Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-01-23
HOW TO BEHAVE.
THE ROUGH PATH OF THE DEBu-
TANTE MADE SMOOTH.
'sM. Blank, INSTRUCTOR and the srysteri-
Gus Profession Which Lay Behind-
How to Shine in Social Circles
Haxx to Talk.
New York Times Interview.i

advertisement aroused your curiosity" she
continued, repeating the reporters words;
IL might have guessed that" she aided,
half to herself; then after a moments cogi-
tation she looked up "It is over three
years now since | began my BUSH
ness or procession. whichever you like, aud
until lately have never advertised. Aud
this is my first interview. However, see
no reason why | should not give you a few
moments. What would you like TO knowa
Anything and everything, ehs This is
the proverbial moiesty of your guild,
! suppose she began brightly, IN re-
Spouse to the reporters opening remark.
well, you saw on my door M. Blank,
| Instructor, and that tells the story. That
| is just what am, Instructor at Large
might put il after the political fashion.
| am sort of a general utility parsonage, a
/ human encyclopedia OF modern information,
4 a sort of handbook of society and business,
a capitalization, as it were, OF the ethics OF
| the various occupations of life. l am all
things to all persons. | assist a young
/ woman to buy bonnet and choose hus-
| band. j teach young man to tic his
cravat and write his love letters. In
word, am the lacking ingredient to the
/ lives of more men and women in this and
other cities than you would believe If told
| their sum in round numbers.
ENTERING SOCIETY.
| "A young lady is entering society. She
/ is fresh from school, has never been out and
| is green in thousand little ways that will
mar her success at the opening of her
| career Her mother is dead perhaps, or, as
| frequently happens, L. not herself accus-
toned to fashionable social usages. l am
Appealed to, and take charge of the debu-
tante from her opening ball. Little details
that other girls learn from emf arrassing
| experience my pupil is at once proficient in.
Watch the average girl leave carriage for
| instance. With head thrust forwa she
climbs awkwardly out and must pause
moment on the curb to resume equilibrium.
| Now watch my charge, leaning slightly
back, one foot touches the step and with an
| easy natural motion the other finds the
/ pavement and the figure at once
erect and we'll poised. In all details
of card etiquette and underwriting,
in the duties of hostess and visitors,
in the simple act of easily returning bow
upon the street, in the choice of suitable
flowers and costumes for various wear, in
| the parlor or ballroom, in the
theatre or at church, my charge has
the advantage OF knowing just the proper
thing to do; and l so further. l give her
little hints of small talk, teach her how to
receive compliment and rebuke idle fiat
terry, correct faults OF pronunciation and
manner of speech, give her, in short, the
aid to ease and elf-possesslon, which comes
from confident knowledge and mature ex-
perience.
"She goes to an opera one night, so do L
The next morning L discuss it with her,
pointing out its beauties and defects, giving
her an intelligent idea of criticism, all of
which serves her excellently at dinner the
same evening" when two hours of converse
ton are before her Such as she term my
regular customers; look upon them as a
doctor does upon a fever patient likely to
have long run of illness. In addition
have any number of persons who come to
me for single prescription only"
THE STEINER SEX.
"You have men, too, you says" suggested
the reporter.
@More than women" was the prompt re-
| ply. "You can not realize until you have
| investigated the number of young men in
metropolitan society whose early advan-
tages have been limited. They come to
New York, make their way financially, and
get into society. There they are soon in
deep water. l have guided scores through
threatening shoals to smooth sailing. A
man is asked on his first yachting lip. He
does not know what to wear. l tell him and
besides Another is about to take out
young lady for the first time. He is
full Of trepidation and questions.
help him choose the flowers he
will send, and il men are wearing
| gloves advise with him upon the color to Sc
leet for his wear. Iremind him he must
sit opposite, not beside, mademoiselle in the
carriage, and, in fact, help him through all
the little details whose Observance consti-
tutes the agreeable escort CONVEX sation-
ally, too, come to the rescue of the eInbar-
raised and difiilent male. suggest topics
and instruct him on little fashionable
phrases and tricks of speech. do this by
actual object lessons. Shall we try oneP
The reporter could only acquiesce. "Well.
then, am Miss A., whom you have just
brought in to dinner. We are all seated,
the oysters before Us, aud the footman say
ing over our shoulder, Hook or sherry?
What would be your venture on the little
ripple OF small talk chat must bubble
gently on through soup, fish entrees, and
dessertp
IL should probably ask Miss A. if she
was fond of oysters, said the reporter,
brilliantly.
HOW 70 TALK.
"Oh, fie, you never would if you were a
pupil of mine You would glance at the
graceful flower piece in the center Of the
table and comment easily on the late autumn
flowers and applaud the good taste which
prompted the use OF flowers appropriate to
the season rather than the stereotyped pro-
visions of the florists greenhouse. From
this the transition would be easy and nat
ural TO the salient question, DO you admire
orchids, Miss AZ and that being the present
fashionable plant you may be sure my
patron knows all about orchids"
"But, il there should be no fiowersf'
questioned the reporter. with Dundreary
| logic.
@Oh, i am no one-ideaed monster" laughed
his companion. IL merely put the possible