Telegram-herald., 1888-02-15

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nzors sA<s aozsls4 oy nazs1ses sklcs lave
bss1 s.zs - .z sSs~<ra xgn- fss skll sad
kAor repaired II kes<las rseey Ter market
al tAoss 2issvss, wkica oozns un4xr 10
general kssd II ss1sstlzes. i 1sr greater
tnaa tks Ia }ority Il psapls is,4xias TasFs
are 6vs w Sax large establishments is tAs
In1lsd S1a1os wh..ss soie szs1sss< a = 30 pre-
p4re Ckristn.ss. New Years. Easter ass
Nzls1tsus 54y ezrCiS. snc tAsy nuIlabe4 aaoag
thar p4ia llst soaae 1900 pzxs-sns rzngisg
froaa tas BEckers Il t.s wAoicsSle orders,
Y.stsrs. &c, ap - ths artis,s wAo dssiga ths
oftxa very essEt1tal pictures shich sdorn
t.le cards.
The valentine % few years aEo vas q
cheap aad tsn<irv affair. uscally rskressnt-
Ing hearts trsnsdKed BY enormous d2rts,
Cap.ds sal baross, red checked giris ia ira-
rcss.ble gsrdsns, surrounded vita Lace pcper
sad bearing some dosgerel which makes lre-
eusus APPEAL to TIE musss for The lnsplraI soa
they seldom lad voachsa1ed taen From
those silly and ssrish thiags 10 the beautifGl
aud artistic productions OF to-day the eFolu-
tion has been slow, but now valentine IS a
thing Of beauty in an artistic sanse, and Is
also often mounted and prepared il samp
ruoos style.
A handsome valectine Is now painted on
satin, or printed from the lithographic plates
Of these houses and decorated with delicate
silk fringe, tiny bows Of ribbon, or perhaps
silver or gold cord and tassels. Then they
are laid ia box wrapped ia soft cotton aud
sent TO the proud recipient
Aside from these lovely and artistic valen-
tines il is quite permissible 70 send pretty
gift u not very great value, together with u
bunch OF flowers as n valentine. The lace
perforated paper envelopes and fiaring colored
efforts in the way of Cupids and such cherubs
are now bought but by little school boys, or
some poor coachman whose artistic sense is
scarcely developed, 10 send to his Dulcinea Of
the basement floor, who thinks 1t lovely, OF
course.
The arrival Of the postman in the morning
Is always an event, vhero there are any
young ladies in the house, and yet Bridget is
at the door before them, and it is more rare
for her 10 miss getting one, than for the
young ladies, for the fashion Ia slowly but
surely diminishing among those called tho
better class, apparently because they arc
trying to stamp out such silly things IS son
/ timent.
| Tho comic valentine is vulgar and low, and
| Yet tho supply OF them is sufficient proof that
| there is demand, and that there sro many
sent each year They are sont from motives
I of petty malice and viciousness, as well as
/ from an idea that it is cunning TO send a
pictorial honor to some one Gs a practical
! joke or as personal ins1lt, secure in their
/ incognita. Comic valentines ususlly are Of
the coarsess, most exaggerated burlcsqre
upon wnatover they wish TO asSail, and have
verse below as witless and vulgar as the
1orid picture above it.
If the person who receives ono OF these so
called comic valentines conld but know who
sent it, it would not hurt their feelings in the
least for a person capable of such a thing il
not to be either feared or respected: but uIl-
| fortunately the recipient often thinks it came
from an entirely different source, and carries
wounded heart or prids for many days
thereafter. Indeed, st. Valentines Day has
sadly degenera:ed from its original intention,
and more's the pity, particularly in this
country.
In England, however, it Is very generally
observed, and though their finest valentines
cannot compare with our first class ones, the
sending OF them is not confined TO lovers, but
members of families, and they are all salts
fed. The little girl or boy away from home
at school gets them, and the fathers and
mothers receive them and there is much ten
der feeling over it all; and then the BIG
brothers and sisters get some which usually
are the themes Of many pleasant thoughts
and long after the day has past they are
treasured dearly.