AFTERNOON AT HOMES. The days for receiving
are engraved in the lower left hand
corner of the card, with hours specified if one
wishes.
No changes should be made in these hours
by the hostess unless for exceptional reasons,
and she should always be present at the
time set.
Unless very intimate, the call should be
made only on the specified days.
BACHELORS. It is not customary for a bachelor
to use "At Home" cards as a woman does,
nor to invite his friends by writing a date
and Music at four on his calling-cards in
place of an invitation.
DRESS. In the afternoon the caller should wear
afternoon dress, and in the evening evening
dress.
ACKNOWLEDGING INVITATIONS. Invitations to
an ordinary at home need no acknowledgment.
INVITATIONS. Cards for an "At Home" are engraved
with the hour for beginning the
entertainment--as, Chocolate at 4.30 o'clock.
The invitations to a formal "At Home"
should be sent in two envelopes, but to an
ordinary "At Home" in one envelope. For
informal affairs the hour may be written on
an ordinary "At Home" card.
BACHELORS' DINNERS. They follow the usual custom
of formal dinners, and may be as elaborate as
desired. Women may be invited. Such
dinners are often given for men only.
CALLS. Women do not call upon a bachelor
after attending a dinner given by him.
CHAPERONE. If women are present, a married
woman as chaperone is indispensable, and
her husband must also be invited. The host
should call upon the chaperone and personally
request the favor.
The chaperone is taken into dinner by the
host, unless the latter takes in the woman in
whose honor the dinner may be given. In
the latter case, the chaperone is seated at the
host's left. She gives the signal for the
women to leave the dining-room.
All guests should be introduced to the
chaperone, and she should be called upon
after a short time by the host.
DRESS. All guests wear evening dress.
HOST. The host should call upon the chaperone
within a few days after the dinner.
If men only are present, he either precedes
or follows the guests into the dining-room,
and if he has given the dinner in honor of
some man, he has the latter seated at his
right. His duties are the same as the host
at dinners.
INVITATIONS. These are usually given in brief
notes, but may be engraved, and are similar
to the regular invitations to dinners, and are
treated accordingly.
MEN. The men wear evening dress, and follow
the same etiquette as at other dinners.
WOMEN. The women wear evening dress, and
follow the same etiquette as at all dinners,
except that no calls are made by them afterward
upon the host.
BACHELOR'S FAREWELL DINNER. If the groom wishes,
he may give a farewell dinner a few evenings
before the wedding to his best man, ushers,
and a few intimate friends. He sits at the
head of the table and the best man opposite,
and on this occasion he may give scarf-pins,
link cuff-buttons--or neckties and gloves, if
he wishes--to the best man and ushers.
BACHELORS' LUNCHEONS. These are conducted like
BACHELOR'S DINNERS, which see. The one difference
is that, should the luncheon be given
before 6 P.M., afternoon dress should be worn.
BACHELORS' OPERA PARTIES. See THEATRE AND OPERA
PARTIES GIVEN BY MEN.
BACHELORS' SUPPERS. These are conducted the same
as BACHELOR'S DINNERS, which see.