The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-12-16
CORRECT
MANNERS
LMrs. COrnelius Beeckmanl
A Courteous Gesture
nEAR MRS REEcKMAN.

n courteous Gesture
NEAR MRS. BEEcKMAN:
~ / was invited to dinner
by people with whom I am not
intimately acquainted. Upon leay.
ing ] extended the usual court.
esy OF thanks. and expect to
make q DINNER call. A friend
claims should have called these
people over the telephone the
next day and thanked them again.
This friend says that "out here"
(neaning California;. they do that
sort Of thing.
90 Also. the same person tells
me that In these busy" tines
anyone may be invited to q for
NAL affair by telephone. Now
do the rules Of etiquette change
in different localities as claimed
by this friend?
A READER.
THESE are very interesting
i questions that you Eend, dear
friend. ~ About thanking for
the hospitality, your friend has a
very delightful and gracious point
OF view, and while she is not at
all justified In maintaining that
1t Is required that a guest do this,
it Is, without doubt, a charming
and appretiative thing to do.
Especially thoughtful people make
this an exquisite rule Of their
social life--this habit of tele-
phoninS the hostess the day af-
ter a party and assuring her
What a charming and happy time
they have had. Or, what II Der
haps better in one way-for the
hostess may be too tired after
the party to enjoy all her guests
.elephoning although most hos.
tesses find this wondrously rest.
full-is to write a little note
of sincere and hearty apprecia.
ton. Such enthusiasm ana kind
ness 'shine like q good deed"
in this bustly world.
IL ! were you / should take
the advice OF your friend and
make 1t fine habit Of thanking
your hostess the day following
her party, either by telephone
or by kindly note. And when
you think BACK on your OWtn
plans for being a hostess you win
remember how much you appre.
ciated this assurance that your
party was q SUGGEST
10 But in this second question
! do not very much agree with
your friends statement. Really
formal affairs practically always
are announced and "bidden to"
by formal invitations. Indeed,
the hosts who invited to 4 formal
affair over the telephone would,
I think. be much criticised. I
am, you understand, talking about
really formal parties, formal din
ners. receptions, . ball, wed,
ding reception.
But for informal parties be-
ginning with ones that are Just
not thoroughly formal and
going to the most informal kind,
invitations by telephone are GER
tainly increasing.
It IL true, too, that forms of
etiquette vary in different COM
munities. Each locality has its
own customs, and anyone moving
to that community must watch
very carefully the differences in
traditions and customs and con-
ventions in that community. What
would be considered in perfectly
good taste in one community II
considered queer" in another
town.
Don't Take Her Arm.
NEAR MRS. BEECKMAN:
~ When q young chap Is es-
corting q girl to or from some
affair at night should he take
her arm or Is that q custom
which. although common, is not
in best form? STUDENT,
IT Is never good form for the
Il gentleman to take the lady's
arm. When the girl needs assist
ance. for instance in crossing q
street as he Is accompanying her,
he offers her his arm.
Some of the oldest wines In