The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
AND SOCIETY
LAST WEEK FURNISHED MUCH SUM-
MER ENTERTAINMENT.
Porch Talk on Points of Etiquette
Little Girls Who Distrib-
ute Sunshine.

The past week has been one of the busiest
OF the summer from a social point of view.
There were two weddings, somewhat I'M
usual for this month; there were several
morning parties. and there were the various
attractions for the L. A. w. guests, to which
citizens had free access, and the privileges
were enjoyed by more people who live in
the city than by those from out of town.
Many society people went to the races and
the day and evening entertainments The
streets were gala scene at night, for thou
sands who attended none of the entertain
ments walked through the main streets to
see the decorations and Nominations and
the fancy riding on queer machines. The city
was so profusely adorned with bunting, flags
and the league colors that strangers might
well believe us to be a very gay people.
Now all of the excitement is over, and after
a weeks rest there will be another great
meeting, and soon the autumn will be here
and the club and social work will be re-
sumed and the summer will be gone
A club of little girls has been started and
It is called the Sunshine Club" 1t is a
small beginning and takes little time, but
much less money. 1t is not a Sunday school
club, and yet its object comes within the
category of lessons taught there. Each
member of the club tries to do some kind
act each day. If one little girl has some
flowers she is allowed to pick she takes a
bouquet to- some who has none. One
little girl reads an hour each morning to an
old lady. The object is for each member to
bring a little sunshine each day into some
ones life. Each afternoon they play to-
gether with their dolls and tell of what their
sunshine consisted, giving the others ideas.
The suggestion for the club came from one
of the mothers.
It was a porch talk between three friends
one morning last week that turned to the
topic of etiquette, and it's discussion took
the whole morning and might have lasted
longer if the noon bells had not rung. One
woman hurriedly gathered her fancy work
into her basket and made for home and
luncheon with all possible speed. Il believe
there is no woman who does not care to
read up on points of etiquette" said one
She may be the most cultivated of women,
but she will read up on etiquette. If it is
only to differ. with the authority. 1 was
looking over lot of paragraphs yesterday,
and believe there was not one but what it
would be well for every woman in this
neighborhood to read. One that struck me
hard was that note of thanks ought to
follow any gift received, no matter how tri-
fling. 1 have two gifts 1 received last
Christmas that / never sent notes for, and
one was from a girl who married and went
out West to live. I've not seen her for six
or seven years. Then another paragraph
said that no one should arrive more than
five minutes early for luncheon or dinner.
and never a moment late, and had that
Mrs. X. in mind. She came to my house to
luncheon a half hour early once. 1 was not
dressed, the table had to have the flowers
set and the cards placed, and had to hurry
with my dressing and do the other things
right before her. All the time she was SO
sweet, remarking that she wanted to have
nice little talk with me before the others
came. She had it. Then there is Mr.. G.
and his wife, who were never known to be
on time for a dinner, and at last Mrs. r.
made up her mind that when she wanted a
dinner at o'clock she would invite them for
g. and then the party would be there when
dinner was ready" This subject was con-
tinued for some time and each had personal
experiences to relate. One of the topics was
the stupidity of Mrs H, who tries to enter
tain, who never knows anything but the
latest gossip or the latest novel, and conse-
quenty is at a loss for topics of converse
ton, a point of etiquette being that hostess
HuOQiQ Keep uSTS61l lIllOIIuSQ OA Gil CulA CHI
topics by reading the newspapers and mag
azines. Another point was that a man
should never be asked to prolong his visit
after he has risen to go; just simply ask
him TO call again The last note was one
regarding position, and it was the that
created amusement. 1t told how to stand
and sit as high and as straight as possible.
and not let the mouth or figure hang loosely.
This led to so many personals that the ladies
grew quite cosby, and only the noon hour
closed the etiquette and gossip conference.
A physician who claims to be scientific
now says that the natural sitting position
is on the floor; that persons who sit on the
floor have strong backs and thighs; that
only cushions should be supplied for the
rooms; that chairs, and particularly rocking
chairs, should be taken out, and that chairs
be only used in the dining room. One grand
advantage in using cushions is that when
there is more company than there are chairs,
a bountiful supply of cushions would allow
a large number to sit in one room. Another
feature of sitting on the floor is that the act
of sitting and rising is beneficial. and the
fashion of only sitting in chairs does not
allow full play of the muscles of the body
which ought to be used. The idea may
lead to floor parties In all seriousness the
physician has for last item the necessity
of having the floors clean. This takes away
all Of the soemnity and leads one to believe
that he is an agent for a sanitary society
and not such humanitarian for athletic
development as he at first seems to be.
"a young lady who could not accept an
invitaton TO one of the parties of the past
week sent her regrets for the event. She
hired a small boy 10 carry the note, while
the party was in progress, and paid him 10
cents for the errand. He took the note.
and when he gave it to the maid at the
door he also gave her the dime. The maid
took the note and the dime in and gave it
to the hostess who wondered if the young
lady was paying her 10 cents for the priv
tege of staying away. When the small
boy returned and was questioned by the
sender of the note TO it's prompt delivery
she found out about the dime, and told him
that the money was for him. Wherewith he
rushed 10 the house and collected the
money.
Personal and Society.
Miss Mary Bauer will give a towel shower
Saturday afternoon for Miss Clara Zitzlaff
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