Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-01-15

ETIQUNrTE. Notwithstanding thu
ridicule that has always been pour
ed upon the habit Of paying CALI
and receiving callers, 1t IL neces
sary custom in existing society, and
its rules must be known to any wO
man who means to frequent society
There are many occasions on
which calls should be paid. They
may be ranged under three heads
c0ngratulatOry calls, coincidence
calls, and calls Of courtesy. At tb,
heal of the c0ngratulat0ry calls NJ,
those paid to a bride as soon as sht
is settled in her new home. Hel
parents receive callers Immediately
after The engagement is announced
and after the marriage has takeI
place. When any of your friends
have q child born to them, it Is your
duty to call with your cOngratula
tions as soon as the mother Is able
to receive you.
Besides the two grand occasions
of marriage and births, it il usual
when any other cause for cOngratu
lation arises, for friends to Offer
their good wishes in person.
The coincidence calls are paid
when any sorrow or domestic calam.
ity beialls friends or acquaintance,
and one of the most difficult tasks
oflife accomplished. coincidence and
sympathy offered. We say difficult,
for most people, because only very
few know how to offer sympathy,
and bring balm to a wound instead
OF irritation. There are people who
possess the marvellous gift, whose
very presence in a hOnse of mourn.
ing brings u kind of respite from
pain, but they are few. 1t requires
the greatest tact and the most sin.
cere feeling to bring consolation
where it is needed, especially where
people are generally shy about their
sentiments, and rarely wear their
hearts on their sleeves.
Calls of courtesy are made in the
country upon people when they first
come into the neighborhood, and in
a town after an introduction has
been made through some mutual
friend. These formal visits should
always be returned within three or
four days. What are called in
France "Digestion calls that is, at.
ter you have been out to a dinner.
ETC., are paid in few days after the
event, If you cannot go, you must
leave cards at the door or send them.
If the persons upon whom you
call are not at home, you turn down
one corner of your card, which
means that you have called in per.
son. When you send cards with
inquiries, a servant must take them.
For first visits in town exactly
the opposite rule must be observed
to those in the country. When you
arrive in town, you call and leave
your card to inform your acquain-
tances of your arrival. Whilst in
the country, you wait until you have
been called upon. OF course this
custom has its raison d etre. Your
friends cannot be expected to know
of your presence in large town,
whereas in the country, every event
is known directly.
Cards now are transformations and
plain, and the simpler the better;
the gentlemam's smaller than the
lady's. Name and address are print
ed in ordinary type.
Many people are puzzled by the
initials P. d. A., or p. P. G. in the
right hand corner Of visiting cards !;
the former means pour dire adteal;
and the latter, ponr 9renGre congo
They are added when a call is made
for the purpose of leave taking, and
should be left before any lengthen.
ed absence from the neighborhood.
On any occasions of a formal char
acter, cards must be left. A lady
leaves her own and two of her hus.
handsome for the gentleman OF
the house, and the other for the Ia
dy. When a lady leaves her hus.
bands cards she must place them
on the hall table, and not leave them
in the drawing.room on her depar.
ture, as the custom used to be.
A formal call should never last
longer than a quarter of an hour.
If when you call there are visitors
there already, you leave sooner.
When the mistress of the house re-
ceives her friends, she rises and
gives a chair near her to the last
conner. The gentlemen get up as
visitors enter, but the ladies keep
their seats. When visitors leave,
the lady rings the bell, and a ser,
want should be near to open the
door. If the gentleman of the house
is present he accompanies the guests
to the door and puts the ladies in
their carriage. A gentleman should
bring his hat and stick into the
room and keep them in his hand.
1t is rude to keep visitors wait
ing; it is much more polite to ap-
pear as you are than to keep PEG.
pie waiting while you change your
dress. If, however, you have una.
vOidably kept your visitors waiting,
do not "contound yourself" in apol-
ogies; if you can, state calmly the
reason, and then say nothing more
about it.
1t is rude to taks either children
Or dogs when you go to pay a visit.
When you call with a letter of
introduction, which, by-the-by,
should be left open, you shonld
leave your card and the letter, and
not 60 in, as it is awkward to read
a letter before the person whom it
concerns.-Smiths World Of FASH
ION.
COULDN'T STAND IT. In an Ohio
town, a saloon keeper was seen by a
friend walking back and forth be.
L.. |