The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1895-09-21
NOTES AND QUERIES

setts, for a week l had no friends or ac
quaintances there but yonng man. student
in Harv.rd university. I had met him at
ball and afterwards he had called at my home.
wanted to send him my card but doubted il
my acquaintance with him, which was of the
most casual kind. warranted me in doing So.
The circumstances that kept me at the hotel
for week waiting for my mother and aunt
were commonplace enough but tiresome. I
grew tired Of walking about. wanted some
body to listen while said how lovely things
were. did not send him my card and spent
a very dull week in consequence. Was l too
scrupulousi Jessie B.
Ny dear young lady. you weigh con-
duct and motives on delicate scales. OF
course you erred, il it were an error, on
the side Of propriety. think. however,
should have risked the young mans
suspicious. Anyway l should have
deserved them, for l should have
expected much more than a plain call.
should have wished him to walk with
me over the lovely college grounds and
into some Of the historic buildings, to
drive me to Mt. Auburn and show me
the immortal graves Of Longfellow.
Lowell, Charles Sumner, Margaret
Fuller and others. Besides there are
the Boston theatres just over the
bridge! Good form depends upon
where you live. In New York city it is
one thing in Lincoln it is another.
Conform 10 the accepted rules where
ever you are. They change with the
years, with the amount Of money you
have, with the circle around you. II
the young man in question is western
man, as conclude he is from your
having met him, he must have oeen in
the habit of doing without chaperon.
Your card would have been a boon to
him. He would have been glad to meet
girl from his lain countrie,' would
have appreciated her society and have
shown that he did by the attentions
dear to the hearts of girls. My opinion
Is that your dullness was deserved.
You missed making friend. for after
the week was over your acquaintance
with the young student would not have
been OF "the most casual kind"
When an engagement is announced is it
proper to cong ratulate the young lady.
W. d. G.
No, only the young man. 1t is some
times impossible to congratulate the
young lady with even as much sincerity
as society requires. My experience is,
however, that if you do not congratulate
the young lady the bell which tells the
years Of your friendship might as well
be tolled.
Books on etiquette were apparently written
before telephones aud bicycles were inven-
ted, l should like to inquire if it be polite to
ask the name of the person who comes in re-
spouse to your ring. Robert T.
1t is not correct to ask who is speaking.
You know whom you wish to speak to.
You have called his residence or office.
The one who answers does not know
who calls or what he wants and is always
embarrassed by the request for his
name. The better way is to tell whom
you wish to speak to, tell your own
name and then, il necessary, ask the
name of the person talking. Some
business houses make it rule that
their employees shall not converse
through the telephone without knowing
exactly with whom they are talking.
1t is good rule but it works both ways.
When two ladies are bicycling together and
a gentleman known to one of the ladies rides
mp and converses with her. should she into
duce him to her friendi Agnes T.
There Ia danoer that aDecial rules OF