302         SOCIETY AS I HAVE FOUND IT.

more trying to the guest than to be the
one outsider. A friend of mine invari¬
ably refuses such invitations. " Why,"
said he, " my dinner at home Is suffi¬
ciently good; I am called out with my
wife,-—both of us compelled to don our
best attire, order the carriage, and go to
see and be with, whom ? A family whose
members are not particularly interesting
to us." Men with whom you are only
on a business footing you should dine
at your Club, and not inflict them on
your   family.