How A Young Girl Is Presented To Society

Any one of various entertainments may be given to present a young girl to society. The favorite and most elaborate of these, but possible only to parents of considerable wealth and wide social acquaintance, is a ball. Much less elaborate, but equal in size, and second in favor to-day, is an afternoon tea with dancing. Third, and gaining in popularity, is a small dance, which presents the dé butante to the younger set and a few of her mother's intimate friends. Fourth, is a small tea without music. Fifth, the mere sending out of the mother's visiting card with the daughter's name engraved below her own, announces to the world that the daughter is eligible for invitations.

A Ball For A Dé butante

A ball for a dé butante differs in nothing from all other balls excepting that the dé butante " receives" standing beside the hostess, and furthest from the entrance, whether that happens to be on the latter's right or left. The guests as they mount the stairs or enter the ballroom and are " announced, " approach the hostess first, who, as she shakes hands with each, turns to the dé butante and says " Mrs. Worldly, my daughter." Or " Cynthia, I want to present you to Mrs. Worldly." (" Want to" is used on this occasion because " may I" is too formal for a mother to say to her child.) A friend would probably know the daughter; in any event the mother's introduction would be, " You remember Cynthia, don't you? "

Each arriving guest always shakes hands with the dé butante as well as with the hostess, and if there is a queue of people coming at the same time, there is no need of saying anything beyond " How do you do? " and passing on as quickly as possible. If there are no others entering at the moment, each guest makes a few pleasant remarks. A stranger, for instance, would perhaps comment on how lovely, and many, the dé butante's bouquets are, or express a hope that she will enjoy her winter, or talk for a moment or two about the " gaiety of the season" or " the lack of balls, " or anything that shows polite interest in the young girl's first glimpse of society. A friend of her mother might perhaps say " You look too lovely, Cynthia dear, and your dress is enchanting! "

Personal compliments, however, are proper only from a close friend. No acquaintance, unless she is quite old, should ever make personal remarks. An old lady or gentleman might very forgivably say " You don't mind, my dear, if I tell you how sweet I think you look, " or " What a pretty frock you have on." But it is bad taste for a young woman to say to another " What a handsome dress you have on! " and worst of all to add " Where did you get it? " The young girl's particular friends are, of course, apt to tell her that her dress is wonderful, or more likely, " simply divine."

It is customary in most cities to send a dé butante a bouquet at her " coming out" party. They may be " bouquets" really, or baskets, or other decorative flowers, and are sent by relatives, friends of the family, her father's business associates, as well as by young men admirers. These " bouquets" are always banked near and if possible, around the place the dé butante stands to receive. If she has great quantities, they are placed about the room wherever they look most effective. The dé butante usually holds one of the bouquets while receiving, but she should remember that her choice of this particular one among the many sent her is somewhat pointed to the giver, so that unless she is willing to acknowledge one particular beau as " best" it is wiser to carry one sent by her father, or brother, especially if either send her one of the tiny 1830 bouquets that have been for a year or two in fashion, and are no weight to hold.

These bouquets are about as big around as an ordinary saucer, and just as flat on top as a saucer placed upside down. The flowers chosen are rosebuds or other compact flowers, massed tightly together, and arranged in a precise pattern; for instance, three or four pink rosebuds are put in the center, around them a row of white violets, around these a single row of the pink roses, surrounded again by violets, and so on for four or five rows. The bouquet is then set in stiff white lace paper, manufactured for the purpose, the stems wrapped in white satin ribbon, with streamers of white and pink ribbons about a quarter of an inch wide and tied to hang twenty inches or so long. The colors and patterns in which these little bouquets may be made are unlimited.

The Dé butante Receives

At a ball, where the guests begin coming about half past ten, the dé butante must stand beside the hostess and " receive" until at least twelve o'clock—later if guests still continue to arrive.

At all coming-out parties, the dé butante invites a few of her best girl friends to receive with her. Whether the party is in the afternoon or evening, these young girls wear evening dresses and come early and stay late. Their being asked to " receive" is a form of expression merely, as they never stand in line, and other than wearing pretty clothes and thus adding to the picture, they have no " duties" whatsoever.