those places where evening
calls are made a man must wear formal evening dress.

On the opening of the door by the servant, a man asks of him whether the
hostess or "the ladies" are at home. This will depend on the number of
the members of the family receiving. He gives to the domestic the proper
number of cards. The servant precedes him, opens the drawing-room door
for him, and in some ultra English houses he is announced. His card or
cards have been deposited on the silver tray which the servant has
presented to him in the hall and left there. A visiting card is never
brought into the drawing room. A man on a first or a formal call carries
his stick and hat into the drawing room with him. To "hang his hat" in
the hall shows great intimacy--even relationship--in the house. He,
however, should leave there his overcoat and his rubbers and umbrella.
His hostess will advance to meet him, and will extend to him her right
hand with a somewhat stiff angular motion, and he should shake it with a
quick nervous movement of his right. He should neither grasp nor squeeze
her hand, nor should he attempt that absurd so-called British shake in
the air, which is never practiced except by player folk. A man removes
his glove from his right hand on entering the drawing room, and holds
this with his stick and hat in his left. The hat should be at an angle,
the top about level with his nose. At weddings, the opera, and dances,
where a woman is gloved, a man, if it is required to shake hands, does
not remove his gloves. On ordinary occasions a woman is seldom gloved in
her own drawing room, and if she is, handshaking is not usually
expected. Should the hostess be gloved, as at a large affair, such as a
formal or wedding reception, a man shakes hands with her with them on.

Tea is generally served in the afternoon on a tray with wafers, little
cakes, and sometimes sandwiches. If you take a sandwich or a cup of tea,
a doylie will be given you, which place upon your knee. When another
caller enters the room stand up, whether it is a woman or a man. Ten
minutes is all that is necessary for a formal call. It is less awkward
to leave when a new caller is announced. Shake hands with your hostess
and bow to the people present. Leave the room sideways, so as not to
turn your back upon the company, and bow to them as you reach the door,
thus bowing yourself out. Remember, do not be a lingerer or a sitter. No
men are more dreaded in society than thes