The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-10
nv MARGARET Won sTUYPEN
TRACY.

By MARGARET Won STUYPEN
TRACY. j
o1 am like the unfortunate young
woman who for years concealed In her
nosom the terrible fact that she did
not think John Gilpin' funny" deb
,tante was overheard saying to
friend. a guest at her coming-out tea.
oSbe confessed her guilty secret in an
rrpuarded moment to James Payn,
.,e novelist, and was promptly COM
,ortad nv the assurance that, for his
r+ he had always found it dull. Now,
don't think afternoon affairs the
most hilarious functions in the world,
and If YOU agree with me, do say So"
Dosnite the fact that the average
dehutante prefers ball to a crush tea
&C the medium of launching her upon
+he social seas, the tea is now the
more correct function.
The crush tea admits of more or less
ooremonious and elaborate arrange
,,or+s according to the fancy of the
entertainer, but it does not demand
the nonnp and circumstance of a ball,
for which the invitations may number
troro 100 to 1000, and handsome ball
room is essential. Nor is 1t likely to
he so successful as ball, particularly
tf b1ushing one-and-twenty, in the per-
SON of the debutante, happens to be
Constrained and subdued. Still, it's
the thing, and here's the etiquette
of it. ..,-..
the room to greet her friends, with
her daughter beside her, introduces her
to each approaching guest with the
simple formula, Mrs. -, allow me
to present to you my daughter, Miss
-" or she employs some slight va
ration of the words which always
present the daughter, not the guest
The debutante, unfortunately, must
stand beside her mother all the time,
as no sooner have the guests stopped
arriving than they begin to go, and
she must be at her post to wish them
adieu.
Previous to the debut the mother
and elder unmarried sisters of the bud
make ceremonious calls, or leave their
cards, with those of father and broth
ers. for all acquaintance whom they
propose to invite to be present at the
debut Invitations should include the
sons of all friends of the hostess, and
often an intimate friend, knowing GER
tain young men for whom she can
vouch, will ask for invitations for
them.
About ten days before the event, en-
graved invitations are sent out. The
best form for these invitations is as
follows:
Mrs. Diedrich Knickerboeker,
Miss Knickerbocker.
AT Home.
Thursday afternoon, November
nineteenth, from four until seven
o'clock. q Pleasant Avenue. - 800
1t is a most undesirable and unfor-
tunate thing for girl to have any
enemies made by Sights on the oc-
casion Of her debut. There is no ex-
cuse for leaving any one out of a
coming-out entertainment, therefore
the invitation list should be made out
most carefully, and special pains taken
not to forget any distant family rela-
lives or connections and old friends
1t is a curious fact that no matter
how far away people live, and how
utterly impossible it is for them to at
tend your tea, they will feel very much
hurt and never forgive you if you
leave them out.
Any friends or acquaintance who
have failed to fulfil their social OBJ
legations may be omitted from the in
vitation list.
story is told of guest of one of
the old beauX of society in New York
/ who received his Waterloo at the
hands of debutante of 1912. He
has for years been a prominent figure
at every social function. He can tell
funny story. and at the same time
PICK out the right fork every time with
out b1under. His carefully gradu-
ated greetings run from waist-bend
TO nod. and finally his smile of ap-
proval is more to a debutante than
American Beauties from another fell
low
4 1t remained for the daring debutante
81 10 make Linn out a fatted calf-and
then to kill him. AS the story goes,
her mother had asked him to a couple
OF dinners. and he had eaten them
with much relish, but without later
paying his dinner call. AS a result,
When the coming-out ball was given.
me onliest-only" had no chance to
a reply if you please
q That did not trouble him, however,
ioi he was certain the invitation had
oeen lost in the mails
4 me night of the ball came. The
aecelVlng line had been slightly brok-
en- put the debutante still kept her
pace The room was crowded. The
man at the door announced a name. il
Was the old beau. All looked his way.
lie entered, delivering on all sides his
"Hole stock of greetings. The girl
zane to meet him with both hands
outstretched
IN Mr.. -" she cried, so that
mail the room heard, "this is indeed an
Unexpected pleasure"
me proper sort of clothes for the
uspulante includes something sweetly
o na5 ming and girlish-pale rose col
Jvu draperies, or heavens own blue.
i.E white, from head to heels, is no
tser IN the best taste for debu-
o "lte gown; white is reserved for the
altar e'i !" ieN ~ '--o
Nhen introduced to society she may
con Ne herself an object delicious to
Sbn'eHipiate in any color but white
Que wears no jewels, but a few flowers.
sh OIL the many bouquets with which
Ice. Is overwhelmed is carried in her
fra ndhd while the right hand is left
4 introso present to people as they are
N "uuuced. The mother wears a gown
tchness and elegance, in marked
u dIdsl to the simplicity of the
i srsIl toilet, and a profusion of
osir e young ladies who assist in re-
Ing IN pretty, high-necked gowns
a Ike one wears decollete costume
bat. "olher and daughter, are without