Page:Book of Etiquette, Volume 1, by Lilian Eichler.djvu/182

 both women, and reflects culture and breeding upon the character of the young man himself.

When asking a gentleman to call it is sufficient to say, "Mother and I will be at home Wednesday at three o'clock, Mr. Blank. I hope you will come to see us," or, "I should be very glad to have you visit me, Mr. Blank. Mother and I are usually at home in the evenings."

In some sections of the country it is customary for the gentleman to ask permission to call upon a young lady, rather than for the young lady to request him to call. He may say, "Miss Blank, I hope I may call on you sometime before very long; or, "I would like to call upon you at your home, Miss Blank. May I call some evening when you and your mother are at home?"

A woman may call on a man only for business purposes. In this case the man is usually her clergyman, editor, lawyer, physician or merchant, and the call is made during office hours.

The woman who is making a business call does not usually send in a visiting card, but merely gives her name to the attendant. She states her business briefly, remembering to avoid all personal, social or domestic topics not essential to the furtherance of the matter in hand. If it is necessary for a woman to call upon a man at his home, she must be accompanied by a male relative, or by a woman older than herself. This holds true only when she is entirely unacquainted with the members of the man's family, and is only acquainted with the man himself through business interests. She does not send up her cards, merely her name, and she makes her visit as