Page:Book of Etiquette, Volume 1, by Lilian Eichler.djvu/197



A woman's visiting card should be engraved solely with her name, address and day at home. Any decorations such as gilded edges, crests or superfluous engravings are an indication of bad taste.

In America a lady never assumes any title other than Mrs. or Miss on her social card. There is only one exception to this rule: a professional woman may use her title of doctor of medicine, etc. In this case, even though she is married, she drops her husband's Christian names and signs herself Marian M. Browning, M. D.

A woman does not share, on her cards, the honorary titles of her husband. For instance, the wife of our president has her cards engraved "Mrs. Warren Gamaliel Harding." The wife of a secretary, judge, general or admiral does not use any title other than Mrs. Even the woman who is a successful physician should not use her title on her social cards, unless, as explained above, she is elderly. It is wise for a woman physician to have two sets of cards, one with her name and title, and with her office hours in the corner, the other with her name alone, and her house address in the corner. A physician's social card should be engraved simply "Miss Marian Mansfield Browning."

It is always better form to give in full the Christian name or names, as well as the surname. It is not tasteful to indicate by an initial only the husband's first name, and engrave his middle name, thus: "Mrs. J. Henry Williams." Both names should be given in full. It is not considered dignified to use abbreviations of a husband's name, as Frank for Francis, Alec for Alexander, Joe for Joseph. Nor should an unmarried woman use