e the lead, women plan entertainments and
excursions, women tolerate neglect, and all of this spoils the men. Be
a woman first and last, and exact all these little courtesies for the
sake of your sex.

Says a well-known lady: "I remember a thing that impressed me very
much, and made me ashamed of my own sons whom I have always waited
upon, I am sorry to say. We had as guests a gentleman, wife and son,
the latter about thirteen. In the morning there was a parade; the
gentleman and his wife went, while I stayed at home with another
relative. The boys came in to luncheon, and then as I was going
up-town, Harry, our visitor, put up his wheel, brushed his clothes,
and announced that he was ready to escort me. I assured him that we
did not need him, to run along with the other boys, but he would not
hear of it. He opened the gates, carried my umbrella, and stayed with
me until he saw me safe at home. I complimented him to his mother, but
she assured me that he would never have thought of doing anything
else, for when the father could not accompany her, Harry had been
taught to do so. I had always assured my boys that I could take care
of myself, but I wish now I had made them take care of me."

GENERAL ETIQUETTE.

[Illustration]

This chapter is devoted to the gathering up of the fragments that
remain from all the other departments that cannot be rigidly
classified, and yet are useful to remember.

There are many minute points of etiquette which, although not
extremely important, often serve as a source of embarrassment to
uninitiated persons, and upon which information that can be relied
upon is desired.

Who Bows First?

Whether the lady or gentleman should bow first is a point where many
differ. That the lady should bow first, most authorities agree in
declaring. This acts as a safeguard to a lady, permitting her to drop
an undesirable acquaintance, as a failure to bow would be considered
the "cut direct." But some ladies are forgetful of faces, and some are
near-sighted, thus preventing ready recognition of others; so that,
while this custom might apply to introductions given at a ball, still,
a bow hurts no one, and an undesirable acquaintance is easily dropped
without this rudeness. Hence it would seem that, whichever one
recognizes first, the other ought to have the privilege of bowing
without breaking this social law, which is better observed in the
spirit than in the letter.

"Lady" or "Gentle