Gilded Age Lemon Parties

Of course, everyone who received one of these mysterious summonses was consumed by curiosity. What could “Please bring a lemon” mean? The only way to ascertain seemed to be to comply with the invitation. The Washington Market seemed glutted with the meanest little dried-up lemons ever seen. Tuesday at seven p. m., with the lemons in their hands, the guests presented themselves at Mrs. Jones’ hospitable home. 

JOLLY LEMON PARTIES

The Latest Fad In Washington Social Entertainments

It soems as if the poor little lemon had arrived at the height of its usefulness when made to do duty, with the adjunct of ten cents’ worth of citric acid, for a barrel of church lemonade, but now the “Progressive Lemon Party” is brought to the front, and here it plays a part unassisted by any chemical compounds of itself. A prominent Washington lady issued invitations last week which read: 

Mrs. Jones. At home, Tuesday, 7 p.m., 

Please bring a lemon.

Of course, everyone who received one of these mysterious summonses was consumed by curiosity. What could “Please bring a lemon” mean? The only way to ascertain seemed to be to comply with the invitation. The Washington Market seemed glutted with the meanest little dried-up lemons ever seen. Tuesday at seven p. m., with the lemons in their hands, the guests presented themselves at Mrs. Jones’ hospitable home. 

They were shown in to a charming little cloak room, with yellow decorations. and after removing wraps were greeted by the hostess, who was resplendent in a black lace over a lem-on-colored satin, and carried in her hand an immense bunch of yellow roses. After greeting each guest, the hostess asked her to “take her lemon to the dining-room and register.” 

The dining-room was a blaze of golden light from tiny fairy lamps with yellow shades. The dining table had lemon-colored silk napery, which was relieved by a fiat centerpiece of delicate ferns and Catherine Mermet roses. At a side table sat a lady and gentleman, who, all were informed, composed the “Squeezing Committee.” This committee took the name on a register, and tied a ribbon, marked in such a way as to be distinguishable, on each lemon. After the arrival of all the guests and the marking of all the lemons, they were invited to again assemble in the dining-room while the “Squeezing Committee” counted the seeds.” 

Each lemon was cut in half, the seeds extracted, and after being counted and duly accredited to the owner on the register, they were placed in a beautiful transparent glass bowl. The lemon was taken by the “Squeezing Committee” and “squoze” into an immense punch-bowl. The guests were then invited to a repast of strictly lemon-made edibles —lemon ice, lemon ice-cream, lemon cake, lemon jelly, sardines and lemon, lemon-cream pie, and every conceivable sort of lemon-flavored food. Placed beside each plate was a bunch of yellow roses, tied with a satin bow of the same shade. 

After partaking of this unique repast, the glass bowl containing the seeds was placed on the table and a prize offered to her who should guess the number of seeds therein, and a “booby prize” to him who should hazard the least accurate guess. After numerous methods both fair and foul, had been resorted to, and each “guess” had been duly registered, the seeds were counted and the prizes awarded. 

The winner of the grand prize, coming within three of the correct number, received an exquisite lemon-colored glass lemonade bowl, while the “booby” was made happy with a wooden lemon-squeezer. A prize was then awarded to her whose lemon contained the most seeds, and another to her who had the fewest. Meanwhile, skillful hands had prepared a punch in the large bowl into which the lemons were squeezed.— Washington Letter, 1889

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