The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-11-10

orsnces Of Colonna. have also known
Of an old French nobleman. Count
viliers Of l'Iste Adam. who had In
pcribed ON his visiting cards: 'Candidas
. La Succession des Rois dc Chypre OF
Jerusalem" candidate Tor tho Success
sion Of the kings of Cyprus and Of Jeru-
salem), WIFI g the cards of another equal
" well-known French count announced
him to be the brother Of Gen. de @,
who was killed at the siege Of Sebasto-
pol. In Germany, too, many OF tho
especially those Of new Gro
alton whose genealogical tree is Of
mushroom growth, arc accustomed to
adorn their visiting cards with moro or
less elaborate representations OF their
coats of arms. All this II bad form
and carefully avoided by weli-bred men
the world over. Visiting cards are
meant for use among friends and ac-
qnaintanccs who are supposed to be 40
quainted with all tho claims to distine-
ton as regards both birth and rank Of
tho owner Of the pasteboard To mem
ton them ON the card Is an act OF self
assertion bordering on discomtesy, ince
It implies that tho proprietor Of the
card considers that tho recipient there
of requires to DO reminded Of his social
eminence and rank.
Ono Of tho most unpsrdonAble pieces
Of rudeness which, I regret TO say, II
becoming moro and moro frequent, u
that Of sending visiting cards by mali
There is only one case In which this h
admissible, namely, when the owner Of
the card leaves locality 20 suddenly
that he has not had time to mako his
farewell calls In person In that event
his visiting cards, bearing the letters P.
P. c. in the leftrhsnd corner, may con-
vey his adieus and tho announcement Of
his departure But except under such
circumstances a. these tho sending OF
cards by post is exceedingly discourse
Gus, implying that the recipient Is not
worthy Of the trouble Of being called
upon in person
The P. P. @ In tho lower left-hand
corner Of tho card stands for tho French
words, pour prem dre congo Ito take
leave). When tho card is sent by mail
under the circumstances above described
these mystic letters should be written
in Ink, and In pencil when tho paste
board is left IN person. Other abbrevia-
tons of tho same character admitted
by social usage sre the letters P. r..
standing for pour feliciter" Ito con-
gratulate), while P. c. Is meant for
pour condoler" Ito console). When,
however, tho owner Of the card calls to
inquire At tho house where there is sick
ness, tho ponciled wordM ITO inquire
are written out In full
There arc many theories in existence
with regard to the practice Of turning
down tho corner Of tho cards. The
rule most generally accepted, and the
one which is in vogue In tho diplomatic
service throughout tho world, Is that
the card should be turned down at the
upper left-hand corner, whom tho call is
made in person, and the recipient Is
not at homo. 1t indicates that tho call
has been made in person. When, how
ever, tho call is not made In person, and
the card is left, either by ones wife OF
some other relative or friend, It must
not be cornered.
One Of the must amusing cases Of the
punctiliousness with which this rule Is
observed in Europe is that of an old
Spanish gentleman who went to pay his
devotions at the shrine of saint, but
discovered that the church was under
going repairs and that there was nc
priest officiating at the altar. Unwill-
ing to lose credit for his devout inten-
tions, he drew visiting card from his
pocket and, carefully turning down the
corner, reverently deposited it on the
altar. DAVID WECHsLER.