PRACTICAL ETIQUETTE
BY N. C.
_TWENTIETH THOUSAND_
_Entirely Re-written and
Enlarged_
CHICAGO
A. FLANAGAN.
COPYRIGHT,
1899,
BY A. FLANAGAN
PREFACE.
The very extensive sale of Practical Etiquette, a sale that has
required the issuance of a large number of editions of the little
manual, has been very gratifying to its author, as was also the
commission of its publisher to re-write and enlarge the work. This
commission, however, brought with it a keen sense of responsibility,
for the author feels that a new work on etiquette can find a _raison
d’être_ only in a fairly successful attempt at answering practically
every question that can arise concerning social relations, at least
in ordinary social life. But to speak with authority on all matters
of “good form” is to speak dogmatically, and so to speak is in itself
not good form. Nevertheless, and in spite of this dilemma, the author
has attempted herein to decide, when compelled to do so, between
conflicting opinions in mere matters of social custom, and has given
as authority the opinion that seemed to her to conform most nearly
to common sense, embodying such opinion in an unqualified statement
without citing authority. Fortunately, social customs are now so nearly
uniform in all parts of the country, that one familiar with the ways of
good society in the West or in the North, is at home in good society in
the East or in the South.
The author is under obligation to so many persons for suggestions and
advice, as well as to many authors, that it does not seem best to give
a list of the same, especially as such list could be only a partial
one, for many of her friends would not desire mention of their names.
N. C.
_Dec. 1, 1899._
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTIONS 7
CALLS 9
CARDS 15
VISITING 20