The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-02-03


tdre.
I In New York it is not ''the thing for a
lady to say Thank you" for small courte-
sizes, such as passing change in an omnibus,
restoring a fallen umbrella, etc.; only a smile
is allowable. There has been a difference of
opinion, too, on the use of capital letters for
P. p. G. on visiting cards and r. S. V. P.
on cards of invitation. Since the time of
the Romans large letters have been used for
abbreviatIon, but America now uses small
letters, an innovation distastefnl 10 Europe
an eyes. Then, too, it was rigid etiquette
as. indeed, it was until quite late years in
this country, alse--to send invitations and
answers by hand; now if at any distance,
the medium of the post is permissible. In
England the formula of introduction is
severely simple: "Mr. Brown--Mrs. Smith,"
that is all. Mr.. Brown may be Chancellor
of the Exchequer and Mrs. Smith the wife
of the Archbishop of York, but these facts
are not named. In America, etiquette re-
ouires dignities and official status to be
particularized, as the 'Rev. Mr.. or DIR
Blank, or the Hon. Gov. Dash" adding the
name of the State he governs. If a member
of Congress. the fact must be added; If an
author of repute, the names of his principal
works must be stated.
1t is customary in America for a lady to
be accompanied to a ball by a gentleman as
an escort. His duty is to see that she is
provided with partners and refreshments and
to look after her generally. He carries, in
deed, supplies, hel bouquet, and attends her
on her return home. A young English
nobleman on his first visit to Washington
called on a prominent member OF society and
rendered letters of introd uction. The lady
received him frankly and introduced to him
ho1I 1poin aH tho
same evening, she offered to procure him an
invitation. On his accepting she desired
him to choose one of her daughters as a
companion to the entertainment He did so.
It was then arranged that he should cAll fol-
the young lady in a carriage of his own
providing and bringing the usual bouquet,
which he did. At the conclusion of the ball
he accompanied his charge home. The rest
of the family had retired for the night, but
servants were in waiting, 3Ad his fair COM
panion pressed him to enter and join her in
a cup of coffee. Not a little surprised, the
gentleman assented and spent a pleasant
half hour in the drawing room alone with
his fair entertainer, discussing the dance he
had enjoyed in her society. Republican in
dependence of manners, perhaps, but limo
cent wiIhal. He was a gentleman" said
the mother, afterward, accredited to me by
nv mutual TRENDS, ana L knew tnat my
daughter could take care of herself Thi:
incident was no outrage on American Ell
auette. In America it is the custom TO
the young ladies of the family to give balls
and il is not At all necessary that you should
! be introduced to their parents
4 Courtesy to women is a noticeable feature
] of American society, yet a writer in the
Philadelphia Ecesiag Bulletin has uttered
the heresy that '.no man who has no
travelled has seen a woman"
What may be termed "knife and fork
etiquette in refined circles of American
society differs a little from our own at thu
present time; but not so very long ago
instead of the finger glasses now in gene
raj use, a large silver bowl used to b
handed round for general oblution. At the
time that Thackeray visited America, things
were a degree rougher. 81 saw" said th'
s%atirist, five Americans at a time with thei1
knives down their threats. | said to my
daughter: My dear your great-great
grandmother, the finest old lady that eve
Iknew, also applied cold steel to her ~vittels
but / wish five at n time wouldn't"