It is felt to be a shade more distinguished than Miss or Mrs., and is applied to married and unmarried women indiscriminately. 6 Note 39. In the 60's an undertaker was often called an embalming surgeon in America. Most of these, of course, are merely country high-schools. Compare the German civile preise.
Australian euphemisms deserve to be investigated.
No doubt the presence of so many convicts among the early settlers caused a great number to be invented. Mrs. Washington was often called Lady Washington during her life-time. But this title seems to have died with her.