The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-24

expect to be entertained after the lecture"
fairly shouted. as Mark Twain would
say and then. INDUCING myself in a bit OF
snobbishness. I was back at her as
fash
pear Madam: As a literary men of
some reputation, have many times had
the pleasure of being entertained by the
Members of the old aristocracy of France.
have also many times had the pleasure
of being entertained by members of the
old aristocracy of England. If it may in
terest YOU, can even tell you that have
several times had the honor of being
entertained by royalty. but my ambition
has never been so wild as to expect that
one day 1 might be entertained by the
aristocracy of New York. No. do not
expect to be entertained by you, nor do
want you to expect me to entertain you
and your friends tonight, for decline
10 keep the engagement
The adage. says the Mail and Express.
that it is more blessed to give than TO
receive holds good only II its most abb
strdcL SellSts AOI many AllAlNS a iAOSA SCh-
erously-inclined person finds that giving
is such a heavy tax that the sweetness
thereof is lost in the thought of the eX-
ira burden which 1t entails.
Giving presents is not by any means
the outcome of spontaneous generosity,
nor are such offerings entirely voluntary
on the part of the givers; on the contrary,
there exists a. distinct code relating to
the act Of giving, and anyone attempting
10 evade 1t is almost regarded as a moral
defaulter, or, to say the least of it, as a
mean person
Wedding presents may be said to be the
first on the list OF binding obligations, and
so far-reaching are they that even slight
acquaintances come under their sway
and influence. An invitation to we'd
ding implies that a wedding present must
follow, as a matter of course. Between
relatives and friends of long standing
this is reasonable enough, but where it
becomes a tax and somewhat of a strain
as in the case of young men and young
girls Upon the former it presses the
hardest, as they generally give actually
beyond their means being imbued with the
idea that if they make a present at all,
1t must be a good one, and they will not
avail themselves of the way out of the
dificuty-the back door, so to speak-that
trihing offerings present. Young girls have
no hesitation in giving Valueless pretty
novelties the fashion or conceit of the
hour considering the small allowances
are valid excuse for small presents be-
ing made. AS regards handsome presents.
they are not infrequeEtly joint offerings
from husband and wife, brother and sis
ter mother and daughter. and this is a
popular custom followed by royalty and
general society. Although it is understood
that an invitation to a wedding is the
forerunner of a present. yet actually the
present generally precedes the invitation,
for as soon as the announcement Of an en-
gagement becomes know presents follow
within a few weeks, before invitations to
a marriage are even issued, and therefore
as many send presents before as after
invitations to both bride and bridegroom,
for presents to bridegrooms are becom-
ing more and more numerous, by reason
doubtless of the luxury of the age and
the craze men have to surround them
selves with expensive prettinesses.
What is mans least, forgivable fail
ing" says the New York World was the
question discussed at woman's club the
other day. The best answer was given
by a young woman who declared that it
was "his tendency to marry another wo-
man after you have refused him.
When you buy a pair of new shoes,
never put them on a. shelf higher than
YOUR head, unless you want to bring bad
luck; and if you blacken them before you
have had both shoes on you may meet
with an accident, or even have a sudden
death, This is an old Irish superstition.
The Scotch girls believe that if they drop
their shoes before they are worn. trou-
BILE will ensue, while a French lady los
ing her heel is sure of some disappoint-
ment in love, and a German mother in
the same predicament feels that she will
soon lose one of her children. You must
not put your right shoe, on your left foot
or your left on your right, nor must you
put your left shoe on before the
right unless you want bad luck. This SUI
persttion dates back to one of the en-
perors of Rome. who, it is recorded, put
on his left shoe first one morning, and
came near being assassinated during the
day.
The difference, says the New York
Tribune, between calling in town and in
the country is defined by one fair sub
urbanite. In the city you call because
YOU have to-" he says, land in the coun-
try because you want to- Certainly
where less is required social observances
are more cheerfully rendered; moreover,
in the country, the distances being great
er and the facilities of transportation
fewer, friends arc not so exacting, and are
always willing to take up the
where they have been left off.
although months and perhaps even
years have elasped without an inter
change of ciVilites. In town. however,
scquaintances are not so lenient. and for
mai visiting has become such an immense
tax on the time and resources of the wom-
an of society that radical reform seems
Imperative Indeed. many of the younger
women have declared open rebellion
against the old unwritten laws regulating
personal visits, which used to be as I'M
alterable as those Of the Modes and Per-
slams; and although the dignified matron
Of the old school style still continues 10
roll about in her carriage, spending al
most every afternoon Of her life in consci-
entiously paying her dinner and dance Wis
It's within the appointed week, and having
the breath squeezed out of her portly body
In crowded lat homes" these modern
iconoclasts assert that life is not worth
living under such conditions. So they
send their cards of acknowledgment by
post (or the footman IL they possess such
an article) for receptions, weddings and
formal visits. for congratulations and
condolences, with sweeping impartiality.
and to Mrs. Grundy's intense disgust and
disapprovai.
In fact, I have things so systematized