| Show how it started by JEAN NEWTON YOUR CARD SIR MANY a young swain fearing a not at home has anathema the card that he must send ahead instead of walking right in to the lady of his desire likewise the man who must cool his heels in an anteroom while his nibs the office boy goes off with the bit of pasteboard that will decide his fates and then there Is the debutante who must remember to drop on the card tray at the end of her calls one for bah lady in the family two for three tor that until she Is ready a expire in the arms of a social tary this practice has come down to na from sixteenth century italy then padua wag attended very largely by students from germany with whom it was the custom when left college to pay farewell visits to their professors when these dignitaries were not at home to receive the per bonal token the Biu dents left names on slips of paper though there Is evidence thai tha chinese anciently wrote their names on bits of paper which they left to apprise absent friends of their call ills from the revival of the custom by these students in italy that the use of personal cards was established in europe copyright |
