The herald., 1894-07-15
a ceREMoNlous DINNER.
Etiquette FertnininE to Invitations, ycr1al
and Written, and Their Acceptance.

Etiquette Pertaining to Invitations, verbe1
and Written. and Their Acceptance.
At a formal dinner-that is, one
where there are invited guests-varioua
little forinalities are usual among 70
fined people, but they arc by no means
such wide variations from ones daily
habits that they need disturb the tran-
quillity of the most timid There il a
ought to be difference in form b.
tween impromptu hospitality and that
which is offered with fcrethought
When hidden to q dinner, respond al
cnce, whether the invitation is verbal or
written Delay in answering writteu
invitation renders it difficult for the
hostess to secure some one to take your
place in case you are unable to accept,
and even if she does not desire an ops
portunity OF inviting another in your
stead it is embarrassing to her to b
uncertain as to the number to be enter.
tanned. There is no fcrinality prescribed
concerning verbal invitation, except
that the date and hour must be careful-
ly stated and we'll understood. Nor ID
there any customary wording for the re-
ply. Impulse and good manners will
direct the choice Of words on both sides,
says. The Delineator, authority for thu
following:
Except when an informal note Is sent
asking an intimate friend to ones table,
a written or engraved invitation to DIM
ner should read as follows: y
Mr.. and sirs John Henry Brown request the
pleasure OF Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Smith Car.
ter's company at dinner on Monday. June
tenth, at seven O'Clock.
l01 Carleton street.
This note or card should be posted Z
considerable length ct time in advance
of the dinner date, 10 days being the
period usually allowed to intervene, al
though in large cities; where social en-
gagcments are likely to be numerous, IL
is sometimes necessary to send out the
invitations for q dinner month or more
ahead of the date selected.
A reply to written invitation must
always be in the same form as the invi-
tation--that is, either friendly or form
al, as the case may be. There is no set
form for answering an informal note.
but the response to ceremonious invita-
tion should read:
Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Smith Carter accept
with pleasure Tor decline with regreD Mr.. and
Mrs. John Henry Browns kind invitation to
dinner on Monday, June tenth.
10 Willow place.
February twenty-eighth.
1t is courteous to give reason for
declining-as. for instance, that pre-
vious engagement or an illness ''pre-
vents an acceptance of Mr.. and Mrs
John Henry Browns kind invitation"
Attire for formal dinner should be
chosen according to the usages prevail
ing in ones own locality. Evening dress
is de rigueur for men in cities and in
most towns, and women wear ceremo-
nious gowns suited to their years and
dignity.
Dinner guests should be careful to ar
rive at the hosts residence only few
minutes before the hour mentioned, and
, any unavoidable delay, even though Of
the briefest duration, should be amply
explained and apologized for. II some
thing unforeseen transpires to prevent
attendance after an invitation has been
accepted, the circumstances must be i'm
mediately explained by note, hardness
in according this courtesy to ones host
being objectionable