Page:Morley--Travels in Philadelphia.djvu/225

 would slide off and the inkwell would cascade on to the floor.

There was one drawer in that desk that we look back on with particular affection. We had been asked by a publisher in Chicago to contribute the section on Etiquette for a Household Encyclopedia that was to be issued. That was about 1914, if we remember rightly. We knew nothing whatever about Etiquette. The article was to deal with the origin and history of social usages, coming down to the very latest thing in table manners, accepting and declining invitations, specimen letters dealing with every social emergency, such as being invited to go to a clambake, a wedding or the dedication of a sanitary dog-pound. We had an uproarious time compiling the essay. It was to contain at least fifteen thousand words and we were to get fifty dollars for it. In the chapter on specimen letters we let ourself go without restraint. In these specimen letters we amused ourself by using the names of all our friends. We chuckled to think of their amazement on finding themselves enshrined in this Household Encyclopedia, writing demure and stilted little regrets or acceptances for imaginary functions.

The manuscript of this article had to be mailed to Chicago on a certain date or the fifty dollars would be forfeit. Late the night before we toiled at our desk putting the final touches on The Etiquette of Courtship and Etiquette for Young Girls at Boarding School. Never having been a