Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-12-27
ENGLISH PEOPLE MAKE
EVERY MINUTE COUNT
War is Now Speeding Up the Social
Life OF Our Cousins and Allies
Across the Seas
YOUR MUST BE PROMPT
Mother Who Was Forced to Wait for
Son on Return From Front Was
Displeased With His Tar
diness
Reciprocal News Service
By Margaret Walter

LONDON, Dec. 21. (By NALL -
More than the change in her dress,
more than her new war occupations
and the revolution in household man.
agement which the English woman Of
the period has accomplished, is the
change in her manners and the little
personal habits which have always
so distinguished her.
In this particular the women have
gone ahead Of the men. It is still
quite. customary for one man in telling
another about a third to mention his
family, his friends, his school and his
connections. 1t amused an American
very much the other day to be told
that he was given preference in Sc
curing a very desirable apartment
because he happened to mention that
cousin Of his was in the same regi-
ment as the son Of the landlord.
But the women have done away
with many customs Of pre-war days.
The Hon. Mrs. Astor as a political
meeting the other day in a smart
drawing room in Park Lane used her
privilege as chairman to denounce the
| silly custom Of introduetions and votes
Of thanks and was as good as her
word. She simply announced the
name of the speaker, famous char
acter who needed no introduction, and
then left the platform altogether.
At one Of the smartest houses in
Mayfair where weekly receptions are
held to entertain visiting American
officers, visitors are asked to write
their names in a guest book, a plain
paper covered blank file, thus doing
away with the expensive and useless
consumption of engraved cardboard
In sending visiting American to
a well known woman who is in charge
of a big national movement a friend
merely said: "0h, just tell Louise
what you want to do Anybody who
has a real idea doesn't need any sort
Of introduction nowadays" And
this remark proved absolutely true.
One is sent from woman to woman
with no more than a word of
introduction, the endless circulation Of
notes and invitations has vanished
and appointments are made over the
telephone as in America.
Another custom which is rather
staggering to an American woman is
the universal punctuality. If you are
asked to dine, to lunch, to tea, at a
certain hour, you are expected to ar
rive on the stroke, and if you are not
there the meal goes on as if you were
not coming. 1t is better to stop away
than to be late. A late arrival at one
lunch, in house where all the men,
bers work and the cook does part time
at station canteen, found her place
at the table removed and no food
saved.
A young man who kept his fianeee
waiting at a rendezvous had his err
gagement broken off with the care
less excuse that if he was going to do
that sort of thing the lady would rath-
er remain as she was, free to lead her
own life.
II have time to go to tea with you,
between my hospital work and my
splint-packing, but have no time to
wait doing nothing" said mother
who found that her young son, just
returned from the front, was rather
slow in meeting her at the tea shop.
Perhaps the necessity for making
every minute count may explain the
new custom of combining all sorts OF
departments. In one of the sTnartest
dress-makers' in Bond Street arrange
ments can be made to furnish and dec
crate houses at the same time that
gowns are fitted, and two world fa-
nous modistes are now undertaking to
provide designs for rooms as well as
hats and dresses.