e its cost thrown away. For that reason a wholly
engraved invitation is perhaps better, unless the work of addressing
them and inserting the name is to be done by a professional penman. Of
course, when this is done and well done, there is a personal touch, a
suggestion of individual welcome, which can be gained in no other way,
and which the wholly engraved invitation lacks.

When an entertainment is given by a family at some place other than
their home, the invitations have the name of the place and the street
address put in at the usual place on the invitation, and then in the
lower right-hand corner the words "Please reply," with the home
address.

A bachelor or widower uses his name alone at the top of the
invitation. He will, of course, provide a chaperon, who in many
respects takes the place of a hostess and so acts, but her name does
not appear upon his invitation, unless she be his sister or near
relative. The invitation then becomes a joint one, after the usual
form.

A widower with daughters may send out invitations headed in either of
the following forms:

_Mr. John Marquand_
_Miss Marquand_
_Miss Estelle Marquand_

or

_Mr. John Marquand_
_The Misses Marquand_

For a dinner followed by a dance there are two invitations, the one a
dinner invitation at an early hour for the favored few, the other a
dancing party invitation at a later hour.

Clubs have blanks which may be filled in by their members when they
wish to entertain. These are issued in the club name, and are like any
other private invitation, except that at the bottom and to the left
"Compliments of" is engraved, and the name of the member who is
special host is written in.

Invitations containing the words "_Bal Poudre_" signify that the
entertainment is a masquerade or fancy dress party, and the guests are
expected to come in fancy costume with powdered hair.

The word "ball" is used of an elaborate formal dance, usually a public
one given by some club or for charity, and rarely of a private dance.

In spite of the predominance of the engraved invitation for the most
formal affairs, still small dinners, and even receptions and dancing
parties, are sometimes announced by the handwritten invitations. The
form should be the same as the engraved one, although to very intimate
friends it should be changed to a friendly note.

Acceptances are in the form of the invitation. If that is an inf