Also there came courteous little notes, delivered in most cases by hand, according to the old Charleston custom--a custom surviving pleasantly from times when there were no postal arrangements, but plenty of slaves to run errands.

Even to this day, I am told, invitations to Charleston's famous St.Cecilia balls are delivered by hand.
One of the notes we received revealed to us a characteristic custom of the city.

It contained an invitation to occupy places in the pew of a distinguished family, at St.Michael's Church, on the approaching Sunday morning.

In order to realize the significance of such an invitation one must understand that St.Michael's is to Charleston, socially, what St.
George's, Hanover Square, is to London.

A beautiful old building, surrounded by a historic burial ground and surmounted by a delicate white spire containing fine chimes, it strongly suggests the architectural touch of Sir Christopher Wren; but it is not by Wren, for he died a number of years before 1752, when the cornerstone of St.
Michael's was laid.