and a spinster.

Very often the chaperon "keeps the house," but she is never called a
"housekeeper." Nor is she a "secretary" though she probably draws the
checks and audits the bills.

It is by no means unusual for mothers who are either very gay or otherwise
busy, and cannot give most of their time to their grown and growing
daughters, to put them in charge of a resident chaperon. Often their
governess--if she is a woman of the world--gives up her autocracy of the
schoolroom and becomes social guardian instead.

=THE DUTIES OF A CHAPERON=

It is unnecessary to say that a chaperon has no right to be inquisitive or
interfering unless for a very good reason. If an objectionable
person--meaning one who can not be considered a gentleman--is inclined to
show the young girl attentions, it is of course her duty to cut the
acquaintance short at the beginning before the young girl's interest has
become aroused. For just such a contingency as this it is of vital
importance that confidence and sympathy exist between the chaperon and her
charge. No modern young girl is likely to obey blindly unless she values
the opinions of one in whose judgment and affection she has learned to
believe.

WHEN INVITATIONS ARE SENT OUT BY A CHAPERON

Usually if a young girl is an orphan, living with a chaperon, a ball or
formal party would be given in the name of an aunt or other near relative.
If her father is alive, the invitations go out in his name of course, and
he receives with her. But if it should happen that she has no near family
at all, or if her chaperon is her social sponsor, the chaperon's name can
be put on invitations. For example:

Miss Abigail Titherington

Miss Rosalie Gray

will be at home

on Saturday the fifth of December

from four until six o'clock

The Fitz-Cherry

Rosalie has no very near relatives and Miss Titherington has brought her
up.

In sending out the invitations for a dinner (a young girl would not be
giving a formal dinner) Rosalie telephones her friends "Will you dine with
me (or us) next Monday?" or, "On the sixteenth?" It is not necessary to
mention Miss Titherington because it is taken for granted that she will be
present.

It is also not considered proper for a young girl ever to be alone as
hostess. When she invites young girls and men to her house, Miss
Titherington either "receives" them or comes into the room while they are
there