consider that fact a sufficient warrant for the preliminaries of
acquaintanceship, if there appears to be a mutual inclination toward
such acquaintanceship. The presence of a person in a friend's house is a
sufficient guaranty for his or her respectability. Gentlemen and ladies
may form acquaintances in traveling, on a steamboat, in a railway car,
or a stage-coach, without the formality of an introduction. Such
acquaintanceship should be conducted with a certain amount of reserve,
and need not be prolonged beyond the time of casual meeting. The
slightest approach to disrespect or familiarity should be checked by
dignified silence. A young lady, however, is not accorded the same
privilege of forming acquaintances as is a married or elderly lady, and
should be careful about doing so.


INTRODUCTIONS AT A BALL.

It is the part of the host and hostess at a ball to introduce their
guests, though guests may, with perfect propriety, introduce each
other, or, as already intimated, may converse with one another without
the ceremony of a formal introduction. A gentleman, before introducing
his friends to ladies, should obtain permission of the latter to do so,
unless he is perfectly sure, from his knowledge of the ladies, that the
introductions will be agreeable. The ladies should always grant such
permission, unless there is a strong reason for refusing. The French,
and to some extent the English, dispense with introductions at a private
ball. The fact that they have been invited to meet each other is
regarded as a guaranty that they are fit to be mutually acquainted, and
is a sufficient warrant for self-introduction. At a public ball partners
must be introduced to each other. Special introducing may be made with
propriety by the master of ceremonies. At public balls it is well for