Gilded Age Leap Year Etiquette

Any lady insulting a gentleman will be put out of the hall at once, and all gentlemen will be protected from rudeness while in the hall regardless, of expense.” – The next opportunity for a Leap Year Party, will be in February of 2028

The Observances of Leap Year Parties

In answer to numerous inquiries as to the rules of etiquette to be observed at Leap Year parties, the unmarried local reporter on the Record-Union, who has been disappointed in love several times and is open to almost any kind of an engagement, suggests the following, which he thinks, if strictly adhered to, will answer all purposes:

• Every lady is expected to act like a perfect gentleman.
• Ladies will take gentlemen to and from the ballroom in carriages.
• No gentleman will dance unless asked by a lady. 
• No gentleman will walk across the floor unless leaning upon the arm of a lady.
• Any lady insulting a gentleman will be put out of the hall at once, and all gentlemen will be protected from rudeness while in the hall regardless, of expense.
• Gentlemen will dance on the right side of ladies, as a matter of course.
• Any ungentlemanly behavior on the part of a lady will he promptly checked by the floor committee, who shall have intimidating powers.
• Any gentleman showing a lady attention will be warned once and put out twice.
• Any gentleman attempting to put on his own overcoat will be shown the error of his ways in a decisive manner, and the overcoat will be given to the Board of County Commissioners,
• The orchestra will be composed exclusively of lady musicians.
• Any gentleman asked by a lady to dance can excuse himself by fibbing about his engagements if he chooses and all will be well.
• If a gentleman is not invited to go to supper by a lady, he is not to eat until a Democrat is elected President of the United States, then he will never eat again. – The Sacramento Daily Union, January, 1884

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