The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 19, 1903, Page 14

Miss Grommna Horkins. A “trr Ty Pose by Miss Marion George. Photo by Stanford Studio. .’N:u;‘u;r Srneval B 5 atnag. Cards From H. 8. Crocker Co., A. M. Bobertson, Cooper & Co. and Dodge Stationery Company. — ¥ HE bit of pasteboard 1s a trifle, per- haps, but it is one of the most sig- nincant trifles In this complex world, where the knot of a tie or the size of a pompadour may testl- £y to the wearer’s social status. The calling card may seem even less than either of these, but it tells far more. Wouldn't our ancestors back in the days of primeval man have thought us & strange race if they could have known that we were to be judged by three-inch scrap of pasteboare only a nam times a day. is engraved? And yet, a ali, how simple a diploma three card Is, certifying to o of the forms correct. The hostess who sits down In the hush following the 7 o'clock diminishing clat- ter of good-bys at the end of her tea can read a good deal of social law as she runs over the contents of silver tray heaping since ¢ o'clock in tler's hand. re is the married woman's card. It 1s always a trifle over three inches long and a trifle over two Inches wide. Some are larger. Mrs. Hobart uses s card three and a half by almost two and & half. Mrs. Henry Crocker does also. Mrs. Hugh Tevis has a card that is only three by two, no larger than an unmarried wo- man's It is fashionable to engrave the mar- rled name In full, as “Mrs. Josephine Badoc Tobin” and “Mrs. Henry Edwards Huntington.” This, however, depends somewhat on a husband's choice, and it he has always been in the habit of writ- ing his name with initials he usually pre- fers that his wife should follow suit. Both initlals are sometimes written, as “Mrs. S. G. Murphy,” or the middle inital, ‘as “Mrs Willlam H. Crocker.” Mrs Crocker, by the way, has no period after the abbreviation “Mrs.” This 1s modern and smart. The head of a family often uses only the surname, as “Mrs. Hobart.,” but this is not advisable unless the name is un- common. When the address is engraved on the eard it appears in the lower right-hand corner; the day at home in the left. A card may have either, both or neither. Mrs. Henry T. Beott has a card giving her Burlingame address in the right, her Ban Francisco address In the left corner. If one lives on & street corner it Is sofirter to write out that statement as, “Laguna and Washington streets, north- west corner,” instead of the simple house number. If the card is to be used while you are away from home it is good form to engrave merely “San Francisco” for the address. A card uséd in making farewell calls has “P. P. C.” In the left corner. This s an abbreviation of the French form, “Pour prendre conger,” or “To take leave.” A widow's card shows her own Chris- tian name Instead of her husband's. Thus, “Mrs. Jane Stanford” would be according to custom. although Mrs. Stanford Is in the habft of signing herself “Mrs. Leland Stanford.” The width of t. > mourning border is a matter of personal taste. Sometimes it 1s almost & third of an inch wide; sometimes hardly more than a black line. One item worth noting is that many of the newest plates have no period after the name. This is true of Mrs. Mur- phy's, Mrs. Hobart's, Mrs. Will Crock- er's, Miss Toy's and others. It is a cus- tom gradually creeping Into America, this omitting' of the period when It Is unnec- essary. It 1s omitted after book titles and the like. Two by three has been the conventional size for the young lady’s card, but some of the new ones are larger and it Is sald that they will soon be the same size as a married lady’s. Miss Bertle Bruce has a large card. Another large one was Miss Mary Crocker’s. The same rules for ad- dress and day at home are observed for the gt cards as for mamma's. The eldest unmarried daughter omits hér name, as “Miss Hager.” Young- rs write the name in full, as Genevieve Carolan.” Sometimes sisters use one card and have it engraved thus; {isses Bor Mother and daugh- ter may do the same, as “Mra, C. N. El- lnwood. Miss E vood,” the former name above the latter. Where the moth- er’s name appears the card is as large as her own Another combination card is that ef husband and wife. This is used when they call together or sometimes when the lady pays “duty calls” alone. Leaving this card means “My husband sends hia re- gards” and it usually means alse *“he does hate. to make calls,” This is the longest card of all in some cases. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Crocker and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Whipple Spear use cards al- most four inches long by two wide. The pasteboard used now is very thim and in some cases it has a dull surface like that of kid-finished paper. It must be either dead white or cream to conform to good style. The pink and-blue tints are not approved. A man's card. like his hat, is muoch smaller than a woman's. It is a domino- shaped affalr, seildom more han three by one and a half. The address does not often appear, unless he uges his card in much traveling. In such & case the city’s name appears in thdliright corner and the Chris club’s, It he has one, in'the left; as, “Mr. Peter D. Martin, Pacific. Union Club, San Francisco.” Charles Rollo Peters has his Ban Francisco address In one cornér, his Monterey address in the otaer. Judges, professors and the like leave off thelr signs of honor and become “Mr. Carroll Cook™ or *“Mr. Benjamin Ide Wheeler.” Army and navy men, on the contrary, display all the rank to which they are en- titled and appear. as “Major General Young,” “Captain Frederic Johnston™ or “Arthur MacArthur Junior, Lieutenant United States Army.” Doctors, too, use “Dr.” before their names. Not every young lady or gentleman who enters this world is presented with an en- graved plate and cards upon arrival, but the babies of fashion are. The tiny card engraved with the new name and date of birth is tied by a little rfbbon to the parents’ card, th “Dr. and Mrs. James Ale er Black.,” and attaghed to it “James Ream Black, born December 2, 1900.” Tt would be a mean trick to play on a girl, wouldn't f{t, engraving and spreading broadcast such record of her age? A few years later the young person has another card engraved without the pre- fix, as “Dorothy Helen Jardine.” and thus 1t must ren n until the debut permits *Miss. When a death occurs and many mes- sages of condolence are sent a card of acknowledgment is often issued In this form, “The fam of General W. H. L. Barnes gratefully acknowledges your kind expression of sympathy and con- dolence. San Franelsco.” The card is large and black-bordered Cards issued for special reception days Are exactly 11 any calling card, the day in the left corner. Thus Mrs. McNear has one reading, ‘riday, the ninth of Janu- ary.” 4 The matter of type Is just now se un- settled that hardly any style ecan be wrong. Not long since script was the only possile> form of engraving. Lately old English and Roman types have come into fashion, but many still hold to seript Stationers say. however. that.old Eng- lish s soon to be universal- Those who have had script usually have their new plates In one of the recent styles: thus, “Miss Crockett” In seript became *Mrs. Laurance Irving Scott” in Roman let~ ters. The fad that once existed fo down the corner of a card .m.'nm more than one person is of the past. card for each person called r:mop:-u“: be left. Fashion recognizes no petty economies.