She seems to have an instinctive sense of politesse, yet she lives among people for whom the finer points of etiquette are a luxury. Yes, it is a sad fact that many, many people less fortunate than the family Grandiose are driven to such cooperative efforts as that which you describe in your letter. I always assure my cottagers that there is no shame in it. One must make the best of one's lot in life. Fine and generous, but still, sadly misguided.
Children really have no notion.
It would have been cruel. I'm afraid I cannot recommend it. So your mother was absolutely correct in giving the hand-crocheted antimacassars. As every lady who manages a household will tell you, one can never have too many antimacassars, especially if one's home is visited frequently by the comb-over crowd, who apparently use gallons of hair oil to achieve their tonsorial effects. Why, at Blandsdown, we have a parlourmaid whose sole duty is to maintain our extensive antimacassar supply.