To JAMES CARROLL, DR.
To 10 pounds coffee, @ 30c $3.00
To 20 pounds sugar, @ 5c 1.00
To 2 pounds lard, @ 18c .36
To 1 pound tea, @ 60c .60
—————
$4.96
What and What Not to Say.
Don’t say “I feel good,” for “I feel well.”
Don’t say “these kind,” but “this kind.”
Don’t say “not so good as,” for “not as good as.”
Don’t say “between three,” but “among three.”
Don’t describe an unusual occurrence as “funny,” unless something comic
is meant. Strange, peculiar, unique, odd, are better expressions.
Don’t say a garment “sets good,” but it “fits well.”
Don’t say “had rather,” “had better,” for “would rather,” “would
better.”
Don’t speak of articles of diet as “healthy,” but as “healthful” or
“wholesome.”
Don’t say “fix my gown,” “fix this room,” but “arrange my gown,”
“the room.” The best authorities rarely use fix, except to indicate
stability or permanence. You don’t fix the house, you repair it.
Say money is “plentiful,” not “plenty.”
Say “between you and me.”
Say “If he should live,” “If he should come,” instead of “If he comes,”
“If he live.”
Don’t say “I have saw” for “I have seen.”
Don’t say “dress;” if a lady, say “gown.” The word dress applies to the
entire toilet. Gown, to the one article.
Various Hints on Etiquette.
Enter a room as if you felt yourself entitled to a welcome, but wished
to take no undue advantage of it.
Do not press a favor where you see it will be unwelcome.
Treat all the guests you meet at your friend’s table, for the time
being, as your equals.
A very trifling and yet important thing that every woman should know
is that it is exceedingly inelegant in rising from a chair to raise
herself by pressure on the arms. Unless she is old or infirm she should
rise without assistance.
Do not rush into a friendship with everybody you meet. Friendships so
quickly made are quickly broken.
In another man’s house do not take upon yourself to play the host—not
even at the host’s request.
In making gifts let them be in proportion to your means. A rich man
does not thank a poor man for making him a present which he knows the
giver cannot afford.
Do not claim the acquaintance of a man of rank on the ground that you
once met him at a house to which you had been invited.
Let it be said of you as it was said of Macaulay, that he remembered
everything, “except an injury.”
In making calls, do your best to lighten the infliction to your
hostess. Do not stay long; and do not enter upon a subject of
conversation which may terrify her with the apprehension that you
intend to remain until you have exhausted it.
Do not give another, even if it be a better, version of a story already
told by one of your companions.
The touchstone of good manners is the way in which a man behaves to his
superiors or inferiors.
It is not proper for a gentleman to call upon a lady unless he has
first received permission to do so.
It is not proper for a gentleman to wear his overshoes in the
drawing-room.
[Illustration: HOME DELIGHTS.]
Children or young people should never monopolize the most desirable
positions and most comfortable chairs.
No gentleman will smoke while walking, riding or driving with a lady,
or while speaking to her in the street. Sometimes, at informal summer
resorts, there is a little latitude allowed here.
If a dinner party is given in honor of a lady, it is the host’s place
to go in to dinner first, taking in the lady in whose honor the dinner
is given. Furthermore, it is proper, under some circumstances, for the
hostess to go in to dinner last with the husband of the lady whom the
host is escorting.
It is proper to help all the ladies, including those of the household,
before any gentleman is helped, no matter how distinguished a person he
may be.
First Attentions for Ladies.
When the visitors are gentlemen, and only a mother and daughter are at
the table, the maid ought first to serve the mother, then the daughter
and last the gentlemen. If the mother serves tea at luncheon she helps
the daughter first, and after her the men guests. The rule is always
that a lady takes precedence.
On leaving the table at a public place, such as a restaurant or hotel
dining-room, the lady precedes the gentleman.
Apples are pared, and eaten in small quarters, at dessert. Grapes are
plucked from their stems, and the pulp squeezed out in the mouth,
while the fingers hold the skins, which are laid at one side of the
plate. Bananas are peeled, cut in thin slices, and eaten with a fork.
