nto the habit of coming in on Sunday
afternoons, and generally ends by staying to supper.

As a Host.

All this means a great deal to a lone bachelor, and makes him long for
a home of his own. In return for this delightful hospitality he will,
perhaps, ask a sister to stay with him and give a tea-party in his
rooms. Later on he will have seats for a theatre, and arrange a nice
little dinner or supper in town. Where dramatic delights are out of
reach he will plan a river or cycling expedition, he will entertain
his friends at a local cricket match, he will inspire his fellow
bachelors to give a dance; and there will be only one guest whose
presence is of any importance to him.

He will not let it appear that he is paying a debt; he will {29}
imply, rather, that the ladies are conferring a favour upon him. He
will consult her mother as to many arrangements, and make sure that all
the guests are to her liking. He will not be afraid of asking a possible
rival, who might be more dangerous when absent than present. While
thus entertaining the lady of his choice, the suitor must discern
nicely between paying her special honour and taking it for granted
that she already belongs to him. He must not advertise the fact that
the party is given for her, by neglecting his other guests, or by
omitting pleasant courtesies to less-favoured maidens.

{30}

CHAPTER IV

_Intercourse with (1) The Home Girl; (2) The Bachelor Girl; (3) The
Business Girl; (4) The Student or Professional Girl--Friends who
become Lovers._

The Home Girl.

As has already been said, the would-be lover will do well to study the
workings of his lady's home. If she has many domestic duties to
perform he will arrange his spare time to fit in with hers. He will
not call at such times as would be inconvenient and run the risk of
ructions, simply because he knows _she_ will be glad to see him. He
will not look aggrieved if she refuses to go out cycling with him
because she has promised to take the little ones out blackberrying. He
will seize a golden chance and go with them. When he is at her home,
he will not act as if the whole place belonged to him, and he will be
careful not to become a bore.

Men of leisure, and men whose professions place them on confidential
terms, such as doctors and clergymen, have the greatest opportunities
of knowing the Home Girl at her best, and at her worst. The last two
see her under conditions that show what she