Social Life Part 13

_At nine o'clock._

_Delmonico's._]

Another form that would be equally appropriate is as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Saltus,_

_Sanger Halle,_

_Wednesday evening, January twentieth._

_German at nine._

_R.S.V.P._]

If any of these occasions are intended to introduce a _debutante_, her card may be enclosed. If they are given in honor of a friend, or some celebrated individual, the following form is appropriate:

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mrs. Henry Alexander_

_Requests the favor of your company on_

_Tuesday evening, October tenth,_

_From eight to eleven o'clock,_

_To meet the_

_Rev. Prof. Dr. Kemp,_

_Of the Princeton Theological Seminary._

_684 West 49th Street._

_R.S.V.P._]

Or, if very formal, the name of the guest may be given first, as: To meet the CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES and MRS. FULLER. MRS.

HAROLD COURTRIGHT, At Home, from eight to eleven o'clock, Thursday, February seventh. _R.S.V.P._

This same precedence may be given to the name of an honored guest in a dinner or other invitation. Still another form is where the name of the guest is written on a separate card, thus: To meet MRS.

SUMMERVILLE. Enclose this in the same envelope.

For a club party the following may be used: THE LA SALLE CLUB requests the pleasure of your attendance Wednesday evening, June eight, at nine o'clock. 555 West 51st Street. _R.S.V.P._

A still more simple form for a party invitation is an "At Home" card filled out thus: MRS. DON CARLOS PORTER, At Home, Tuesday evening, March fourth. 1021 Broadway. Cotillion at ten. _R.S.V.P._

Masquerades.

The entire invitation for a masquerade may be engraved, or it may be written, with the exception of the word "Masquerade," which should be engraved on the card. For example:

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mrs. L.J. LeFevre_

_Requests the pleasure of your company,_

_Sat.u.r.day evening, November twelfth,_

_At eight o'clock._

Masquerade.

_R.S.V.P._

_55 East Thirtieth Street._]

Musicales, Soirees and Matinees.

Invitations to a Musicale are simply written on "At Home" cards, thus:

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Mrs. P.V. VanVechton,_

_At Home,_

_Tuesday, April second._

_Music at half-past three._]

Or: MRS. P.V. VANVECHTON, At Home, Tuesday afternoon, April second, from half-past three to five o'clock. _Matinee Musicale._

If the Musicale is to be an evening affair, and dancing is to follow the music, the following form of invitation may be used: MRS. HERBERT HUGHES, At Home, Friday evening, January tenth, at eight o'clock. 200 Winchester Avenue. Music. Dancing at ten.

Precisely the same form is to be used in giving out invitations for a _soiree_, save that the word "_soiree_" is subst.i.tuted for that of "_Musicale_" or "_matinee musicale_." It may be farther added that the term "_matinee_" applies exclusively to entertainments given in the morning, or at any time before dinner, a distinction to which our custom of late dinners gives a wide lat.i.tude, so that any entertainment up to eight o'clock in the evening may receive the name of _matinee_, notwithstanding the fact that drawn curtains and gas-lighted rooms may give all the semblance of night-time.

"_Soiree_," however, is used only where an evening party of a semi-informal character is denoted.

Garden Parties.

Precisely the same form of "At Home" cards can be used for these entertainments, subst.i.tuting the words "Garden Party" in the left hand corner and sending them out some two or three days in advance. Or, if a more formal affair is intended, use the following: MRS. WAITE TALCOTT requests the pleasure of the company of MR. and MRS. JOHN CLAY, on Monday, August fifth, at four o'clock. Garden Party. "The Oaks."

If it should be desirable to include the entire family in the invitation, the wording would be as follows: