The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-07
HAPPENING OF
 AN EARLY LENT Tea Table Topics of Femi-
 nine Interest THE DAYS EVENTS
Tango Tea at the Country Club Has an Interesting PersOnnel-Atlanta's
 Plans for Entertainment of Suf- fragists Executed by Society

We were talking of the social ameni- ties-of tact and those forms of courtesy that have tendency to win friends, and a member of the party related an incident that occurred at recent large club entertainment. It may be said, in passing, that people have a way of dis cussing these abstract topics more at length how that Lent is giving a bit more time for reflection. But to return to the incident; the speaker was a young matron of more or less quiet and re- tiring demeanor, though, many say, a fascinating personality. She is one of those exquisitey bred persons whom our mothers used to pronounce in their stately way 'to the manner born.' and she is also the daughter of an Alabama congressman, long since dead, but re- membered in the states historic annals, and of a mother whose return to her native Alabama home is always marked by a succession of distinguished enter tainments, her connection with the Colo nial Danes and the Daughters of the American Revolution being incidental matters in occasioning her social promi- hence. But the incident was related al- together in a humorous vein-as one of the amusing and really pleasant features of an altogether happy entertainment. And it was this. Pausng for a moment near the door of the club ballroom, she was inspected by very pretty lady who has been exceedingly popular since coming to Birmingham a few years ago. who turned to her companion and re- marked in quite an audible tone: "Posi- lively 1 am growing tired of the club; one sees so many new people''
 This may not have been intended as a social snub it became one only through the speakers careless vocalization. But 1t served to continue the discussion of those little indications of kindness or it's reverse, those subtleties of intercourse for which no book of etiquette furnishes enlightenment to the social novice. Some one else quoted a saying that tact is a sixth sense, compounded of good will. social wisdom and self-possession. And it was further suggested that Chaucef recognized this fact more than 500 years ago when he described a gentleman as one whose conduct is gentle.
 
 Probably the worst social offenders are the men and women who deftly employ the forms of social courtesy to wound. They are the offensely well hammered persons who like to display their supe- Tior savoir faire against the background presented by the awkwardness of the in- experienced. They are those who know how to remind the newly arrived climb er,' no matter how harmless, of the lower levels left behind; who take joy in putting other persons where they belong by means of words or phrases associated with the social amenities These people enjoy the sense of power implied in the ability to wound
 The persons whose tact has the right proportion of good will fits his manner to the society in which lie finds him self. He will not seek to shine by con trast with those socially less fortunate nor will he discuss the relative merits of his several motor cars in the com pany of persons who habitually go afoot It is a truism that there is no more deli cate test of breeding than the ability to descend from our modest elevations with out condescending.