own visiting card with the invitation upon it. An invitation of
this kind need not be answered unless an "R.S.V.P." (_Respondez s'il
vous plait_), is on the card. You go or not, as you please, but if you
do not go, you call, or leave a card as soon after as is convenient.

UNCIVIL ANSWERS.

Uncivil and curt, not to say rude, answers are sometimes returned to
invitations, more frequently the result of carelessness in their writers
than of premeditated rudeness.

"Mr. and Mrs. Adam Brown regret that they cannot
accept Mrs. Smith's invitation for Wednesday
evening,"

is a rude form of regret.

"Mr. and Mrs. Adam Brown decline Mrs. Moses
Smith's invitation for Friday evening,"

is a still ruder form.

A curt and thoughtless reply is:

"Mr. and Mrs. Adam Brown's compliments and regrets
for Friday evening."

REASONS FOR REGRETS.

"All regrets from persons who are not able to accept invitations, should
contain a reason for regretting," is a rule strictly observed in our
best society, and is considered especially binding in answering a first
invitation. If persons are in mourning, they regret that a recent
bereavement prevents them from accepting. Those contemplating being
absent from home, regret that contemplated absence from home prevents
them from accepting. "A previous engagement" is made the excuse when
there is an engagement either at home or away from it, and also when one
has no inclination to accept; which makes it quite necessary for those
who really regret their inability to accept, to mention what that
engagement is.

THE FAMILY LETTER.

It seems hardly necessary to give the form of a letter from one member
of a family to another. It is often the case that letters sent from home
to an absent member are decidedly unsatisfactory, if not to a great
extent of little interest outside of one or two facts mentioned.
Consequently some hint as to what those letters should be, are here
given. They should be written as though the writer were talking, using
familiar expressions, and such peculiarities as the writer possesses in
ordinary speech should find a place in the letter. The writer may speak
of many trivial things at and about home, and gossipy matters in the
neighborhood, and should keep the absent one posted upon all minor facts
and occurrences, as well as the more important ones. The writer may make
inquiries as to how the ab