Perfect Behavior: A Guide for Ladies and Gentlemen in All Social Crises

THE ETIQUETTE OF TELEPHONING On Thursday morning, therefore, you should go to a public telephone-booth in order to call the young lady’s house. The etiquette of telephoning is quite important and many otherwise perfectly well-bred people often make themselves conspicuous because they do not know the correct procedure in using this modern but almost indispensable invention. Upon entering the telephone-booth, which is located, say, in some drug store, you remove the receiver from the hook and deposit the requisite coin in the coin box. After an interval of some minutes a young lady (referred to as “Central”) will ask for your “Number, please.” Suppose, for example, that you wish to get Bryant 4310. Remove your hat politely and speak that number into the mouthpiece. “Central” will then say, “Rhinelander 4310.” To which you reply, “NO, Central— Bryant 4310.” Central then says, “I beg your pardon— Bryant 4310,” to which you reply, “Yes, please.” In a few minutes a voice at the other end of the line says, “Hello,” to which you answer, “Is Miss Doe at home?” The voice then says, “Who?” You say, “Miss Doe, please— Miss Dorothy Doe.” You then hear the following, “Wait a minute. Say, Charlie, is they anybody works around here by the name of Doe? There’s a guy wants to talk to a Miss Doe. Here— you answer it.” Another voice then says, “Hello.” You reply “Hello.” He says, “What do you want?” You reply, “I wish to speak to Miss Dorothy Doe.” He says, “What department does she work in?”