The answer reads:
Mr. Algernon Smith, Jr.,
accepts with pleasure
Mr. and Mrs. de Tompkins's
kind invitation for
Wednesday evening, December the ninth,
at eight o'clock.December first.
Answers to formal luncheon invitations are written in the same manner, only changing the hours, etc.
Informal invitations to breakfasts and luncheons will be treated in the chapter on that subject.
The form of an invitation to a private dance is:
Mr. and Mrs. de Tompkins request the pleasure of Mr. Algernon Smith's company on Friday evening, January the ninth, at nine o'clock.
R. S. V. P. Dancing.
The answer to this would be similarly worded as in case of the formal dinner. As dance invitations are usually sent out three weeks in advance, three days' grace is allowed for the answer.
When an invitation is received to a subscription ball, like the assemblies in various cities, you should acknowledge it, by your acceptance or regret, to the subscriber sending it; but when an invitation is received from a ball committee, you should accept as follows:
Mr. James de Courcy Peterson accepts with pleasure the committee's kind invitation for Thursday evening, February the fifteenth.
January second.