How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) Part 8

_Accepting_

Mrs. John Evans accepts with pleasure Mrs. Emerson's kind invitation for Wednesday afternoon November the twenty-eighth

_Regretting_

Mrs. John Evans regrets that she is unable to accept Mrs. Emerson's kind invitation for Wednesday afternoon November the twenty-eighth

Mrs. John Evans regrets that she is unable to be present at Mrs. Emerson's At home on Wednesday afternoon November the twenty-eighth

_Reception "to meet"_

(A)

_Mrs. Bruce Wellington Requests the Pleasure of Mrs. Evans's Presence on Thursday Afternoon, April Fifth to Meet the Board of Governors of the Door-of-Hope Society from Four-Thirty to Seven o'Clock_

_Accepting_

Mrs. John Evans accepts with pleasure Mrs. Wellington's kind invitation to meet The Board of Governors of the Door-of-Hope Society On Thursday afternoon, April fifth

_Regretting:_

Mrs. John Evans regrets that a previous engagement prevents her from accepting Mrs. Wellington's kind invitation to meet The Board of Governors of the Door-of-Hope Society On Thursday afternoon, April fifth

_Mr. and Mrs. John Evans Request the Pleasure of Your Company to Meet General and Mrs. Robert E. Lee on Thursday Afternoon, February Fourth from Four until Seven o'Clock_ _Five Hundred Park Avenue_

If one accepts this invitation, one acknowledges simply by attending. If one is unable to attend, then the visiting card is mailed. If unforeseen circ.u.mstances should prevent attending, then a messenger is sent with a card in an envelope to the hostess, to reach her during the reception.

_Invitations for afternoon affairs_

For afternoon affairs--at homes, teas, garden parties--the invitations are sent out in the name of the hostess alone, or if there be a daughter, or daughters, in society, their names will appear immediately below the name of the hostess.

_Mrs. John Evans The Misses Evans At Home Thursday Afternoon, January Eleventh from Four until Seven o'Clock Five Hundred Park Avenue_

If the purpose of the reception is to introduce a daughter, her name would appear immediately below that of the hostess, as "Miss Evans,"

without Christian name or initial. If a second daughter is to be introduced at the tea, her name in full is added beneath that of the hostess:

_Mrs. John Evans Miss Ruth Evans Miss Evans At Home Friday Afternoon, January Twentieth from Four until Seven o'Clock Five Hundred Park Avenue_

_For b.a.l.l.s and dances_

The word "ball" is used for an a.s.sembly or a charity dance, never otherwise. An invitation to a private house bears "Dancing" or "Cotillion" in one corner of the card. This ball or formal dance invitation is engraved on a white card, sometimes with a blank s.p.a.ce so that the guest's name may be written in by the hostess. It would read thus:

(A)

_Mr. and Mrs. Charles Elliott Request the Pleasure of Mr. and Mrs. Evans's Company at a Cotillion to Be Held at the Hotel Ritz-Carlton on Sat.u.r.day, December the Third at Ten o'Clock_ _Please Address Reply to 347 Madison Avenue_

[Ill.u.s.tration: Specimens of formal invitations to a dance]

(B)

_Mr. and Mrs. Charles Elliott Request the Pleasure of

_________________________ Company on Sat.u.r.day Evening January the Sixth, at Ten o'Clock_ _Dancing 347 Madison Avenue_

An older style of invitation--without the blank for the written name, but instead the word "your" engraved upon the card--is in perfectly good form. The invitation would be like this:

(C)

_Mr. and Mrs. Charles Elliott Request the Pleasure of Your Company on Sat.u.r.day Evening, January the Sixth at Ten o'Clock_ _Dancing 347 Madison Avenue_

_Accepting_

Mr. and Mrs. John Evans accept with pleasure Mr. and Mrs. Elliott's very kind invitation to a cotillion to be held at the Hotel Ritz-Carlton On Sat.u.r.day, December the third at ten o'clock

_Regretting_

Mr. and Mrs. John Evans regret exceedingly that they are unable to accept Mr. and Mrs. Elliott's kind invitation to attend a dance on Sat.u.r.day, January the sixth

In sending a regret the hour is omitted, as, since the recipient will not be present, the time is unimportant.

(D)

_The Honour of Your Presence Is Requested at the Lincoln's Birthday Eve Ball of the Dark Hollow Country Club on Monday Evening, February Eleventh at Half-Past Ten o'Clock 1922_

_Accepting_

Miss Evans accepts with pleasure the kind invitation of the Dark Hollow Country Club for Monday evening, February eleventh at half-past ten o'clock

_For christenings_

Christenings are sometimes made formal. In such case engraved cards are sent out two or three weeks ahead. A good form is: