The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-10-29
HER DAY AT HOME"
ADVANTAGES OF A REGULAR RE.
cEPTloN TIME.
Plan Does Away with Annoyances OF
lnopportune Calls and Allows
Hostess to BE Seen at
Her Eest.


duty calls II am going to he detained
like this every afternoon" querei
young Mrs. b. fesentfully, gazing
deapairingly al her motherinlaw as
the door closed on an tnoppurtune
caller, Every day this week IKE
been Just on the point Of setting out
when a caller has been announced.
And there Is another! she exclaimed
as the whirr Of tie bell resounded
through the apartment
! The elder woman smiled at the
youngers comical expression of dis
may, but said nothing until the second
caller had departed.
The only possible way to avoid an
noyances Of that sort she observed
then, is to have regular receiving
day and see everybody at once"
But that would be such lot OF
! bother-and SO ceremonious. too" oh.
served Mrs. b.. ir., who was brought
! up in town where everybody who is
! anybody knows everybody else
"Ceremonious-perhaps; but a LOT
/ or bother'--no. In fact il is the ono
and only way OF avoiding misunder.
standings and waste Of time In city
/ community You simply set apart one
I day in the week--pos8ibly only one
day in a month--for receiving your
friends and on that day you make a
point OF being at home dressed In
your daintiest gown and with your
house very model Of spick-and span
ness. For the rest OF the week, or
until the neXt reception day comes
around, YOU are at liberty to come and
90 as you please and. incidentally, to
meet your own calling obligations"
That this is the only practicable
rian for coping with the formidable
question Of social calls is now gener-
ally conceded The modern woman
has so many interests clamo.ing for
her time and attention that she must
needs systematic Ter social as well
as her domestic affairs The days
when people dropped IN on one an
other informally whenever the spirit
moved them have gone by forever
Even intimate friends recognize the
fact that they can no longer follow
these unconventional methods without
risk Of intrudingi consequently, the
adoption Of a receiving day, instead of
being frowned down as an attempt to
put on airs, is regarded as a neces-
sary concession to modern conditions.
That there may be no mistake as to
ones intentions it is necessary to in.
dictate ones receiving day upon ones
visiting card 1t may be either en-
graved or written, but must invariably
appear in the lower left hand corner
Unless specific mention is made to
the contrary it is inferred that one
viii be at home" during the entire
day which does not, OF course, include
morning; and ii Is a distinct breach
of etiquette to be out during the call
ing hours 1t is good plan to state
the hours, as: Wednesday, TO and
to II" II sounds rather business
like, but at least 1t leaves no loop
hole for misunderstanding
Most busy women receive only once
in two weeks, their cards being in
scFibed thus; First and third Wednea
days, or Second and fourth Tues
days" For some inexplcable reason
Wednesday seems to be the fayorte
receiving day; hence, if every one
should receive weekly there would be
few left to make calls. To avoid
conflict of days it is not unusual for
women of the same social set TO con.
fer together before completing their
arrangements for the season
Refreshments are not expected at
an informal at home, although some
hostesses have adopted the pleasant
English custom OF having tea and
wafer-thin slices OF bread and butter
and cake served in the drawing room
at O'Clock. whether callers are pres
eut or not As the duration OF an
afternoon call should not exceed ~
minutes it is clear that tea would be
an incident rather than a feature.
Evening calls may be somewhat OK
tended but refreshments are not gen
orally offered.
Women wear ordinary visiting cos
tune when calling informally, and do
not remove their hats, though it IS
permissible to lay aside heavy wraps.
The hostess wears pretty indoor
gown on such occasions, or, i'm the
evening. a simple dinner toilet. 81 IS
contrary TO good form TO appear in
the elaborate costume that would BE
worn as a matter Of course al a formal
function.