The Book of Good Manners; a Guide to Polite Usage for All Social Functions eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 295 pages of information about The Book of Good Manners; a Guide to Polite Usage for All Social Functions.

The Book of Good Manners; a Guide to Polite Usage for All Social Functions eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 295 pages of information about The Book of Good Manners; a Guide to Polite Usage for All Social Functions.

Theatre.  See theatre—­calls.

Ushers.  See ushers—­calls.

Wedding invitations.  Very intimate friends
can call personally.  Friends of the groom
who have no acquaintance with the bride’s
family should send their cards to those inviting
them.

Those who do not receive wedding invitations, announcement, or “At Home” cards should not call on the married couple, but consider themselves as dropped from their circle of acquaintance.

  Women receiving and inviting men.  The
       invitation to call should be extended by the
       woman, and if she does not specify the time,
       will naturally be considered as an act of
       courtesy, but not as an invitation.

These invitations should be given with great care by young women.  It is better to have the invitation extended by her mother or chaperone.
A married woman may ask a man to call, especially if she have unmarried daughters.  An afternoon tea is an appropriate time to specify.  A man may ask a married woman who has a family for permission to call.
At the beginning of a season, a man who desires the further acquaintance of a woman should leave his card in person for all the members of the family.
A formal call, or the first call of the season, should, mot last longer than ten or fifteen minutes.  It is proper for the man to inquire for all the women of the family.
A man should call only on “At Home” days, unless especially invited to come at other times.  The hostess should be home on all “At Home” days, unless sickness or other good cause prevents.
In the absence of “At Home” days, or specified time, calls may be received at any proper hour, according to the locality of the place.
When men make a formal call at other than specified time, the hostess may justly excuse herself.  The caller would have no ground for offense.

       Intimate friends need not hold to formal
       hours for paying calls.

       Men of leisure should call only at fashionable
       hours—­from two to five in the afternoon.

Evening calls should not be made by other than business or professional men, unless the acquaintance be an intimate one, or unless they are specially invited.
Business and professional men may call between eight and nine o’clock, as their obligations prevent them from observing the fashionable hours.
Informal calls may be made on Sunday after three o’clock by business and professional men, provided there are no religious or other scruples on the part of those receiving the calls.

       A business man may call in street dress
       before six o’clock in the evening, or thereafter
       if intimacy warrants.

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The Book of Good Manners; a Guide to Polite Usage for All Social Functions from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.