invitation to
visitors themselves; as a rule, it means three or four days, but there
is also an uncertainty as to whether the fourth day should be taken or
not. Those who interpret "a few days" to mean three days, make their
plans for departure accordingly; failing this, they are compelled to
leave their plans open, and stay from three to five days, according as
chance and circumstances may dictate. A lady would perhaps require a
little addition to her wardrobe in the matter of a five days' visit over
that of a three days' stay; but this is a trifling detail, although it
helps to swell the list of minor inconveniences which are the result of
vague invitations. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, and
there are people who use this phrase of "Will you come and see us for a
few days?" in the _bona fide_ sense of the word, and to whom it is
immaterial whether their guests remain three days or six days; but such
an elastic invitation as this is usually given to a relative, or to a
very intimate friend, whose footing in the house is that of a relation,
and with whom the hostess does not stand on ceremony, as far as her own
engagements are concerned; and people on these friendly terms can talk
over their departure with their hostess, and consult her about it
without the faintest embarrassment.

* * * * *

=The most satisfactory invitation= is certainly the one that mentions
the day of arrival and the day of departure. Thus, after the _raison
d'etre_ of the invitation has been stated, the why and the wherefore of
its being given follows the gist of the letter: "We hope you will come
to us on Wednesday the 23rd, and remain until the 27th." It is, of
course, open to a hostess to ask her visitors to prolong their stay
beyond the date named if she sees reason for so doing; but this is the
exception rather than the rule in the case of short visits, and guests
take their departure as a matter of course on the day named in the
invitation. Hostess and guests are perfectly at ease upon the subject,
and guests do not feel on delicate ground with their hostess, or fear to
outstay their welcome. When a visit has been paid it is polite, if not
imperative, to write to the hostess and express the pleasure that has
been derived from it. Oftener than not some little matter arises which
necessitates a note being written apart from this; but whether or not,
good feeling and good taste would dictate that