The Baltimore County union., 1883-04-28
CLARA BELLE ON MANNERS.
The Latest Fashions as to Department In
the Best New York Society.
CSaoiaHai Esquirer.

the Best New York Society.
CiaciaH0i Esqsirer.
Speaking Of the manners Of good So
ciety, questions Of social usage puzzle a
great many women, judging by the let
tiers that are forwarded to me asking
about such matters. Most Of them re-
late to cards and weddings, and may
be instructive generally in answering
several of them. II bride has sent
you wedding cards you should call upon
her in her new relation. II she sent
out no cards you may call, and leave
her to decide whether she cares to keep
up the social interchange Of visits by
returning yours. II you do not wish to
continue the acquaintance, that is, to
keep up formal visiting, you can drop
il At this time as appropriately as at any.
1t is perfectly proper for young wo-
man on assuming new social obligation
as wife to revise her own visiting list
and take proper means to retain only
those names to which she may feel her
self able to do social justice. An unmar-
ried woman who has no older sister un-
married has "Miss" on her cards with
out her initials or her first name. On
returning to your home after long alb
sence send your cards to those whom
you wish to have call upon you. II you
intend to remain in the town were you
are, send out cards to every one whom
you wish to know, mentioning the day
and hour at which you will be at home
to receive them, and offer some light
refreshments, like tea and cake, At s
o'clock. II is correct for widow to
have her Christian name on her visiting
cards. A card with "acccptancc" writ
ten or engraved upon it is vulgar
Write punctiliouS note in the third
person, accepting or declining. II a
card is turned down in the corner il
means that the visitor called in person.
The man who is 4 stranger TO the wo-
man should leave card for her as well
as the man who has taken him to call.
II is visit whether she is at home or
not. Both should leave cards. A girl
about to be married does not put 7. =.
c. on her cards. Write your regrets
or acceptance Of an invitation on asheet
of note paper and put il in an envelope
directed to the person who invites you.
Unless you are to send it by post one
envelope is enough. Do not write re-
grets or acceptance on your visiting
card; that is vulgar. II is proper to
send 4 card to the bride if you do not
call in person, but j, is better to call,
and especially must you call on her
mother, who invites you. The best
form for acceptance is the simplest:
"Nliss Smith has much pleasure in ac-
cepting the polite invitation of Mrs.
Brown for Thursday, the I5th." The
ushers at day weddings are again wear
ing pearl-colored kid gloves with 4
black stitching on the back. The coat
is black cloth Prince Albert frock, and
the trousers are dark gray. Their
cravats may be white Ottoman, black or
4 dark color, but must be uniform,
whatever color is chosen. The bride
and groom must wear gloves, but the
groom must not wear 4 dress suit in the
day time, no matter how the bride is
dressed. II is not customary TO send
acceptances Of invitations to weddings
unless the card contains the request to
respond. Where from 200 to 500 or
more cards are sent out, the formal
response to each one would be I nuis-
ance. The proper acknowledgement is
gift and congratulations il presence
on the occasion is impossible. Ofcourse,
If it is 4 small at-home wedding, where
Y1ro.-ic;Nr ;e r,aja for n e;, Jou,r I;orox
or supper, the case becomes somewhat
different, as only intimate friends are
invited, and it is desirable to know
approximately the number that will be
present. But the cabalstic letters, r.
5. V. p, were invented as an in,imation
that reply is something desired, and
would not have ever been used il life
was long enough to send and receive
replies to all notes ofinvitaiion.