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Girls 1893 "It is dreadful; I don’t know what the girls are
coming to; nothing brings a blush to their cheeks nowadays! It is a fault of
their education. I always taught my daughters from their earliest infancy to
blush!"
Home Chat 1897 "On a recent lonely cycle ride", says
"Wavelet", "I was overtaken by another cyclist, who told me one
of my tyres was soft, and offered to blow it up for me. As I had left my pump at
home, I accepted his offer, and in the conversation which followed we disclosed
our respective names. Since then, when we meet, he bows. Yesterday, I had a note
asking me to take a ride with him on Sunday week. He appears to be a gentleman,
but I don’t know what to do with regard to this extraordinary request."
Give the letter to your parents, who will no doubt so deal with it that this very impertinent young man will not be in a hurry to take such a liberty again.
Home Chat 1897 "For some time past," says "Natty", a certain man has paid me a considerable amount of attention. He seeks my society, and I like him as-a-friend, and I know my parents approve of him greatly. But he is so very untidy and careless in his appearance, that I should not like him as a husband. Could I suggest his altering this without running the risk of offending him?"
It is a delicate matter. If you don’t want to marry him, why trouble yourself about it? If you do, when you have accepted him, you can easily suggest an improvement tactfully. But if you really loved him, probably it would not occasion you so much annoyance.
Home Companion 1898 No, "Maud and Kate", I could not think
of giving you advice how to get on speaking terms with a gentleman at one of the
theatres". It would be highly indiscreet of you to make his acquaintance,
except through the medium of friends …
Home Companion 1898 The only way to be beautiful, "Esmeralda"
(Sutton), is to be noble. If you are noble and good, you need not think that
hard work will spoil your appearance. A young lady, "Esmeralda", who
has remarkably beautiful arms says she made them so by systematically exercising
herself by sweeping carpets with a broom.
Home Companion 1899 "What is the fashionable hand-shake just now?"
asks "Nettie" (Huddersfield). "I suppose that ridiculously high
hand-shake has gone out of fashion now?"
The fashionable hand-shake, "Nettie", though not so elevated as was the case a short time ago, is still moderately high up in the air - an absurd and meaningless position, which it is to be hoped will soon be done away with.
Home Companion 1900 "Winnie" (Penarth) asks me about the
language of sealing-wax. Business letters should be sealed with red; friendly
letters with grey. To your lover you devote blue, in token of constancy, unless
you wish to hint that you have, or think you have, cause for jealousy, when you
will use yellow. A reply to a wedding invitation should be sealed in white, and
a letter of condolence on a death calls for black or violet. A dinner invitation
may be sealed with coffee-coloured wax, and when a man gets a letter sealed with
green from a girl he admires he may feel that she shyly bids him hope.
Woman’s World 1906 RSM asks me about the language of postage-stamps. They are
as follows:- If placed upside-down in the right-hand corner, it means "my
heart is another’s"; if put crossways in the same place, it signifies
"Do you love me?". When placed in the proper way in the proper
position, it says "I want to know you". If placed upside-down,
left-hand corner, it shows the writer loves you, but is too shy to tell you; if
right way, down the same corner, it signifies farewell; if put in left-hand
bottom corner, it means "I can only desire your friendship". I
sincerely advise you, RSM, not to attach too much importance to this, as often
stamps are placed in peculiar positions owing only to the carelessness or
absentmindedness of the sender of the letter.
Woman’s World 1906 We are three girl friends, and go out cycling a great
deal, and while we are out young men speak in passing. We wish to know if it is
right to answer them back, as we do not want the reputation of being flirts.
You cannot be too careful, girls, about your behaviour when out without male friends. I certainly advise you not to answer if remarks are, as it were, flung at you. It is quite a different matter if a man gives you some trifling assistance, or in any way smoothes any little difficulty out of your path. There is no need to be prudish, but, at the same time, keep your self-respect, and make men see that if they wish to become acquainted with you that must set about it in the right manner.
Woman’s Weekly 1913 Yes, Pixie (of Brixton), a gentleman does not remove his glove before shaking hands with a lady. A gentleman who thinks anything of manners will not be seen without gloves in a ball-room.