Social Life Part 14

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mr. and Mrs. John Clay and Party._

_Mrs. Waite Talcott,_

_At Home,_

_Tuesday, August fifth, at four o'clock._

_"The Oaks."_

_Garden Party._

_R.S.V.P._

_Carriages will meet the 3.40 train from Union Depot._]

This clause to be added only when the party is to be given at some distance from the station. If preferred, these directions may be written on a separate small card and enclosed in the same envelope.

In this country we are not so accustomed to giving garden parties as people are in England, but a garden party may easily be made one of the most inviting and enjoyable of any.

Breakfasts, Luncheons and Suppers.

Breakfast invitations may be engraved or written upon a lady's visiting card, thus:

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mrs. George Norton._

_Breakfast, Wednesday, at ten o'clock._

_24 Euclid Avenue._]

A written invitation is usually in the first person, and should read somewhat as follows:

DEAR MRS. GRACIE:

I should be pleased to have the company of you and your husband at breakfast with us, Wednesday morning at ten o'clock.

Cordially yours,

GERTRUDE HORTON.

MRS. GEORGE HORTON.

The invitations should be sent out a week or five days in advance, and should be answered at once.

Luncheons, in this country, are very apt to possess much of the formality of a dinner, and are written or engraved, according to the degree of stateliness that is to mark the occasion. Very formal invitations are sent out ten days or two weeks in advance, and are couched in precisely the same terms as a dinner invitation, save that the word "Luncheon" is subst.i.tuted for "Dinner." Written invitations, also, follow the same plan as those written for dinners, and are not usually issued more than a week or five days in advance. Some ladies use their visiting card, thus: MRS. FRANK E. WENTWORTH. Luncheon, Wednesday, at one o'clock.

A later hour, say two o'clock, is usually adopted for a more formal affair. Replies should be sent at once that the hostess may be enabled to make up her table.

Teas and "Kettledrums."

Teas and "Kettledrums," High Tea and Afternoon Receptions, have come to bear a strong resemblance one to another, in fact to infringe so much upon the same territory that it is very difficult at times to distinguish between them sufficiently to apply the appropriate name. A simple affair is announced thus by those ladies who have a regular reception day: MRS. JOHN ST. JOHN. Thursdays. Tea at five o'clock. 40 West 49th Street.

Or: MRS. JOHN ST. JOHN. Five o'clock tea. Thursday, February fifth. 40 West 49th Street.

The words "kettledrum" or "afternoon tea" are not to be used, and these cards may be sent by mail, enclosed in a single envelope. They require no answer. Where the lady has not a regular reception day and wishes to give an afternoon tea, an engraved card, like the following, is usually sent out: MRS. ARTHUR MERRILL. MISS MERRILL. Monday, February third, from four to seven o'clock. 274 Chestnut Street.

In case of the hostess having no one to receive with her, her name would appear alone upon the card. The name of any friend may take the place of a daughter's. Such an entertainment partakes more of the nature of an afternoon reception, or high tea. It may be adapted also to other occasions, such as the introduction to one's friends of a guest who is to make a prolonged stay, as for instance: MRS. ARTHUR MERRILL, At Home, Monday, December seventh, from one until seven o'clock. To meet MRS. FRANCES ELMER. 55 Vine Street.

Invitations like this and the one just above are to be enclosed in two envelopes, same as for dinners and sent out ten days or two weeks in advance.

Kaffee Klatsch.

This furnishes very much the same cla.s.s of entertainment that is to be found at an afternoon tea, save that coffee is the predominating beverage. The invitation is precisely the same as for teas, simply subst.i.tuting the words "Kaffee Klatsch."

Suppers.

For the evening supper, invitations are issued in some one of the forms presented for dinner parties, subst.i.tuting the word "Supper."

Answers should be returned at once.

Coming-out Parties.

These special festivities may take almost any form, so that the presentation of the blus.h.i.+ng _debutante_ may be at a dinner, ball, reception, evening party or afternoon tea; which latter custom has become very frequent of late. So much is this the case that it is somewhat to be reprehended as rendering afternoon teas too ceremonious in character. There is this in its favor, however; it relieves young girls from the strain incident upon a large party or ball. In some cases, the invitations preserve their usual form (whatever that may be) and the card of the _debutante_ is enclosed in the same envelope.

Even this distinction is sometimes wanting. Again, in the case of "At Homes" and "Teas," the name of the young lady is engraved beneath that of her mother; if it is the eldest daughter, the form would be: MRS.

ARTHUR HOLT. MISS HOLT.

A younger daughter, under the same circ.u.mstances, would pose as: MISS EDITH MAY HOLT.

Such cards do not need a reply, but the guest will remember to leave cards in the hall for the _debutante_ as well as her mother or _chaperon_. It may be said here that, should it for any reason occur that the young lady is "brought out" under the wing of some friend instead of under her mother's care, the relative position their names will occupy on the cards is precisely the same, as: MRS. D.G.

HAVILAND. MISS HOLT.

A more formal presentation would be in the style of an engraved note sheet:

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mrs. Arthur Holt_

_Requests the pleasure of introducing her daughter,_

_Edith May,_