Sun sets, moon sets,
Love, fix a day.”
The note has become a factor in modern social life. We send a note when we send a gift, when we ask a favor, when we acknowledge a favor, when we offer an apology, when we postpone an engagement, and when we give, accept, or refuse an informal invitation. These forms will be given here for reference, excepting those pertaining to invitations, which are discussed in their place.
Notes Accompanying a Gift
should be brief, prettily worded, and strictly confined to the subject in hand; for instance, a gentleman sending flowers to a lady might say:
Mr. Irwin, hearing Miss St. John express a preference for roses, hopes that he may have the pleasure of seeing her wearing the accompanying cluster this evening at the Opera.
91 Ashland Boulevard, October 2d.
The wearing of the flowers would be all the answer required by this note.
With a birthday gift an appropriately worded note would be as follows:
At Home, August 1st.
Dear Nettie:
Remembering that your birthday is at hand, I send you this little painting as a token of my love, together with wishes for many happy returns of this day.
Your friend,
Marie St. John.
These little notes should always receive an answer, as, for instance, this last might be appropriately replied to thus: