SOCIAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2120, 11 October 1894, Page 47

SOCIAL TOPICS.

BY OIGAEETTB.

THE ETIQUETTE OF CARD. LEAVING.

To the majority of people the most puzzling questions of etiquette are those which concern card leaving; therefore it has occurred to me that a few hints on the subject will not be taken amiss. To begin with, then, let me tell you It is bad taste to have an ornamental visiting card ; flourishes, German text, or embellishments of any kind are not permissible.

The name should be printed in small, dear, copper-plate type on a thin, anglazed card ; the address in the left-hand corner.

it is considered old-fashfened now fS' husbands and wives to have their namejj printed on the same card. They should have separate cards of their own. Christian names should not be printed on cards except when there are elder brother! living. Forlnstance, a lady whose husband* father or brother was Jiving would have her husband s Christian name on her card—" Mri Charles Brown " Instead of Mrs Brown ; the same rule applies to gentlemen. It is a good plan for people who have a large olrole of acquaintances to keep a book in which to enter their visitors' names witK the dates of calls made and returned. The master of a house has little or no oaU•ing to do, as'this duty devolves on his wHS. A married lady leaves her husband's oattt always-one for the lady of the housl Young ladles should not have vlri«».«asissss; alßot iadies wh ° «** JE? Kr?H" afeß «"* taken ontbyfriendi should be written in pencil beneath the names of the ladies wfio are ohaperontej SSSajJS hMfathM - *^3 ££££ 7 i£f P u arents * and wißheß to <»" on friends with whom the lady she ig stayinfe with w unacquainted, she should leave he? alto printed, and should draw a pencil ™I™Z °J% c *Jj. er 1 wonld be Permissible would be wken the lady and gentleman were staying at a crowded hotel, and to save Confusion "For Mr and Mrs Smith" might be written on the cards. This of course is an exceptional case; otherwise it would bee*ceedingly vulgar. «rSS? S° U i d - b ? lef fc af ter baUs ' reception*, private theatricals, amateur concerts, and di v 11™ b7b 7 thoie who a*™ been invited, whether they have accepted the invitation or not and within a week of the entertainment* It Is not necessary to inquire whether the hostess Is at home except after a dinner, which puts the guest upon a footing ot greater intimacy than the fact of being present at a larger gathering, and the " rules of etiquette," to quote from a good authority on the subject, "though stringent as regards acquaintances, have little or no application as regards intimate friends; friendship overrules etiquette." Cards to inquire after friends during their illness should be left in person, and should not be gent by post. "To Inquire after Mrs ' should be written on the visiting card above the printed name. When the person inquired after is well enough to reiurn thanks the usual visiting card, "With many thanks for kind Inquiries" written on it, should be left in person upon all who inquired. P.P.O. cards signify pour pretidre conga and should be left in person, or sent by a servant or by post a week or ten days before departure. The letters P.P.O. are written at the lower corner of the visiting card, and may be put when the absence is of two months or more. These cards render farewells unnecessary. When a lady makes a strictly business oalr* upon either a lady or gentleman, she should give her card to the servant to be taken to the master or mistress, but on no other occasion should she do so. Gentlemen's visiting cards should be thin, not glazed, the usual narrow width, with the name printed in the centre — "Mr Jones," or "Mr Frank Jones " should an elder brother be living. It is bad taste to have the Christian name printed as •' Frank Jones " without the prefix of Mr. Initials showing honorary rank should never be printed or written on a card — such as D.L., Q 0., M.D., M.P., X.0.8., &c. • Military or professional titles ' always appear before the surname on the card, suoh as "Colonel Smith," "Captain. Smith," "Reverend H. Smith," "Dr Smith," &c " The Honorable " is the only title not used on a visiting card. The Hon. Henry Smith's card would simply be printed "Mr Henry Smith." A gentleman, if a member of a club, would have the name of the club printed on the card. Officers usually have the nati© of the club .in the lef t-hand corner of their card, and the regiment to which they belong in the right. Bachelors as a rule have so little leisure at their command during afternoon hours that they are excused from card leaving. Those, however, who wish to cultivate acquaintances should follow the rules for catd leaving. A gentleman should leave one card for the mistress of the house and one for the master. He should not leave cards for the daughters of the house or any young lady who may ha staying there. He should leave cards on the host and hostess after any entertainment ta> which he has been invited whether he accepts it or not. Great latitude is allowed as regards time, but the sooner the cards are left the greater the politeness shown. Memorial cards are out of date, and should not be sent to either relatives or friends. Wedding cards are also out of date, and only sent by people who adhere to old* fashioned customs.