It is hardly necessary to say that a business card should never be used as a visiting card. A gentleman carries his cards either in his pocket or in a small leather case sold for that purpose.
Cards for Receptions.
Cards used for receptions, lawn-tennis parties, afternoon teas, etc., in place of more formal invitations, have been fully described under “Invitations.” One example will suffice here: Mrs. Lawrence Barrett, July 1st, at 4. P. M. The object of the entertainment being written in the corner of the engraved card.
Cards for receptions are a necessary convenience in this era of lengthy visiting lists. Without them there would be no possibility of leisure or of seeing one’s friends at their own homes. The following is an example: Mrs. Emmons B. Churchill, Thursdays. Or: Thursdays, Three o’clock to five, may be substituted; the latter form, however, usually meaning that a simple afternoon tea will be served on the day mentioned.
A young lady never sends out a reception card in her own name alone, but her name is engraved upon her mother’s card or that of her chaperon, thus: Mrs. Harold Gray; Miss Gray, Wednesdays, Four o’clock to seven. Or, in case of a chaperone: Mrs. George M. Jansen; Miss Alice LeVictoire, Wednesdays, Three o’clock to five.
Foreign Phrases.
There are a certain number of French phrases that custom has declared shall take the place of that “pure English undefiled” whereof Spenser wrote. In a few cases these chance to be shorter, more euphonious, and more directly to the point than the corresponding English phrase. For instance, the word “chaperon,” so important in its signification at the present, has no adequate English translation. Below is given an alphabetical list of those phrases in most frequent use, together with the abbreviations that ofttimes serve in place of the full phrase:
| French Phrases. | Abbreviations. | Translations. |
|---|---|---|
| Bal masque | A masquerade ball. | |
| Chaperon | An older woman attending a girl in society. | |
| Costume de rigueur | Costume to be full dress. | |
| Debut | First appearance. | |
| Debutante | A young girl making her first social appearance. | |
| En ville | E. V. | In town or city. |
| Fete Champetre | A rural or outdoor entertainment. | |
| Matinee | A morning or daylight entertainment. | |
| Matinee musicale | A daylight musical entertainment. | |
| Musicale | Musical entertainment. | |
| Pour dire adieu | P. D. A. | To say farewell. |
| Pour prendre conge | P. P. C. | To take leave. |
| Protege | One under protection. | |
| Repondez s’il vous plait | R. S. V. P. | Reply if you please. |
| Soirée | An evening party. | |
| Soirée dansante | A dancing party. | |
| Soirée musicale | A musical entertainment. |
The term en ville, when used in the place of “city,” in addressing a note that is to pass through the postman’s hands, is a needless and annoying affectation, since it is hardly to be expected that a knowledge of the French language forms one of the qualifications for a letter-carrier’s position, and if delay ensues in delivery, the writer, not the carrier, is to blame.