In Company

Please excuse me as I salivate over a wonderful additions to my collection. A gift from my dear sweet mother, this tiny pamphlet, written entirely in verse and is titled The School of Good Manners.It is dated 1822, and so became my earliest book. Some helpful readers have clued me in that the author was Nancy […]

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Glove Etiquette

Q Dear Miss Abigail: I’ve heard that dressy gloves are really in at the present. Since I’ve never had occasion to wear them, I’d like to know if they’re taken off for dinner, and where the proper place to lay them would be? Signed, Ms. Jordan A Dear Ms. Jordan: Betcha didn’t think that I’d […]

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How to Light a Cigarette

Q Dear Miss Abigail: What is the proper etiquette for lighting someone else’s cigarette? A friend of mine said if you’re using a lighter you light their’s first and your’s next, but if you’re using matches you light your’s first because of the sulfury taste of matches. I though you always light their’s first, but […]

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Etiquette for Engaged People

I’m just bursting with joy! My baby sister Jennifer Grotke and her wonderful guy Tony Perez announced their engagement this week, so of course I had to check out some advice for the recently engaged. This is from Lillian Eichler’s Etiquette in Public, first published in 1924. Congrats to the happy couple! 1924: Etiquette for Engaged […]

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Thank You for the Nookie, Honey

Q Dear Miss Abigail: Is it appropriate to say “Thank you” after you’ve had sex? How does the male perceive this? Mary A Dear Mary: I suppose it depends on the male, but if he’s given you “a wonderful time” it’s only natural that you would thank him for it. I’m sure he’ll be pleased. […]

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Dear Lovey Dovey

Q Dear Miss Abigail: My boyfriend is going away for a month and I was just wondering if you had any neat things that we could do to keep in touch. Plus, he’s sixteen and I’m thirteen so it’s really hard for me to trust him while he’s down there. Signed, Anonymous A Dear Anonymous: […]

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