint fan, aid the charming
gown in producing an artistic effect.
The guests arrive in pony carriages, high carts, or victorias, and the
closed brougham, like an old friend, is always admissible. The host and
the hostess seem especially cordial, standing, as they do, under the
broad branches of a tall tree. Indeed, stern Madam Propriety would deem
such warmth of welcome scarcely permissible under a lighted chandelier.
But if, as it has been known to happen, the day of the fête should
also be the day of the worst storm of the entire season, the guests
are received, if possible, on the piazza, and all aid in making merry
and helping the hostess to such an extent that people forget that a
_fête champêtre_ was ever considered, and that it was not meant to be a
house party from the beginning. Of course no one should allude to the
weather; that would be decidedly out of form, and be very unkind to the
hostess, who certainly cannot stop the storm.
In such a shaping of events refreshments are served in-doors, if
possible using the same little tables intended for the lawn, the
cloths, which are edged about with ferns and field-flowers in variety,
added to the pretty china and cut glass used in serving the menu, lend
the charm of beauty.
The menu for such a function may be the same as that given at an
evening reception, or it may be the simple refreshment provided for an
afternoon tea, with an added salad or ice. But as an afternoon spent in
the open air gives good appetite, liberal refreshment will be in order.