The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-01-13
Too Much Familiarity Breeds Con
tempt.

Tempt
To apply the above quotation to the eti-
quette of social life l must refer to the
very unnecessary habit some women lave
Of calling all their relatives by their
Christian or pet names to everyone, and
before everyone, strangers or acuuain-
tances, whom they may encounter This
is a great mark of middle-class breed
ing, and should be strictly avoided.
A wife should never speak of her hus-
band to others but members OF her fam
lily by his Christian name, it is correct,
to say my husband" or "Mr. So-and-
&c." and equally it is correct for her to
reserve her own pet name for him until
both are in private. Anything like ia
miliarity of word or action between hus-
band or wife, or relatives, in the pres
ence of almost strangers, is very embar-
RAISING to the latter, and argues a lack
of real delicacy of feeling in the perpe-
traitors.
Into this mistake engaged people are
very liable innocently to fall, but they
must be reminded that it is not "good
FORM" A stoical calmness of demeanor
in the midst of pleasure or pain used to
be considered the acme Of good breeding,
but fortunately we are growing more
natural now. and a moderate expression
Of our sentiments and feelings is allow
able provided only that we do not take
outsiders too far into our confidence
Those women who can never keep their
private affairs and the foibles of their
family to themselves, but must needs
babble of them even to mere acquain-
tances, are verging. upon the familiarity
more properly reserved persons.
When in nuh1ic n1acaS S11ch rs tho thea
ter. or restaurant, or in shopping, it is
good taste to refrain from discussing pri-
vate affairs and common friends; and even
IN speaking to a companion it is then bet
ter to withhold the name as far as possi-
BILE. So many ladies are guilty of this
error of talking over their private affairs,
whereby all in their immediate neighbour
hood may become acquainted with them,
that L make no apology for reminding
them of the foolishness of the proceeding.
Young girls should study early in their So
cial career to attain the happy mean be-
tween too great freedom of behavior and
too much primness, which is liable to be-
come a bore. There is great charm to
mankind in woman whose sweetness is
yelled by a dainty soupcon of reserve,
while she who, metaphorically speaking,
puts all her wares iii the window soon
tires him and disgusts.
Familiarity of intercourse between a
man and woman, unconnected save by
ties of ordinary friendship, is also to be
deprecated, and it is this familiarity, per-
mitted by the women of today, that has
done much to ALLEVIATE the chivalry of
men, and to introduce general laxity
of speech and behavior into society that
is much to be deplored. Except when
with her nearest and dearest woman
should put veil of reserve about her,
and a lock upon her tongue. The veil
may be filmy one, just sufficient to
lend the charm of mystery to her Utmost
personality, and the lock need not pre-
vent her talking we'll and brightly, but
both should be acquired by her who
wishes to deserve, in it's highest sense,
the honorable title of "high-bred lady,
Philadelphia Times.