The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-12-30
The New Years Gard
How 1t Began and the Many
Processes II Went Through.

What an ordinary, uninteresting item
In our social life is the modern visiting
cardi But this was not always so,
though it has barely been in existence
$50 years. 1t OWED it's orr n to the
custom of writing the name or some
times a message on the ack of a play
ing card. says a writer In the Wash
.ngton Post. Occasionally one par
ticular card was chosen with intent,
and the duchess of Dorset received an
apt epigram in return for one she sent
TO a well known clergyman. The
verses end as follows: You sent me
}en hearts, the tithes only mine. SO
give me one heart and burn t'other
nine"
Toward the end OF the last century
the visiting cards of the upper classes
We're %yeritable works of art, and by
their means many most interesting
types of engraving suryive They were
of varying size, but the majority not
larger Than about two and a half inches
by two inches, while today those used
by gentlemen are two inches by one
and a half inches and by ladies four
inches by two and a half inches. There
were many square ones used about
1880 to 1890. One belonging to an Eng
lish society leader of a century
dates from Hole street, Cavendish
square, n spot associated with Lord
Byron, 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 1t deserves
to be followed, for 1t would certainly
d to the interest of the cards we
leave to each other If they bore the
semblance of our friends homes as
we'll as their names.
Another example shows that history
repeats itself, for, although issued in
the eighteenth century, the lady was
at home on Monday" as many mod
ish DANES are now. Visiting en- blanc,
as 1t was called-viz., by leaving a card
was a novelty then, and on many
which come from italy "in persona" is
written, showing that they had been
Heft and not sent by a servant
These are the simpler class of cards.
Ia 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 contem-
Lporary duchess, or, rather, according
to the ancient spelling, "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 a party at a palace where the
roof fell in.
Many OF the Tickets as visiting
cards were called In those days. were
iIA6AaNS4 III eICililcCtbAd l Dut!QlIiS5
in Rome, Berlin and elsewhere. and
long in fashion. They were sold in
packets. The names We're frequently
written upon them, and even when
they were printed It was rare that one
particular pattern was kept for any
known Warwickshire family during a
visit TO Rome in 1888 kept, and has
handed down. those left by his ac-
quaintance. 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 we'll
engraved vases, sometimes on CHM
ney pieces. Some are square. with
supporting columns, scrolls and cur
tains: some display festoons of flow
ers and a variety of animals.
The cognomens of naval officers
emerge from the midst of spikes, an
chors, ropes, flags and other naval in
signia. while military officers appear
surrounded by helmets, cannon, tents
and soldiers. Artists figure amid pal
cites, brushes and other adjuncts of
their art, mostly accompanied by a
graceful female form, and every kind
IT musical instrument has been called
into play-lyreS, harps. trumpets and
iiarpsfchords-for musicians. Birds OF
many kinds hold scrolls bearing the
names in their books, ar they are
written on their breasts or outstretched
wings. Animals often play a double
part. The name OF Hare, for example,
Is represented as a rebus by hat little
nnimaf running at full speed, while a
goat figured on the fashionable designs
OF 17S5. Archery, agriculture and sport
generally left their impress on the yis-
iting card.
About 1916 pure white cards with en-
"a y~1rerJ tn-rJ a,y q ,1I Ia t.rra am lencCalN Iot-
terings were the prevalent mode. His
tory again repeats itself-the daugh-
tiers name appeared then with her
mothers, as 1t does now. How many
OF the titles then extant have died out!
1T very often happened that the 1ady's
cards and the g~entIeman's were of the
same size, blu not always.
FOL her etfcket" the Duchess OF Leeds
fn51764 favored a very pretty engraving
of a Chinese figure looking over a low
doorway, with an Anglicized pagoda at
the side. On another card bearing a
famous lords name figures a powerful
engraving of the sphinx with the
Egyptian pyramids in the rea
Many a great dame of those days had
her name on her visiting card sur
rounded by q framework held by Cu-
pids. These were far prettier than the
sonlber looking cards covered with
close set, engraved, horizontal Ines and
a very deep border Monograms and
~coronets figured on some OF them and
have left to posterity fine specimens OF
steel engraving. but the most elaborate
of heraldic cards were generally for
eIgn. and some or the foreign embas-
sizes employed coIored crests occasions
ally introduced in the center.
SYLVESTER ABEND..
"A Pretty Custom Observed ia Berlin Oh
New Years Eve.
It was with much pleasant anticipa-