The times., 1897-03-14
Floral Etiquette


A young man may gamble, may take
to drink, or undertake almost any ex-
trayagant pastime, but the youth who is
really ambitious to part with his money
at the rapidest gait possible Will find the
shortest road to bankruptcy through the
doors OF the city florists Moreover, the
man who makes any pretense Of being in
society at all cannot wholly escape this
form of extravaganza, even If he be very
much inclined to do SO.
He may deny himself the smiles of
gratitude that beam from beauty's face
as n reward for costly blossoms sent
He may refrain from theaters and other
"open-sesamcs" for flowers. But there
are a few social functions over which he
has no control, and OF Which he knows
not until the invitations fall like an AVA
lanche upon him They pursue him as re-
morselesSly as fate, and he is bound to
respond in some manner.
The social bugbear Which falls most I
heavily upon the bachelor of swellsloin is
the afternoon tea. But" saws Ihe first
thought, he never goes, so how can that
IGIb Hl-lb. gottpud suggests The
propTiety of questioning the bachelor hiui-
self.
"A tea?" says the long suffering one, in
a tone OF helpless resentment. Every in
vitation | receive costs me from So to
| So if / don't go or an afternoon of misery
| if do Whenever a fellow accepts an in
| vitatiun to tea it is an indication
either that he is desperately in love with
nh. ic t, ho
| else that moneyis scarce
why should it Cost him more TO stay
| away than it does to co.
BECAUSE If he doesn't 90 he must send
| flowers A fellow can't send less than
| two dozen roses to lady that does him
the courtesy OF invitng him to her home,
and il lie wants to do tie han dsonc thing
| nc sends more. At the very least that will
| cost him SO and may easily exceed So
| The only other way for him to escape is
| 10 wait until the hour for the tea and send
his servant post haste with "A note ex-
planning that he has been taken suddenly
i'll and cannot come, although he had in
tended coming until the last moment" "
Sorae young men have become so addict
ed to the flower habit that they send po-
ses to every new girl they meet One scion
| OIL SNEHtDIn HdN A1ttb SpttiE "ptlitIl on
Ills regular list. To e,tch OF these he sends
a bunch of viulctS about once a week. His
best girl gets three bunchcs, or if he is
| guag to take her out he sends her five,
| which she manages to dist ributc taste
| fully down the front or her fur cape. As
| a handsome bunch ofHioets costs at least
a dollar this young nau's violet bill is $40
a week at the very lowest figure. If he pa
|
comes much larger, and goung women are
as well posted about the relative standing
Of florists as they, aresnn the subject OF
| miiIinerS and coufeoapners.
So fond are yonug wamcnuf this delicate,
though costly. ;ltecuiioH, that they are
| often willing to pay for il themselves,
| Florists have regular ealss omers among wo-
| men, who cOmein and efder the flower q T
their liking i'll such profusion as they can
afford, leave a cardto be inclosed, and or
| der the package sent 80 themselves at II
| certain hour.
The hour for sending is usually timed so
as to make the greatest impression. For
instance, a young lady who expected a
number Of her frienfs to call in the a rte r
noon, ordered her q bunch OF vielets left
a card inscribed with the words, gFrom
| silent duItilTeF, TO ne tliCIoSttis anu or
dered the bunch seat at 4 O'Clock. Oh
course, all the girls crowded around her tl
, see the flowers and read the name on the
card ana their curious and enyious gianccs,
together with the flowers, were considered
well worth the dollar spent by the willy
| purchaser.
Young men usually enclose their visiting
card il they don't forget to bring 1t II
they do, the florist supplies blank cards
upon which they may write as tender q
, misSive rs their feelings dictate, or then
; courage approves. and enclose it in an en-
veldpe Indeed, some of them show great
| confidence Ill the hCncr OF the fioiisr ieuv.
ing to be enclosed with the blossoms great
fat letters. which have every indication o
being most interesting reading. How
: ever, this confidence is seldom misplaced
for as n rule the florist is too busy filling
the order in compliance with the lover
haste to have any time to read love letters
II is the custom with certain
class OF people TO give hctrotha
receptions in honor or daugh
; | terS engagement to be married. Or
such occa sions friends fairly delugt
| the couple with flowers. The prospective
r groom is not expected to send any. Hi