Emily Post's Etiquette Tip Of The Day

'Nearly all books on etiquette insist that a 'gentleman must offer to carry a lady's bundles.'

Bundles do not suggest a lady in the first place, and as for gentlemen and bundles! -they don’t go together at all.

Very neat packages that could never without injury to their pride be designated as 'bundles' are different.

Such, for instance, might be a square, smoothly wrapped box of cigars, candy, or books.

Also, a gentleman might carry flowers, or a basket of fruit, or, in fact, any package that looks tempting.

He might even stagger under bags and suitcases, or a small trunk - but carry a 'bundle'?

Not twice! And yet, many an unknowing woman, sometimes a very young and pretty one, too, has asked a relative, a neighbor, or an admirer, to carry something suggestive of a pillow, done up in crinkled paper and odd lengths of joined string.

Then she wonders afterwards in unenlightened surprise why her cousin, or her neighbor, or her admirer, who is one of the smartest men in town, never comes to see her any more!'