Etiquette Weighed Over Dieters

“I am sorry to appear inhospitable, but my housekeeper and cook cannot arrange to cater for any guest who is obliged to diet” – The Duchess of Marlborough 

Dieting Fad has Become an Etiquette Trial: Some Physical Culturistes are Nuisances and

Hostesses Grow Weary with the Lack of Manners

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Some Announce Their Servants Cannot Arrange to Cater for Cranky Guests

Special Cable from LONDON— So great a trial has the dieting fad become that a number of well known English and American hostesses here have put their heads together, and have changed etiquette and drawn up a paragraph which is printed and sent out with invitations for week ends or otherwise to country houses. It runs thus: “I am sorry to appear inhospitable, but my housekeeper and cook cannot arrange to cater for any guest who is obliged to diet”

The truth is, for months past, the food faddist and the follower of the simpler life have given no end of trouble in other people's houses, and servants, who are all autocrats in these days, have decided that they won't put up any longer with the one or the other. Were the food faddists all to take the same menus, they might be tolerated, but it involves complications to feed at the same table the carnivorous, graminivorous and frugivorous.

The young Duchess of Marlborough is known among her friends for her extreme good nature, and the story is told against her that recently at Blenheim she had no fewer than nine “cranks” sitting at her table, each of whom had to be supplied with a totally different class of food. One thrived upon a monkey-like repast of nuts and raisins; another devoured Grapenuts and cream, a third swallowed quarts of boiling water with semi-cooked minced beef, a fourth was convinced that death lurked for her in anything which contained starch and sugar. Another, sipped fearful and wonderful concoctions in which vegetables had been stewed, and so on. Is it any wonder that, even the Duchess’ good nature gave way? – The Los Angeles Herald, 1906

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

1930’s Etiquette Advice

From “Etiquette Circle”
Four Scenes Demonstrate Proper 
Week-end Etiquette

Characters: Robert Rodgers, Mr. Rodgers, Mary Rodgers, Mrs. Rodgers. 

Scene 1. Bob and Mary are seated by the fireside with their mother and father. Bob and Mary have just received an invitation to the beach home of the Carters. 

Bob: Mother, how would you answer the invitation. 
Mother: Bob, you ought to know. 
Bob: I’ve forgotten just how you would reply. Mother, please help me with it. 
Mother: This the answer most commonly used: 

Dear Mrs. Carter, 

We are very glad that we can accept your kind invitation to motor with you to your beach home at Palm Beach on the fifth of July. With many thanks for your kindness in thinking of us.  

Very sincerely, Robert and Mary Rodgers

Mary: Mother, what dresses will I need to take? We will only be there a coupla days. 
Mother: Why Mary! Such language! Don’t you know you should say “two days”! I think one party dress, one afternoon dress and possibly two more would be plenty. 

Scene 2: (The party has just arrived late Friday night. They are eating their luncheon in the dining room. Mr and Mrs. Vanderbilt, Jr., are among the guests present at the beach party.) 

Mary: This cake is awfully good and the icing is delicious. (wrong) This cake is very good and the icing is delicious. (right) 
Bob: This cake is my favorite and the ice cream is very refreshing. (The guests are now on the veranda chatting.) 
Mary: Bob, aren’t you getting tired? It’s nearly 12 o’clock. 
Bob: Come on, Mary, let’s go to our rooms. Curtain. 

Scene 3:  Bob and Mary have received an invitation to a musicale Saturday evening.) Here is the invitation: Saturday, July the sixth. Musicale, eight o’clock, Mr. and Mrs. James Henry Stanley request the pleasure of the company of Robert and Mary Rodgers at a musicale at the Beach Club, 1501 Palm Drive, Palm Beach. (Let’s hear what Mary is going to say to Bob before the concert.) 

Mary: Bob, please don't rattle paper or whisper while anyone is playing. 
Bob: Don’t you wiggle and twist as you usually do. Curtain. 

Scene 4:  Sunday evening Bob and Mary Rodgers arrived home after a pleasant weekend.

Mother: Did you have a good time. I hope you remembered to thank Mr. and Mrs. Carter for the pleasant week-end. 
Bob: We had a very goood time. 
Mary: We remembered to thank Mr. and Mrs. Carter. Bob and I had such a good time. Curtain. – “Ginger and Princess Sandra” for the LaHabra Star News, 1933

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia