Formal calls may be made in the evening, but never later than nine o'clock, and should not be prolonged later than ten o'clock. In making such a call a gentleman should carry his hat, gloves, and cane with him into the parlor and hold them in his hands, unless requested by the hostess to lay them aside and spend the evening.

In making an informal evening call a lady may take a gentleman with her. She presents him to the hostess, who introduces him to the other guests, if there are any present. A gentleman in making an informal evening call may leave his hat, cane, etc., in the hall, and a lady may lay aside her bonnet and wraps. Do not prolong an evening visit. It is apt to become tiresome even to your most intimate friends.

Should your friend have a guest on a visit to her, call as soon as possible. Such calls should be returned without delay.

Where a lady has appointed a certain evening for receiving calls, it is best to call then, and not at other times.

When you are prevented from attending a dinner party, or social gathering, call upon the person giving it without delay, and express your regret for your absence.

In the country calls are more prolonged and less formal than in the city.

Should you find a lady on the point of going out when you make your call, make it as brief as possible in order to leave her at liberty to carry out her plans. When you have risen to go, do not delay your departure.

A gentleman should not seat himself on the sofa beside his hostess unless invited to do so.

It is vulgar to make a display of wealth in calling upon persons in reduced

circumstances.

New-comers into a neighborhood should not make the first calls.

A lady should not call upon a gentleman unless on business.

In making a formal call a gentleman should not sit with his legs crossed. Upon arriving at a house where you wish to pay an evening call, should you find a small party assembled there, present yourself precisely as though you had been invited. After a short while you may take your leave, explaining that you only intended to make a brief call, and have another engagement. In this way you can withdraw gracefully, and without disturbing the harmony of the assemblage.

The mistress of the house usually receives the visitors. At evening parties she will be assisted by her husband or some other gentleman. The reception should be performed in an easy, quiet, and self possessed manner, and without unnecessary ceremony. It is customary in some places to announce the names of guests as they enter the room. The host or hostess may then present them to other guests to whom they may be strangers.

When any one enters the room, whether announced or not, the host or hostess should rise at once, advance towards him, welcome him, and request him to be

seated. If it is a young man, offer him an arm-chair, or a stuffed one; if an elderly man, insist upon his accepting the arm-chair; if a lady, beg her to be seated upon the sofa. If the master of the house receives the visitors, he will take a chair and place himself at a little distance from them; if, on the contrary, it is the mistress, and if she is intimate with the lady who visits her, she will place herself near her. If several ladies come at once, we give the most honorable place to the one who, from age or other considerations, is most entitled to respect. In winter, the most honorable places are those at the corners of the fire-place, if you have a fire in it. If the visitor is a stranger, when the master or mistress of the house rises, any person who may be already in the room should do the same, unless the company is a large one. When any of the company withdraw, the master or mistress of the house should conduct them as far as the door. But whoever the person may be who departs, if we have other company, we may dispense with conducting them farther than the door of the

room.

In the selection of cards great taste should be exercised. The material should be a thin, fine board of paper. The size and shape are regulated by the prevailing fashion. The color should always be pure white. Tinted or colored cards are an abomination.

A gentleman's card should bear only his name and address. A lady's card should have the word "Mrs." or "Miss" prefixed to her name. The eldest unmarried daughter of a family should have her card read simply "Miss White," not "Miss Mary White." The younger sisters, if unmarried, should have their Christian names on their cards.

Professional titles may appear upon the card, as "James Dickson, M. D.," or "Doctor James Dickson,' "Rev. Thomas Smith," or " Rev. Thomas Smith, D. D." In England a gentleman without a title prefixes "Mr." to his name, as "Mr. Leslie Melville." In the United States this practice varies, but the best etiquette unquestionably demands the prefix "Mr."

A card left for you during your illness should be answered by a call as soon as your recovery will permit.

Should you send a card to a person who is ill, the bearer should always make a verbal inquiry as to your friend's condition of health.

The most perfectly tasteful card is an engraved one. The printed card comes next; then the written card. The fashion as to letters changes, but a plain script or old English text, well engraved, is always neat and in good taste.

With regard to visits of a day or more it is the universal custom in England and is gradually coming into vogue in this country to invite your friend to visit you for a specified length of time. This enables your guest to know that he is not inconveniencing you by remaining too long, and allows you to make arrangements for the entertainment of other friends. This is a most sensible custom, and cannot be too highly commended.

In visiting a city where a friend resides it is best to go to a hotel, although you may have a general invitation from your friend to make his house your home. You can make a call upon him as soon as you please, and should he then urge you to accept his hospitality you may do so with propriety.

You should always write to inform even a relative or most intimate friend of your intended visit and the probable time of your arrival.

You should answer a written invitation to visit a friend, as promptly as possible, and state the time when you may be expected.

Where no time is specified by your host or hostess as to the duration of your visit, you should not prolong it over a week. A shorter time is better. You should take an early occasion of stating how long you expect to remain. Conform your habits to those of the family in which you are visiting; give no trouble that can be avoided; and accept the hospitality offered you heartily, and with well-bred grace.

You should make arrangements for having your washing done at your own expense in making a long visit. Remember that to ask your hostess to have it done by her servants is to increase their labor, and to render them dissatisfied.

A lady visiting in a family should not receive the attentions of a gentleman who is objectionable to her host or hostess. Neither should she receive too many calls from gentlemen.

Do not invite a friend who may call upon you to remain to a meal. Such an invitation must come from the host or hostess.

A lady should decline an invitation to a dinner or party, which does not include her hostess. A gentleman inviting a lady visiting in a family to accom. pany him to a place of amusement, or upon an excursion, should include the younger ladies of the family in his invitation. They may decline or not, according to circumstances.

A true lady or gentleman will always treat with kindness and courtesy the servants of the family in which they may be visiting. In taking leave, you should remember them by some gratuity.

Do not unduly praise other places at which you may have visited. Your hostess may think you wish to contrast her establishment with the one so praised, to her disadvantage.

You may with propriety make simple presents to the children of the family. Costly or lavish gifts place your entertainers under an obligation which they nay not be able to return, and therefore would not desire to incur.

Do not outdress the members of the family in which you are a guest, especially in attending an entertainment or place of amusement with them.

Enter heartily into the plans that are made for your entertainment or amusement. You should never permit your host or hostess to feel that he or she has disappointed you in their efforts to add to your enjoyment.

Upon returning home after a visit, write immediately to your host or hostess,

announcing your safe arrival; and be careful to send kind messages to each member of the family, mentioning all by name.

When a friend informs you of his or her intended visit, and the probable time of their arrival, you should have their room ready for their reception. It should be well warmed in cold weather, cooled and aired in summer, and provided with all the ordinary conveniences of the toilette, and any other articles that may minister to the comfort of your guest.

When you expect a lady guest, some male member of the family should meet ber at the cars, steamer, or other place of arrival in your city or neighborhood. He should see after her baggage, and make such arrangements as will enable her to reach your house quickly and with comfort.

Without breaking up the regular routine of your household or business, you should arrange your affairs so as to devote the most time to your guest. You should arrange receptions, entertainments, and excursions of various kinds if possible, and should always show her the places and things of note in your vicinity. You should do all this unobtrusively, and make your guest feel that it is a pleasure to you to thus increase her enjoyment of her visit.

Upon the departure of your guest, accompany him or her to the cars or boat, and remain until the conveyance has begun the journey, taking leave of your guest with cordiality.

NEW YEAR'S CALLS::

IT is the custom in all the larger cities of the United States, and in the majority of the smaller towns, for gentlemen to pay their respects to their lady acquaintances on New Year's Day by formal calls. In the smaller towns it is sometimes the custom for the newspapers to announce the names of the ladies who will receive callers on that day. This is impracticable in such a city as New York or Philadelphia, but it is a good plan in smaller places, as it enables gentlemen to know what ladies of their acquaintance will receive visits upon that day.

A lady should not issue invitations for New Year's calls. It is bad taste to do so, and will result in causing her friends who do not receive invitations to believe that their visits are not desired.

Ladies receiving upon New Year's Day should have a servant in especia charge of the front door. He should admit guests, and show them into the