Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-18
GOOD FORM OF TO-DAY.
How it Differs from That of the Past
in Various Important Respects.

From the London Daily News
In little book just published, entitled Good
Form the etiquette of some few wears ago is
amusingly contrasted with that of to-day when
everything is more succinct and expeditions
than it used to be.
When the ladies of John Leechs time went to
dinner parties they were shown into bedrooms
and allowed some minutes to adjust their ring
lets. Now they hand their cloak to a servant.
and walk straight from their carriage or cab
to the presence of their hostess At weddings
in "the Forties' each bridesmaid had a
groomsman to lock after her and see that she
had what she liked at the elaborate breakfasts
of the matrimonial function of that day Now
there Is only best man." though how he
comes by the superlative adjective when he is
sole groomsman 1t is difficult to say. Among
other changes of custom is that connected with
the bridesmaids dresses. which used to be
given by the bride. And our authoress might
have added that it is no longer fashionable. as
1t then was for the bride to cry. All weddings
nowadays are dry-eyed Crying has gone
out" 1t was the very heighth of the fashion
in the year 1927. When Sir Edward Bulwer
Lytton married Miss Rosina Wheeler an eve
witness of the ceremony describes both bride
and bridegroom as being overcome with SEN
sibility" pale, tottering, and fearful No one
totters to the altar now. 1t would not be good
FORM" But the bride must not, on the other
hand. romp up the aisle in the exultatIon of
her heart. The correct pace is, perhaps, best
described as resembling that of policeman ON
his beat. 1t is slow and stately.
Another marked change in social customs is
mentioned in connection with the etiquette of
''small and early" parties. No longer does a
hostess ask her guests to sing play. This
ordeal, SO dreaded by the girl of a couple of
decades ago, is no longer to be feared. Il hope
you have brought some music Miss Smith,"
was frequently the prelude to ca distracting
performance that gave pleasure to no one,
least of all to the player. And, strange to say.
now that music Is always professional. and
generally worth listening to, it is difficult TO
persuade people to remain silent while it is
going on; whereas. when amateurs were sing
ing, it would have been considered a shocking
piece of rudeness for any one to have talked
till the lady had finished describing how she
wore a wreath of roses, the gentleman had
finished dilating upon his homeless, ragged,
and tanned condition.
At the dinner table it was considered the
duty of the host and hostess to urge their
guests to eat. This custom in our own day is
entirely abandoned, partly owing to the now
universal style of having all dishes handed
round. The board no longer groans as once it
did, the weight of the viands being transferred
to that chapel of ease, the sideboard, where in
seclusion, hireling carves the joint and skill
fully dissects the bird whose anatomy used to
prove such an intricate problem to the both
cred amateur at the end of the table. Skill in
carving is not now one of the polite accom-
plishments wherewith it is necessary to equip
youth for his social career. Till now eti-
quette books have been only unintentionally
but the present writer treats her SUBJ
ject with a sense OF humor that makes it easy
reading.