Peaches are eaten after paring, with a silver knife and fork. Oranges
are skinned by cutting in quarters, or left whole, and the sections are
then pulled apart, and eaten, rejecting the seeds into the hand.
Celery is usually dipped into the salt-cellar, and eaten from the
stalk, or it can be cut on the plate, in small bits, and eaten with a
fork. When dining at a hotel you can partake of the side dishes on the
same plate that meat and potato have been served, or ask the waiter to
change your plate, as you prefer.
When fried eggs are used for a breakfast dish, they are put upon your
plate, from the side dish; but in many homes, eggs are baked in small
dishes, each person being served with a dish, which should be well
buttered before putting in the egg to be cooked.
It does not matter upon which side of her escort a lady sits at table.
The gentleman will draw out a chair for the lady, if a waiter is not in
attendance to do it, and take the next seat himself.
When passing your plate to be helped a second time, lay the knife and
fork at the left-hand side.
Do not, if talking to a friend, drop all conversation so soon as a
child requires attention, or has some childish remark to make.
When in parlor, or drawing-room, if a woman, standing, hands a cup, a
book, a flower, or any article to a man who is seated, he should rise
to receive it. This rule is without exception.
Minor Usages of the Best Society.
When a man offers a lady any civility, a stranger or an acquaintance,
opens a door, hands her a parcel she has dropped, or offers her a seat,
he should lift his hat at the same moment.
If a young lady accepts the escort of a gentleman to an entertainment,
she should never accompany him, at its close, to a restaurant for
refreshments unless she is chaperoned by a lady much older than herself.
“Good-evening” is a proper salutation upon entering a room for a call.
“Good-night” upon retiring at its close.
A man on horseback, who sees a lady wishes to stop him, will dismount
and walk by her side, leading his horse, for there are few occasions on
which it is permissible to stand talking on the street.
A lady may permit a man walking with her to carry any small parcel that
she has, but never more than one.
A lady wishing to avoid bowing to an undesirable acquaintance, must
look aside, or drop the eyes, for if the eyes meet a bow is absolutely
necessary.
If a lady asks a man to accompany her to a place of amusement, she must
provide the conveyance.
If a lady invites a man to drive with her, he should walk to her house,
unless the distance is too great, when she should offer to call for
him. If this is the case, he should watch, and, if possible, meet her
on the way.
Do not refuse to accept an apology; even if friendship is not restored,
an open quarrel will be averted.
Do not be familiar with a new acquaintance. One can be courteous
without familiarity.
Breaches of Etiquette.
It is a breach of etiquette to remove the gloves when making a formal
call.
It is a breach of etiquette to stare around the room.
It is a breach of etiquette for a caller who is waiting the entrance of
the hostess to open the piano or touch it if it is open.
It is a breach of etiquette to go to the room of an invalid unless
invited.
It is a breach of etiquette to look at your watch when calling.
It is a breach of etiquette to walk around the room when waiting for
the hostess.
It is a breach of etiquette for the caller to open or shut a door,
raise or lower a window curtain, or in any other way alter the
arrangement of a room.
It is a breach of etiquette to turn your chair so as to bring your back
to some one near you.
It is a breach of etiquette when making a call to play with any
ornament in the room, or to seem to be aware of anything but the
company present.
It is a breach of etiquette to remain when you find the host or hostess
dressed to go out.
It is a breach of etiquette during a call to draw near the fire to warm
your hands or feet, unless you are invited by the mistress of the house
to do so.
It is a breach of etiquette to make remarks upon a caller who has just
left the room, whether by the hostess or visitors.
It is a breach of etiquette and a positive unkindness to call upon a
friend who is in reduced circumstances with any parade of wealth in
equipage or dress.
It is a breach of etiquette for the hostess to leave the room when
visitors are present.
It is a breach of etiquette to assume any ungraceful or uncouth
position, such as standing with the arms akimbo, sitting astride a
chair, smoking in the presence of ladies, wearing your hat, leaning
back in the chair, standing with legs crossed or feet on the chairs,
leaning forward in the chair with elbows on the knees. All these acts
stamp you as ill-bred and unpolished.
[Illustration: Decoration]