The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-05
FORMAL CALLS OUT OF VOGUE.
ONE SOCIAL DUTY or WHICH
WOMEN ARE RELIEVED.

People Toe Busy 70 Mako Visits - Tney
Us>d To-Moderu Entertaining Ono
Resson-Restaurant Life Another-Se'
caaI Schedules Upset BY Sudden Trips.
Each day used to bring It's task Of calling
or Of being called upon to the faahionaoie
woman. On the day that she did not Get
out to make the round Of the homes OF her
friends she was shut in herself TO receive
those who repaid her visits
Not TO acknowledge visit was con-
sidered . serious slight. Women used to
build up their acquaintance lists through
enthusiastic attention to this item In the
line Of social duty.
But by degrees calling lists grew 90 large
that women were obliged merely to drive
from house to house and send In cards
TO each friend who was at homo on that
day, for to pay personal visit to each
was impossible. From that stage 10 not
calling at all was only a step. Nowadays
instead OF calling women send cards by
mail or call each other up over the tele-
phone.
Formal calling has almost ceased to be
the fashion except among the elderly and
the very Young, and even the dinner call.
which used TO be 80 necessary . duty, is
replaced by sending florists box and q card
or q note In many cases. VI course the
call Of congratulation. or OF coincidence IL
still made. as there Is certain meaning
attached to the custom.
People in the same set are meeting con-
stantly through a season at teas. luncneons,
dinners and the opera. and with the new
for the old formality Of interchanging
visits. Besides that. there has been an
importa Mt change in the matter OF enter,
tanning People are eager 70 be amused
and the person who oners the most amusine
entertainment Is sought out by persons
anxious to be included in the lists OF guests
At future dinners or dances.
ANY one who entertains sufficiently in
town to-day will become speedily popular.
generation who was speaking on the sub
ject of the decline Of calling. i do not
mean to say that there Is not yet conserva-
tive element that refuses to acknowledge
the newcomers with nothing save wealth
70 recommend them. but there is q great
army Of people in town to-day eager and
anxious to get about and to meet other
people who may have desirable acquaint-
ances. 49,
sThe growth OF informality In town life
can be traced largely to the desertion OF
New York for country houses. for yachts
and trips abroad There Is no longer any
steady residence In town; and this makes
People accept invitations over the tele-
phone for dinner nowadays and do 40,
eladly, although they know that they arc
asked at the eleventh hour merely to fill q
gap. But they know also that this accident
, Is likely to occur at their own dinners and
they allow common sense and perhaps good
nature TO guide them.
There Is a great mob OF people In New
York eager to make new acquaintances with
onlv one object in view, namely the enter
tainment that may be had from them.
They manage to keep their engagement lists
constantly filed and dine out every evening
OF the week
these people rarely entertain themselves.
They make the business OF getting enter
tain nent from Others a study and 1t must
be admitted they add largely to the enjoy
m-nt OF q COMPANY where they happen TO be
present
shestauranr life has also done much to
make New York extremely informal. Peo-
ple meet constantly at restaurant dinners
and luncheons who might never by any
possibility come together in the more
formal manner OF social entertainment at
home.
sThis Is true TO such an extent that nu-
merous people In town live their entire
social life In the various restaurants where
they maet new acquaintance and enter
tain and are entertained without anybody's
ever knowing their place OF residence.
This might sound shocking TO the older
generation, but IL Ia entirely In keeping
With modern timee and modern manners
Tbs habit Of calling died out not because