=Invitations to Public Luncheons= are not now confined to the
celebration of local and civic events, but take a far wider range, and
are given on every available opportunity when the occasion can be made
to serve for assembling a large party of ladies and gentlemen. Luncheon
is by some considered to be rather a lady's meal than not, although in
reality invitations are given as frequently to the one sex as to the
other. Yet the predominance of ladies at luncheon is due to the fact
that the majority of gentlemen are too much occupied at this hour to be
at liberty to accept invitations to luncheon, while others, more idle,
breakfast at so late an hour that to them a two o'clock luncheon is a
farce as far as eating is concerned. Outside of those who are busy men
and those who are idle men, and consequently late risers, there is
another semi-occupied class of men who are always amenable to an
invitation to luncheon.

This institution of luncheon is invaluable to people who have many
friends, acquaintances, and relations to entertain, as invitations to
this meal are given for every day in the week, with or without ceremony,
with long notice or short notice, or on the spur of the moment.

Ladies enjoy the society of their hostess at luncheon far more than at a
dinner-party. At the former meal she makes general conversation with her
guests on both sides of the table; at the latter she is monopolised by
her immediate neighbours, by the gentleman who takes her down to dinner,
and by the one who sits at her right hand, while she leaves her guests
to be entertained by the gentlemen who take them in to dinner. At
luncheon things are different; there is no going in to luncheon,
conventionally speaking, save on official and public occasions.

Luncheon occupies a prominent place in the round of hospitalities.
Invitations to luncheon are not formally issued on invitation cards,
unless some especial reason exists for giving a large luncheon-party, in
which case it takes rank as an entertainment.

Large luncheon-parties are given on occasions such as lawn-tennis
tournaments and lawn-tennis parties, archery-parties, cricket matches
and bazaars, etc.

Semi-official luncheons are given on the occasion of laying the
foundation-stone of a church or public building, etc. This class of
luncheon is beside the question, as it is rather a banquet than a
luncheon, for which printed cards of invitation are issued.

In general society invitat