The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1903-12-31
Tie New Years Card
How Il Bsgp.nzAna the Many
Processes II Went Through.

MHgEN2 II
Processes II Went Though.
What an ordinary, embarrassing item
IN Y sociaiSlife is the modern visiting
card! But this was not always so,
tfouyllssit has barely been In #existence
Eia6a sysars II owed Its nrissn1toNthe7
custom Of Writing the name orssome-
times a message on the back or III play
Ing card, says a Writer III the WASH
Sington Post. Occasionally one par
gticular card was chosen with intent,
and the duchess of Dorset received an
apt epigranli in return for one she sent
stoSa well known Clergyman. The
Verses end as follows: ffYou sent me
ten hearts, the tithes only mine. So
give me one heart and burn tother
5nine.n
Toward the, end OF the last century
the visiting cards OF the upper classes
We're Nerttahia works of art, and by
their means many most interesting
types OF engraving survive. They were
OF varying size. but the majority not
larger than about two and a hall inches
by two Inches, Whilestoday those used
by gentlemen are two inches by one
and a half inches and by ladies four
AAASAASS 0S@lMo GIN ~ ildlI lllCIlGS. &FlI3eTe
We're many square ones used about
1880 to 1890. One belonging to an Eng-
fish society leader OF a century ago
dates from Hole street, Cavendish
SQUARE, a spot associated with Lord
Byrcn. Her husbands card is smaller.
and has a sketch of the family home in
one corner. which still remains In the
possession of their collateral descend
ants. The notion Is SO good it deserves
to be followed. for 1t would certainly
add to the interest OF the cards we
leave to each other if they bore the
senlblance of our friends homes as
well as their ame
Another example shows that history
repeats itself, for, although issued IN
at home on Monday" as many mod
ish DANES are now. Visiting en- blanc.
rs it was called--viz., by leaving a card
was a novelty then, and on many
which Y from Italy Sin persona" Is
written. showing hat they had been
left and not sent by a servant.
These are the simpler, class Of cards.
A vast number of others In use at this
time show the ruling powers in deco
ration. Hundreds of the decorative
designs bear the names of sconten-
porary duchess, or, rather, according
to the ancient spelling, 3"dutchesse'-
ST. Adams, Bolton and Grafton among
the number. The latter. according to
Horace Walpole, saved her life by
playing loo when in Rome, instead Of
going to party at a palace where the
roof fell in.
Many of the .tickets,' as visiting
cards We're called In those days. We're
engraved with architectural buildings
In Rome, Berlin and elsewhere and
liong in fashion. They were sold In
packets. The narnes We're frequently
Il W. 1H ~ ON = M toay,,L ~ q ,,J m rrv1,ovol
lhey We're printed it was rare that one
particular pattern was kept for any
special person. HI head OF a we'll
known Warwickshire family during a
visit to Rome in 1888 kept, and has
handed down, those left by his ac-
lnaintance. On these figure the arch
of Titus, st. Peters, the castle of st.
Angelo and many other lions of Rome.
Not a few of the visiting cards of
This period recall nothing SO much as
The funeral monuments of those days.
Sometimes the names appear on well
engraved vases, sometimes on CHM
hey pieces. Some are square, with
supporting columns, scrolls and cur
~tains; some display festoons of flow
ars and a variety of animals.
The cognomens of naval officers
emerge from the midst of spikes, an
.hors. ropes, flags and other nava in
sigma. while military officers appear
surrounded by helmets, cannon, tents
md soldiers. Artists figure amid pal
cites. brushes and other adjuncts of
sileir art, mostly accompanied by q
graceful female form, and every kind
of musical instrument has been called
Into play-lyres, harps, .trumpets n
aarpsichords-for musicians. Birds Of
many kinds hold scrolls bearing the
Iaames in their books, ar they are
Written on their breasts or outstretched
5Visgs. Animals often play a double
ieart. The name of Hare, for example,
represented as a rebus by that little
snimal running at full speed, while a.
goat figured on the fashionable designs
3f1TS5. Archery, agriculture and sport
generally LEFT their impress on the Wis
ting card.
About 1916 pure white cards with en-
oossed borders and large embossed let
~;elinps were the prevalent mode. His
tory again repeats itself-the daugh-
.er's name appeared then with her
lnother's, as ii does now. How many
If the titles then extant have died out!
IT very often happened that the lady's
ards and the gentleman's were Of the
same size, but not always.
Tor her ticket" the Duchess of Leeds
1864 favored Il very pretty engraving
a Chinese figure looking over a low
doorway, with an Anglicized nasoda at
lie SIDE. on another card bearing a
,mous lords anne figures a powerful
ngraving Of the sphinx, with the
Egyptian pyramids in the rear.
Man q great dame of those days had
ler name Oh her visiting card sur
Founded By q framework held by Gu
bids. There were far prettier than the
soEnber looking cards covered with
lose set, engraved, horizontal lines and
very deep border. Monograms and
enrorets figured on some Of them and
save left 10 posterity fine specimens of
steel engraving, but the most elaborate
81 heraldic cards were generally for
Sign. and some of the foreign embas-
les employed colored crests occasion
AlIy introduced in the center.