Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-12-12
Christmas Cards,


ings, with children dreaming joyful
dreams. with holy symbol and poetry
come the beautiful Christmas cards.
They speak the spirit of Christmas time
and carry from friend to friend the wor6
that peace is on earth, and in heaveN7
there is good will toward man. An
eastern exchange says there is no more
graceful orelegant way Of conveying
good wishes than this recent one Of
exchanging Christmas cards. They
are about the only one Of the multi
tude OF articles designed as Christmas
gifts that tend in any way to develop
the artistic idea. When the custom
first began n few years ago The at
temps of the publishers were very
modest, and were chiefly confined to
autographs OF flowers, with here end
there a pretty face and an appropriate
line of poetry. AS they became more
| popular there came a demand for
greater variety and better workman
ship. The publishers Increased and
the business grew into great propor-
tons. Al first many o. Marcus WardtY
cards we've imported from England
and highly priced for the beauty Of de-
sign and execution, but it was not long
before tho American publishers out
stripped the great English stationer-
and since that time they
have left him lar behind.
Prarg aud other noted Americans
made the cards the chef feature OF
their business, and the rivalry became
80 heated that, in order TO QUITO each
other, tire very best art materials and
artists were drawn upon. During
the last three years tho business has
grown out Of all proportion 20 It's for
mcr self, and The excellence Of the de-
-igns has made the cards liz objects for
the finest parlors in the land. For
years Prang has offered prizes aggregat-
inc g. 600 for four designs. Each year
these are awarded and the cards desig-
mated first, second, Third, and fourth
prize cards. Some Of the best artists
have competed for these prizes, and
the result has beer an elevation OF the
Christmas card from Il nero conven-
tional design into the realms of art.
This year the first prize Of $1,000 IA
borne Off by G. ID. Weldon, who sub
mitted a representation of a lovely lit
tie child attired for bed sitting on Il
rug before a CRATE fire. The little girl
is gazing into n vapor which drifts
from the GOALS and rises into the room,
and which contains for her the most
wonderful visions of the delights Of
Christmas time, Santa Claus dogs up
his reinlters which pull toward her
his present-loaded sleigh. Thy angels
light tho candles upon a minute
Christmas tree, while all through
the mist Gfe seen the myriad Ihings so
dear to child hearts at this tl9e. The
background Is formed by tho graceful
folds Of a warm curtain, and there is
over the whole picture Il rich warmth
Of color that is singularly charming.
Will Ii. Low received $500 for q de-
sign representing the suggestive
story of tho nativity. Tao Virgin
mother holding the Christ child re-
clines upon the ground in tho fore-
ground while in the ceuter If Tho pic
ture are fave angel OF greas loveiiness,
four bl owing irumpet- AMI the 6fCh
singing from "a scroll 'GIcQia in Ey-
celsis Dec in Terra Pax Although
the idea is ~hackneyed, tho treatment
is very fine. Thomas Moran did not
feel ashamed to compete eve for the
third pixie (S30O) aud his genius has
depicted a bird s-eye-view OF u star-&
town. Over il hOvers ali angel with -
torch strongly coptra,te& against tho
dark-blue sky. Fred Dielman re- oeived
5000 FOR the fourth pIine card and he
has thereon portrayed our beautiful
faces Of childhood. They ara distinct
IN their types of loneliness and are.
beautifully drawn. The whole is snr-
rounded with = wreath OF holly.
Each one of these, cards il so 5sauti-
fui that one wonders upon what basis
tae prizes were apportioned. Another
2ard-the Boston cards worthy of
mention. IL shows n little girl, n boy,
and a young LADY before a ourtain. az
if bowling to Al audience. The posing
and expressions arc excellent. Each
card has its poem, Mrs. Cs'ia Thaxtcr,
Mrs. Forman. Mrs. Dcland, and .Joa-
quin Miller being the chief contribu-
tors.
Then, there is a mighty iino of saNW
prints, beautiful in design and rich in
mounting, the cost of which runs far
up into the dollars. Then. too, there
are many designs upon limitations Of
satinwood, walnut, white birch bark,
and bird's-eye maple. Plush, velvet
and satin are Also fraalv ucpd Sat,ar-