Very often the chaperon “keeps the house,” but she is never called a “housekeeper.”  Nor is she a “secretary” though she probably draws the checks and audits the bills.

It is by no means unusual for mothers who are either very gay or otherwise busy, and cannot give most of their time to their grown and growing daughters, to put them in charge of a resident chaperon.  Often their governess—­if she is a woman of the world—­gives up her autocracy of the schoolroom and becomes social guardian instead.

=THE DUTIES OF A CHAPERON=

It is unnecessary to say that a chaperon has no right to be inquisitive or interfering unless for a very good reason.  If an objectionable person—­meaning one who can not be considered a gentleman—­is inclined to show the young girl attentions, it is of course her duty to cut the acquaintance short at the beginning before the young girl’s interest has become aroused.  For just such a contingency as this it is of vital importance that confidence and sympathy exist between the chaperon and her charge.  No modern young girl is likely to obey blindly unless she values the opinions of one in whose judgment and affection she has learned to believe.

WHEN INVITATIONS ARE SENT OUT BY A CHAPERON

Usually if a young girl is an orphan, living with a chaperon, a ball or formal party would be given in the name of an aunt or other near relative.  If her father is alive, the invitations go out in his name of course, and he receives with her.  But if it should happen that she has no near family at all, or if her chaperon is her social sponsor, the chaperon’s name can be put on invitations.  For example: 

Miss Abigail Titherington

Miss Rosalie Gray

will be at home

on Saturday the fifth of December

from four until six o’clock

The Fitz-Cherry

Rosalie has no very near relatives and Miss Titherington has brought her up.

In sending out the invitations for a dinner (a young girl would not be giving a formal dinner) Rosalie telephones her friends “Will you dine with me (or us) next Monday?” or, “On the sixteenth?” It is not necessary to mention Miss Titherington because it is taken for granted that she will be present.

It is also not considered proper for a young girl ever to be alone as hostess.  When she invites young girls and men to her house, Miss Titherington either “receives” them or comes into the room while they are there.  If the time is afternoon, very likely she pours tea and when everyone has been helped, she goes into another room.  She does not stay with them ever, but she is never very far away.

The chaperon (or a parent) should never go to bed until the last young man has left the house.  It is an unforgivable breach of decorum to allow a young girl to sit up late at night with a young man—­or a number of them.  On returning home from a party, she must not invite or allow a man to “come in for a while.”  Even her fiance must bid her good night at the door if the hour is late, and some one ought always to sit up, or get up, to let her in.  No young girl ought to let herself in with a latch-key.