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or,

Mor. and Mrs. Charles W. Williams present their compliments to Br. and Mors. William V. Zavis, and request the pleas=

ure

of their company at dinner on Tuesday evening, October 6, at 7 o'clock.

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quest the pleasure of your company Friday evening, November 26, from eight to twelve o'clock, to meet

Governor and Mrs. Pattison.

Sixteenth and Chestnut Sts.,

Philadelphia.

MODEL 4.

Birthday Invitation.

Mor, and Mors. C. A. Martin request the honor of your company to celebrate their son's twenty-first birthday, day evening, September 6, 1886.

1884 Chestnut St.

on Satur

Rs. S. V. P.

Note. The initials R. S. V. P. stand for Respondez, s'il vous plait--Answer, if you please.

The following are given as examples of less formal invitations:

Dear Allsop,

1.

We are going to Dalston on Wednesday. Will you come see the last of us to-morrow night-you and Mrs. Allsop?

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Yours truly,

C. Lamb.

If you can come next Sunday, we shall be equally glad to see you, but do not trust to any of Martin's appointments in the future. Leg of lamb as before, at half-past four, and the heart of Lamb for ever.

Yours truly,

C. Lamb.

30th March, 1821.

ACCEPTANCES AND REGRETS.

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Answers to invitations are either Acceptances or Regrets. An acceptance is an affirmative answer, regret explains a non-acceptance.

When Necessary.-Most invitations do not need a reply if the person invited intends to accept, unless the initials R. S. P. V. accompany the invitation. A failure to answer is understood to be an acceptance.

An invitation to dinner or tea, however, requires a prompt answer of either acceptance or regrets. It is highly important that the entertainer should know just how many guests to expect and provide for. After having accepted an invitation, should one find it impossible to be present, he should, as soon as such discovery is

made, send his regrets at once, and these should give his reasons for absence.

Answers to invitations to weddings, balls, receptions, etc., should be sent not later than the third day after receiving them. Should anything occur at the last moment to prevent one's attendance, he should send his "regrets" the day after the party or other occasion. The answer to an invitation should be acknowledged, and addressed to the person in whose name the invitation is given. If given by a lady and a gentleman to gether, it should be acknowledged to both, but be addressed on the envelope to the lady alone.

What are known as At Home" invitations do not require an answer. They are meant simply to notify the persons to whom they are sent that such persons will be welcome on the occasion if pleased to call. They differ from most other invitations, which are formal requests.

A Regret should always state, at least in general terms, the reason why the person invited cannot accept, and this statement should be as brief as possible; no lengthy apology or explanation is necessary.

Abbreviations are not allowable in invitations, acceptances, or regrets. Initials, however, may be used. Thus, while we may write Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Hendricks or Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Hendricks, we must not write Mr. and Mrs. Thos. A. Hendricks.

Uncivil replies, as where no reason is given for regrets, are rude.

One may regret that "a previous engagement," "intended absence," "sickness in the family," or a similar reason prevents acceptance.

A first invitation should, if possible, always be accepted.

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The words "presents compliments," "genteel," and "polite" are now usually discarded from notes of ceremony. The words "kind” and “ "very kind are now substituted. Thus, "Your very kind note of yesterday," etc.

FORMS OF ACCEPTANCES AND REGRETS.

The following are some of the most usual forms for Acceptances and Regrets:

In answer to Model 1, page 78.

ACCEPTANCE.

Meiss Mouison accepts with pleasure the kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Wallace to meet their guest, Miss Ellen C. Graham, evening at six o'clock.

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1680 Chestnut St., June 16.

REGRET.

Thursday

Meiss Morrison regrets that intended absence from the city will prevent her accepting Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Wallace's kind invitation to meet their guest, Miss Ellen B. C. Graham, Thursday evening at six o'clock. 1680 Chestnut St., June 16.

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2.

ACCEPTANCE.

Br. and Mors. William V. Gavis

acs

cept with pleasure the kind invitation very • of Mr. and Mors. Charles W. Williams to dinner at seven o'clock, Tuesday

ing, Oct. 6.

2516 Arch St.

REGRET.

evens

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Br. and Mrs. William V. Davis gret their inability, on account of illness in the family, to accept the kind in= very vitation of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Williams for Tuesday evening, Oct. 6. 2516 Arch St.

3.

ACCEPTANCE.

Mr. Charles W. Harris accepts with pleasure the kind invitation of Mr. and Mors. C. A. Martin to be present at the celebration of their son's twenty-first birthSaturday evening, September 6

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day
1968 Pine St.

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