Baby Carriage Etiquette of 1908

“What you want to do it this: If the baby weighs more than the carriage, It’s the man’s place to hold the baby. If the carriage weighs more, he should hand the baby to his wife.”

HOLDING THE BABY

Introducing a Nice Point In Baby Carriage Etiquette

“That fellow doesn't know the first thing about the etiquette of the baby carriage,” remarked one of a group of men at Thirty-first and Main Streets.

The comment was made to all in a general way. One of the group, the man with a frayed collar and a look of patient resignation, gazed anxiously at a couple, about to board a car. Mother was sparring in a desperate sort of way with one of those baby carriages which shop salesmen can open and close in a minute and the users in from five to thirty minutes.

“Don't see anything wrong with that,” said the man with the frayed collar. “He's got to hold the baby even if she does have to wrestle with the carriage. You don't think he ought to hold the baby and take care of the carriage, too, do you?”

“Well, there's one thing sure,” rejoined the objector - “the man doesn't know a thing about baby carriage etiquette. What you want to do it this: If the baby weighs more than the carriage, It’s the man’s place to hold the baby. If the carriage weighs more, he should hand the baby to his wife.”

“Oh, piffle!” interpolated the man with the big black cigar. “You're way off. What he ought to do is to hand the baby to his wife and the carriage to the conductor.”-Kansas City Star, 1908

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor of the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia