The bachelor's invitations are the same as those sent out by a hostess.
There is absolutely no difference. His butler or waitress telephones "Will
Mr. and Mrs. Norman dine with Mr. Bachelor on Wednesday?" Or he writes a
note or uses the engraved dinner card. In giving an informal dance it is
quite correct, according to New York fashion, for him to write on his
visiting card:
[HW: Monday Jan.^y 3^rd
At 10 o'clock]
Mr. Frederick Bachelor
[HW: Small Dance] 2 Pormanto Place
Or an artist sends his card with his studio address and
[HW: Saturday April 7.
at 4 o'ck]
=MR. ANTHONY DAUBER=
[HW: To hear Tonini Play] Park Studio
No invitation of a gentleman mentions that there will be a chaperon
because that is taken for granted. No gentleman invites ladies of position
to a party unless one or many chaperons are to be present.
A very young girl never goes even to an unmarried doctor's or a
clergyman's (unless the latter is very elderly) without a chaperon, who in
this instance may be a semi-elderly maid.
A lady having her portrait painted always takes a woman friend, or her
maid, who sits in the studio, or at least within sight or hearing.
CHAPTER XX
ENGAGEMENTS
=COURTSHIP=
So long as Romance exists and Lochinvar remains young manhood's ideal,
love at first sight and marriage in a week is within the boundaries of
possibility. But usually (and certainly more wisely) a young man is for
some time attentive to a young woman before dreaming of marriage. Thus not
only have her parents plenty of time to find out what manner of man he is,
and either accept or take means to prevent a serious situation; but the
modern young woman herself is not likely to be "carried away" by the
personality of anyone whose character and temperament she does not pretty
thoroughly understand and weigh.
In nothing does the present time more greatly differ from the close of the
last century, than in the unreserved frankness of young women and men
towards each other. Those who speak of the domination of sex in this day
are either too young to remember, or else have not stopped to consider,
that mystery played a far greater and more dangerous rôle when sex, like a
woman's ankle, was carefully hidden from view, and therefore far more
alluring than to-day when both are commonplace matters.
In cities twenty-five years ago, a young girl had beaux who came to see
her one at a time; they in formal clothes and manners, she in her "company
best" to "receive" them, sat stiffly in the "front parlor" and made
politely formal conversation. Invariably they addressed each other as Miss
Smith and Mr. Jones, and they "talked off the top" with about the same
lack of reservation as the ambassador of one country may be supposed to
talk to him of another. A young man was said to be "devoted" to this young
girl or that, but as a matter of fact each was acting a rôle, he of an
admirer and she of a siren, and each was actually an utter stranger to the
other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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