The Washington herald., 1911-08-13
BY Unduly Prolonging q
Call !
WITH TEDIOUS LEAvE-TAKING
Charm of n Graceful Exit Is Hnd
by Leaving Gracefully and Di-
y Arriyes-It Is a Great and Rare
y Feat of Accomplishment.
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.

A great many people, men and women,
know how to enter q room gracefully
and how to make themselves welcome
and admired by their hosts
Very few people know how to make a
gretful when they are gone.
There is nothing more tedious and
wearing than the caller or visitor who
requires a long half hour between the
first moment he says he must really go
and the moment when the door finally
closes upon his back.
This applies more to women than to
men, for men. as a rule, have been
trained in business methods, which teach
them to be more expeditions in all their
proceedings, or when they have not been
so trained they have been taught the
social customs which include leave
taking of their entertainers.
ThoughtIess Guest Will Stand in
Doorway.
Did you ever see tired hostess rise to
say au revoir to her last of many guests,
and grow pale and wan while the
thoughtless guest stood in the hall or
doorway and introduced new topic after
topic, or related stories to her victim?
There are numberless people who do
these things and who have no idea that
they are breaking any law of good
manners, or any law of kindness, so
absorbed are they in their own CONVEX
sation
Teach your children to leave a room
quietly and directly after the proper
moment arrives for the leave taking.
The polite request OF the hostess for
a longer call should be met with a
courteous expression of regret that
other engagements make it necessary
to go now
When there is a real and earnest de-
sire on the part of the host for the
caller to remain it will be made en-
phatic and unmistakable. but only
when it is made most impressive should
there by a yielding to the invitation.
Make Courteous Exit.
1t is far better to leave the friend
hungry for another visit than so sated
that the thought of a repetition of the
call brings nausea.
After the conversation begins to lag
during a call the visitor should realize
that it is time to go.
The exit should not be abrupt or hur
ried, but it should be done in grace
Iul, eXpeOltlOuS manner, Win nO luIH
ing back or dallying after the adieus
have been spoken.
A hostess should not be made to
stand while the caller adjusts gloves or
hat or veil.
These matters should be attended to
before the visitor announces the moment
of departure, or outside the room after
the door has closed.
Learn how to leave a room gracefully
and with directness.
1t is a great accomplishment.
And if you attend a large function,
where there are scores of guests, leave
your farewell and thanks for your host
ess, and write her a note the next day,
hut spare her the strain of shaking your
hand and saying good night to you. The
custom of French leave" should be
everywhere adopted, and the custom of
the Orient of shaking your own hand in
place of that of your host is admirable.
Urges Oriental Mode.
Would that it could become universal
here. The two hands clasped and lifted
to the brow form a much more impress
sive salute than the slovenly or harsh
manner of grasping the hand of another
which is in vogue among us.
Let US all adopt it in casual introduc-
tions or in meeting and parting from
our acquaintances, and let US keep the
clasping of hands for lovers and very
near friends long parted.