Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-06
Copyright 1881

| THING IN ENGAGEMENT RINGS-CALLING on IN
MARRIED LADIEs-rHE USE OF ToorHPIcKs.
tCopyrigLt 1891
/ The following questions and answers are pub
! lished this week for the benefit of correspon-
/ dents:
have received cards announcing the marriage Of a
tiensy
| II your friend is lady send your card with
| your best wishes The rule is to extend con-
gratulations to the groom and best wishes to
| the bride.
lst About how long after an engagement should tine
| I'd. And what is the style usually givenS
| LIST. There is no definite time, but the ring
should be presented soon after the engagement
unless il is to be kept private
I'd Either solitaire diamond or pearl set in
plain gold.
# 1gentleman is introduced to an unmarried lady,
parents permission call!
| 1t is not necessary, but when the call is made
inquiries should be made for the parents.
lst l. proper for lady to ask gentleman to cali
I'd Is i, PROPER for yonng to shake hands with
lady on being introduced!
| LIST. No.
ID The initiative should come from the lady,
A gentleman should in no case be the first to
offer to shake hands.
| AT THE THEATER.
When escortng a young lady to the theater and
being met at the entrance by the usher which of us
should follow Immediately after him? Should the
Indy precede her escort down the AISLE which is too
narrow for both or should the gentleman Immediately
| 1t may be said that the presence of an usher
| should not change the attitude of lady's
| escort, but il is undoubtedly embarrassing for
lady to bring up i'll the rear of the procession.
| and for this reason it would be considerable for
! her II her escort fell behind.
LIST Is present good form m addrass q lattar
EentieInan without the prefix Mr." Should it be MIR
to their friends Mr. and Mrs smith at home Thurs.
&cis anothercaii card required from those who at
tend the reception before the bride returns her cass
An9 how soon after the reception should the call be
leave their cards: and where should they leave them if
no card receiver placed ready for them? Shall they
them on the marble slab Of the hat tree table in
4th. As also the very sensible fashion Tor Gus
| tolnl now to leave cards when attending a funeral
sever placed tree cr Sbe in the Ra f Of the
house where the funeral is that Will be accessible
1st. An address to gentleman should always
have the prefix Mr.. or affx Esq.
I'd No, the bride must return the call.
3d. Ii no provision is made for cards leave
| them on table or mantel shelf, but do not give
them to the servant
4th. The custom of leaving cards at funeral
ls new to us, and If it exists, is ghastly rather
| than sensible. and could have been invented bv
an undertaken only. The custom of leaving
| cards IN person at the door after death has be-
come very general, but the idea of converting
a funeral into a reception is nothing less than
monstrous.
0nxht gentleman enter private Office smoking
anu wearing ms hat: have seen numerous instances
OF this exhibition OF what seems to to be very bad
manners. RICHARD s.
man has no more right to enter a gentle
man private Office smoking cigar and wear
| ing his hat on his head than to enter lady's
parlor in this manner. - 1t is not uncommon,
we are sorry to say, but it is inexcusable.
Is it good taste for gentleman to carry toothpick
1t is in extremely bad TASTE The custom of
! carrying the toothpick in the mouth is COM
paratively recent habit, and very disagreeable
one. Men, from whose appearance we should
| suppose would know better, may now be seen
| everywhere masticating their toothpicks. suck
| ing their toOthpicks playing with their tooth
| picks, talking as it we're. through their tooth
picks, proving themselves to be vulgarians by
means Of their toothpicks. This habit should
be reformed altogether.
| CORRECT STATIONERY.
Should private correspondence be written upon "a.
| per with business headings?
/ Distinctly not. A lady's and a gentleman's
correspondence should be written on a fine
| quality OF note paper, upon which nothing
| should be printed but the writer's address.
Travellers who write upon paper with hotel
| headings, people who send private commune
catiops upon postal cards or who write upon
cheap ruled paper, violate good taste. The
| character OF persons correspondence and the
! quality of his stationery are dumb witnesses to
! his social standing.
When meeting lady on the street and wanting To
| give her message is It proper to stop herr
! No. You should tnrn and walk with the lady
and when you have delivered your message
/ lift your hat and depart.
At "a dinner recentlya gentleman on my right side
| IN