Part 16

ENTERTAINMENTS. At entertainments a man should give his card to the servant at the door or leave it in the hall.

A few appropriate words of greeting should be addressed to the hostess and host as soon after entering as possible.

Personal introductions are not absolutely required at musicales, teas, "At Homes," etc. One may converse with those nearest, but this does not warrant future recognition.

When light repasts are served, as teas, ices, etc, a man should put his napkin on his knee and hold the plate in his hand.

He should depart with as little ceremony as possible--a bow and a smile, if host and hostess are engaged, are sufficient. He should not shake hands and try to speak unless it can be done without becoming conspicuous.

MEN CALLING ON WOMEN--HAT. A man making a formal or brief call should carry his hat in his hand into the parlor.

SHAKING HANDS. A man should not offer to shake hands first, as that is the privilege of the women.

MEN--DRESS. In making ceremonious calls, men wear afternoon dress, and after six o'clock evening dress.

See also AFTERNOON DRESS--MEN. EVENING DRESS--MEN.

PALL-BEARERS. See PALL-BEARERS--CALLS.

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.