Part 4

Nine East Third Street_

A word or two at the bottom on the left may indicate any special entertainment, such as Music.

But there are certain proprieties to be observed that are peculiar to the bachelor. For example, he is not permitted to use a visiting-card with a line written on it for less formal invitations. Instead, he must write a note in the first person, or he may give the invitation orally. The invitations should be issued a week or a little less before the appointed time.

There is one other requirement of vital importance. The bachelor must always have a chaperon present for any gathering that includes both sexes. And she must be invited by note, or orally—even in cases where the formal engraved invitations are employed.

The chaperon pours tea, and on occasions when the guests are seated at table, she is given the place on the host’s right, unless there is a guest of honor, when she is given the position on his left.

The other women guests must take their departure at the same time as the chaperon, unless they prefer an earlier hour.

The presence of the chaperon at such entertainments makes it unnecessary for the unmarried girl to provide one for herself.

The chaperon should be a married woman, and her husband must be included among the invited guests.

When a bachelor wishes to issue engraved invitations for a formal dinner-party or luncheon, he uses the forms provided respectively in the chapters entitled “Dinners” and “Luncheons.” The directions as to breakfasts also will be found appropriate in a general way as set forth in the special chapter.

A bachelor should always be punctilious in calling on a chaperon shortly after any affair at which she has officiated, in order to tender his grateful appreciation of her services in his behalf.

BALLS

THE INVITATIONS for a formal ball are engraved on a sheet similar to that used for dinner-parties. But, like the dinner-invitations, they may also be written by the hostess. In sending these invitations by mail only one envelope is used when the invitation is written out. But the engraved form is enclosed first in an unsealed envelope with merely the name of the guest on the cover. This is put in a second envelope, which is sealed and has both the name and address written on it for posting. An engraved invitation, however, when delivered by a messenger requires only a single envelope, sealed.

These invitations must be sent out not less than ten days before the date of the ball, and they may be issued three weeks before the appointed time.

The accepted form may be either of those following:

_Mr. and Mrs. George Wheatley

request the pleasure of your company

on Wednesday evening, April the second

at half-past nine o’clock

Dancing 71 Hamilton Place_

_Mrs. George Wheatley

Miss Wheatley

At Home

Tuesday, April the ninth

at eleven o’clock

Dancing 71 Hamilton Place_

It is permissible to write the initials, R.s.v.p. below the word Dancing.

In place of Dancing, the word Cotillon may appear, if the whole evening is to be devoted especially to this dance. So, too, the words Bal Poudré may be substituted for Dancing, if the affair is to be a costume ball. Or any other form of entertainment may be similarly indicated.

The form used in accepting or declining such an invitation follows exactly the wording given in a later chapter in connection with dinner-invitations.