The mistress who can conduct her domestic menage with two servants only is usually better served and with less friction than where more are employed.  Rarely can three servants get on harmoniously.  The more servants there are, unless there is a housekeeper, the more shirking there is, and the more waste and extravagance.

SUMMARY.

Remember—­

That, in introducing people the man must always be introduced to the woman.

That the younger woman, the unmarried, the less socially prominent, are introduced to the older, the married and the more renowned..

That to pronounce names distinctly avoids much awkwardness to those introduced.

A casual meeting on the street does not necessitate an introduction.

Never present yourself with a letter of introduction.  Leave it at the door.

That a card represents a visit, and that leaving your name in this way makes your friend your debtor.

That after dinners, luncheons, theatre and card parties a call is required, whether the invitation is accepted or not.

An invitation to a wedding must be acknowledged by sending cards to those in whose name the invitation was issued, and may, if she so pleases, call on the bride on her return from her wedding journey.

One should send announcement cards rather than invitations to those with whom acquaintance is slight.

An invitation to afternoon tea does not require reply.  Leave cards if present.

The etiquette of calling on an “at home” day does not differ from that of an ordinary call, save that some light refreshment is offered, as a rule.

That the bachelor and the widower should respond to every invitation whether accepted or declined, by calling and leaving cards, whereas the married man’s wife may leave his cards with her own.  Men ignore this rule a great deal, however.

[Manners and social customs 783]

Cards must be engraved, never written or printed.

That a married woman uses her husband’s full name on her cards; that a man’s name always has the prefix Mr., and an unmarried woman’s or young girl’s that of Miss, and that “pet” names are not “good form” on cards.

The extreme limit of a call is twenty minutes, and the first caller to arrive should be the first to depart.

That you should not prolong your leave-taking.

That the lady invites the man to call, and being thus complimented he should soon avail himself of the permission.

It is the mother’s place to invite young men to call, not the daughter’s, though she may say “My mother would be pleased to have you call on us,” The mother must then meet and assist, for a time at least, in entertaining him.

A first call must always be returned.  Afterwards the acquaintance need not be continued.