r two
occasions where the etiquette of social life is, or may be, modified
by the formalities due to these representatives of the Government.

_The Formal Military Wedding_

The church or formal home wedding where the bridegroom and his
attendants are all army men, may have the distinctive feature of the
arch of swords or bayonets. The bridegroom and the ushers, in that
case, are all in full dress uniform. The bride and bridesmaids are
dressed daintily and fluffily to afford contrast. The church should be
decorated with palms and lilies, and with the national and the
regimental flags in the chancel. As the organist begins the
wedding-march, two color-bearers of the regiment, carrying one the
national flag and the other the regimental colors, precede the
bridegroom and the best man from the vestry. The latter take their
usual places, and the color-bearers move to a position at either side
of the chancel steps. After the ceremony, they move to the head of the
aisle, and the ushers form a line to the foot of the chancel steps.
The ushers then put on their caps, unsheathe their swords, or raise
their bayonets, and form an arch with them. Under this arch pass the
bride and bridegroom, and the bridesmaids. Then, sheathing their
swords and removing their caps, the ushers fall into line at the end
of the procession.

_Naval and Yachting Usage_

When one is the guest of the owners or the officers of a yacht, or of
the officers of a government warship or other large vessel, it is well
to know that in the lading of the gig for reaching and leaving the
ship, the order of precedence is always as follows: Juniors in rank or
official importance enter the gig first, and the one highest in rank
immediately precedes the Captain, who is always the last to embark and
the first to disembark. In leaving the gig, the order is reversed
from that on entering it, the junior in rank thus being the last to
leave the boat.

_The Etiquette of the Flag_

The flag is displayed every day only on government buildings and
schoolhouses. On state holidays, and like commemorative days when it
is customary for the flag to be displayed on private buildings, it
should be raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset. It should not be
displayed on stormy days, nor left out over night. It should never be
allowed to touch the ground. When it is to be displayed at half-mast
only, it should be raised to the tip of the staff and then lowered
halfway. It sho