Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-31
GOOD FORM OF TODAY.
How Il Differs From That Of the Past h
Various Important Respects.

How Il Differs From That Of the Past In
Various Important Respects.
London News.1
In little book just published, entitled
"Good Form" the etiquette Of some few
years 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 Leech's time
went to dinner parties they were shown into
bedrooms and allowed some minutes to ad-
just their ringlets. 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 4Os'' each
bridemaid had a groomsman to look 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 a
"best man," though how he comes by the
superlative adjective when eissole grooms-
man it is difficult to say. Among other
changes of custom is that concerned with
the bridemaids dresses, which used to be given
by the bride. And our authoress might have
added that it is no longer fashion
able, as it then was, for the bride to cry.
All weddings nowadays are dry eyed. Cry
ing has "gone out" It was the very height
of the fashion in the year.1827. When Sir
Edward Bulwer Lytton married Miss
Rosina Wheeler an eye witness Of the cere-
mony describes both bride and bridegroom
as being Overcome with sensibility," 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 hostess ask her guests to sing or play.
This ordeal, SO dreaded by the girl OF a
couple of decades ago, is no longer to be
feared. 81 hope you have brought some
music, Miss Smith" was frequently the
prelude to a 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, which amateurs were singing, it
would have been considered shocking
piece of rudeness for anyone to have talked
till the lady had finished describing how
she wore wreath of roses, or 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 on.e it did, the weight of the viands
being transferred to that chapel of ease, the
sideboard, where, in seclusion, hireling
carves the joint and skillully dissects the
bird whose anatomy used to prove such an
intricate problem to the bothered amateur
at the end of the table. Skill in carving is
not now one of the polite accomplishments
wherewith it is necessary to equip youth
for his social career. Till now etiquette
books have been only unintentionally anus
ing, but the present writer treats her subject
with sense of hunor that makes it easy
reading.