Frost's Laws and By-Laws of American Society: A condensed but thorough treatise on etiquette and its usages in America, containing plain and reliable directions for deportment in every situation in life.Frost, S. Annie (Sarah Annie)
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Frost's Laws and By-Laws of American Society: A condensed but thorough treatise on etiquette and its usages in America, containing plain and reliable directions for deportment in every situation in life.
Frost, S. Annie (Sarah Annie)
Etiquette -- United States
Try to avoid argument upon nice points in playing. Even if you are
right, it is more courteous to yield to your adversary than to
keep others waiting whilst you prove your position.
Etiquette by no means requires stakes of money. If counters are
not provided for betting games, you may refuse to bet, without any
breach of good manners.
In your own house, never offer guests any but _new_ cards to play
with.
It is a violation of etiquette to propose card-playing in another
person's house. This is the privilege of the host or hostess, and
if they do not suggest the amusement, it is absolutely rude for
any one else to do so.
It is a breach of etiquette to hurry others who are playing.
Nothing annoys a deliberate player more than to have a partner or
adversary constantly saying, "Come, play; it is your turn now,"
or, "We are all waiting for you."
Even if you take no pleasure in cards, some knowledge of the
etiquette and rules belonging to the games most in vogue will be
useful to you, unless you object upon principle to playing. If so,
it is better at once to state the fact. If not, and a fourth hand
is wanted at a rubber, or if the rest of the company sit down to a
round game, you will be deemed guilty of a want of politeness if
you refuse to join.
The games most common are whist, loo, euchre, vingt-un, and
speculation.
Whist requires four players. A pack of cards being spread upon the
table, with their faces downward, the four players draw for
partners. Those who draw the two highest, and those who draw the
two lowest, become partners. The lowest of all claims the deal.
In declaring that married people may not play at the same table,
society by no means understands anything so disgraceful as
dishonest collusion; but persons who play regularly together
cannot fail to know so much of each other's mode of acting under
given circumstances that the chances no longer remain perfectly
even in favor of their adversaries.
VISITING CARDS.
THE fashion of cards is a variable one. It may be the fashion to-
day to have them large, square, and printed upon rough surfaces;
to-morrow they may be small, long, and highly glazed; now they are
engraved; now written. In fact, there are too many freaks and
changes to mention all; but etiquette requires always perfect
simplicity. An ornamental visiting card is simply detestable.
Glazed cards are not now in vogue, but they may be again, and
ladies' cards are cut much smaller than those used by gentlemen.
Persons who have a city and country residence must have two sets
of cards, with the residence at the time of calling engraved on
the left-hand corner, thus:
MRS. JOHN POTTS,
No. 27 --- STREET,
while Mrs. Potts is in the city, and
MRS. JOHN POTTS,
CEDARS,
when Mrs. Potts is out of town. Visiting cards must never bear a
business address.
All merely honorary or official designations must be omitted,
except in cards designed for official visits only.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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