The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-26
And Offering mamma my arm
took her down to supper.
I gave her Pommery (co.e d'or)
Which seethed in rosy bubbles,
/ called this fleeting life a bore,
The world sea of troubles.
It is to be feared that
THE LIFE OF A cHAPERoN

called this fieeting life bore,
The world a sea of troubles.
1t is to be feared that
THE LIFE OF A CHAPERoN
in America is not bed of roses.
Kept up late, pushed into a corner, the
mother of a society girl becomes only sort
OF head chambermaid. Were she in Europe
she would be the person who would receive
the compliments and attention, not asked TO
dance the german.
A competent critic of our manners spoke
OF this in the following sensible words:
1.-THE evils arising from the excessive
liberty permitted to American girls cannot
be called by. If we ever root il out we
must begin with the family life, which must
be reformed. For young people parental
authority is the only sure guide. Coleridge
well said, that he who was not able to gov
ern himself must be governed by others,
and experience has shown US that the chill
dren OF civilized parents are as little able to
govern themselves as the children Of saw
ages. The liberty or license of our
YOUTH WILL HAVE TO BE CURTAILED,
as our society is becoming more complex
and artificial, like older societies in Europe.
The children will have to approximate to
! them in status, and parents will have to
Waken to a sense of their responsible litles,
| and subordinate their ambitions and their
pleasures to their duties" Mothers should
go out more with their daughters, and join
in their pleasures, never permit themselves
to be shelved.
Society is in transition state in America,
In one community it is considered proper
for a young man to call for young girl and
drive her off alone to a ball. In another
society this is considered livery bad form"
In Europe it would De considered a vulgar
madness.
Therefore, it is better FOR the mother to
resume her rightful place as guardian,
chaperou, friend.
Women are gifted with so much tact and
SO intuitive faculty that in the conduct of
fashionable life they need but few hints.
IN THE LEAVING OF CARDS,
in the first VISIT in the granting of invita-
tions, or the withholding of them, the art OF
entertaining in fact, should be founded on
first, good sense, a quiet constituencies, a
good heart spirit of friendliness; next
ask what is due to others and what is due to
oneself. There is always social conscience
| in one'S organization which will point
Alright. But the mother never should be
shelved by the daughter; that's always bad
taste.
And the outward performance of conven-
tional rules can never be thoroughly learned
unless the heart is well bred.
Fashion has, however, elected men to be
more polite to the mammas, to give the
chaperon decent seat, and she has an occa-
sional invitation to go down to supper.
Many ladies are now introducing dancing
at crowded day receptions and teas. Where
people are coming and going
THIS Is OBJECTIONABLE,
as the hostess is expected to do too much,
and the guests being in street dress, while
the hostess and her dancers are in low even
ing dress, the appearance of the party is not
ornamental.
Evening parties are far more formal and
require the most elaborate dress. Every
lady who can wear a lownecked dress
should do so. The great trouble in New
| York is now the ridiculously late hOur-11
or lat which the guests arrive.
If card is written:
Mrs. Brown at home, Tuesday evenings"
some sticKlers for etiquette say that she
should not put R.S.V.P. on her card.
If she wishes an answer she should say:
Mrs. Brown requests the pleasure or Mr.. and
Mrs. Campbell's company
r. S. V.P.
Perhaps the latter is the better form. 1t
is more respectful.
The AT Home" eau be used for large and
informal receptions where an individual &C.
ceptance is not required.
NJ E. w. SHERWOOD.