The rules in regard to titles are simple and brief.
A woman's name should never appear on a visiting-card without either
"Mrs." or "Miss" prefixed. The exception would be in the case of women
who have regularly graduated in theology or medicine. Such are
entitled, like their brothers, to prefix "Rev." or "Dr." to their names.
A married woman's card is engraved with her husband's name, with the
prefix "Mrs." No matter how "titled" the husband may be, his _titles_
do not appear on his wife's visiting-card. The wife of the President
is not "Mrs. President Harrison," but "Mrs. Benjamin Harrison." She is
the wife of the _man_, not the wife of his _office_ or his _rank_.
A widow may, if she prefers, retain the card engraved during her
husband's lifetime, unless by so doing she confuses her identity with
that of some other "Mrs. John Brown," whose husband is still living.
It is more strictly correct for a widow to resume her own given name,
and to have her card engraved "Mrs. Mary Brown," or, if she chooses to
indicate her own patronymic, "Mrs. Mary Dexter Brown."
An unmarried woman's card is engraved with her full name, or the
initials of given names, as she prefers, but always with the prefix
"Miss" (unless one of the professional titles referred to takes its
place).
The address may be engraved or written in the lower right corner.
If a society woman has a particular day for receiving calls, that fact
is announced in the lower left corner. If this is engraved, it is
understood to be a fixed custom; if written, it may be a transient
arrangement. If a weekly "at home" day is observed, the name of the
day is engraved, as "Tuesdays." This means that during "calling hours"
on _any_ Tuesday the hostess will be found at home. If hours are
limited, that is also indicated, as "from 4 to 6." Further limitations
may be specified, as "Tuesdays in February," "Tuesdays until Lent,"
"Tuesdays after October," etc. Any definite idea of time may be given
to meet the facts, the wording being made as terse as possible. If the
regular "at home" day is Tuesday (unlimited), and the card is so
engraved, any of the special limitations may be penciled in to meet
special conditions. Sometimes an informal invitation is thus conveyed;
as, by the addition, "Tea, 4 to 6," etc.
_Other penciling_.--Cards left or sent, before leaving town, have "_P.
p. c._"--(_Pour prendre conge_)--penciled in the lower left corner.
A holiday, a birthday, a wedding anniversary, or other event in a
friend's life may be remembered by sending a card, upon which is
penciled "Greeting," "Congratulations," "Best wishes," or some similar
expression. Such cards may be sent alone, or may accompany gifts.
Any brief message may be penciled on a woman's card, provided the
message is sufficiently personal to partake of the nature of a social
courtesy. But the card message should not be sent when courtesy
requires the more explicit and respectful form of a _note_.