The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-04-26
Believes Jazz n tote Is Discord in Loves Symphony
Etiquette
Three Cards
Are Proper
ByMRs.CORNELIUs BEECKMAN

RS.CORNELlUS BEECAMAN
Dear Mrs. Beeckman:
Because l have been a very
busy business woman and have not
paid much attention to formal So
cial rules, / am now in a guam
Diary and come to you for help. A
few days ago a lady called and
upon leaving my home, she left
three cards. two of her hus-
bands and one Of her own.
II must add that my husband
and have only just come to this
city to live. Please tell me how
soon social calls should be re.
turned. Also please tell me the
social rules concerning calling
cards. GA"
This new friend did just the
proper thing about leaving cards.
The rule is that a married woman
leaves one card Of her own for
each lady of the household. and
one of her husbands cards for
each lady and gentleman.
So her card was to pay her re-
Spects" to you, one of her hus-
bands cards was for you, and one
of his cards was for your huS-
band. 1t is very important that
you return this and all other calls
from your new neighbors just as
soon as you can. within a week if
possible.
When you return this call, for
instance, you also leave one Of
your cards and two of your hus-
bands. If, in this household there
are, for instance, grown daugh-
ter and an aunt who live with
the family, you might leave three
of your cards; one for the mother,
one for the daughter, and one for
the aunt. And three of your hus-
bands.
Or, if you do not wish to abide
by this strict formality Git is not
necessary to, nowadays), you may
leave one of your cards for the
ladies of the house, and two Of
your husbands, one for the ladies,
and one for the host. This is the
usual custom now. 1t is not custo-
mary to leave more than three
of any one card.
1t is polite, too, for you to leave
cards after you have been a guest
at dinner or luncheon for the first
time. And when there has been
death in a friends family, you
leave cards at once at this home
:. with deep sympathy" written
on it, if you wish.
Cards should also be left at the
home of a new mother, and at the
home Of a bride, and at the home
of one who is i'll.
When you call on a friend who
is another lady's house guest, you
leave two cards, one for your friend
and one for the hostess. And, if
there are other ladies in the house
hold, you leave card for them.
Let's say that someone arrives
in your city with a letter Of in
PRODUCTION from a mutual friend.
She sends you the letter of intro
duction. AS soon as possible you
leave your card for the new ar
rival, and on it Cor in a separate
note) write her an invitation to
tea, or to luncheon, or to dinner.
Cards, too, are enclosed with
flowers and gifts that we send;
with wedding presents; with fu.
neral flowers. You may also use
your cards for invitations to tea,
to bridge, to a cocktail party, to a
shower, to a musicale. They are
convenient to send, too, when we
wish to notify friends of change
Of address.
Keep in mind that when you
write a message on a card, the
card becomes a note, and there
fore the form of name should be
changed from formal to informal.
Therefore, a man draws a line
through the "Mr." on his card;
an unmarried woman crosses off
the Miss" and a married wom-
an diets say her card reads Mrs.
william Brown, crosses off the
Mrs. William" and writes Mary
or Mary Smith above the Mrs. Will
liam.
Joint cards (Mr. and Mrs. cards.
are very useful to have, to send
with wedding presents, with fu-
neral flowers, for invitations to
a housewarming, and for all other
occasions when both husband and
wife make the social bow to-
gether.