St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-19
VALE VALENTINE.

1t seems that the good oldSfashioned
custom of sending tender valentines has
become thing of the past. except
amongst children. Of course the GUS
tom of sending flowers to your beloved
is very pretty. but nothing can ever
really take the place of the paper val
entines with the silly little pictures
and the silier little verses. There was
time when it was the proper caper for
your devoted admlrer to send you a
gorgeous envelope which caused the
postman to smile-containing piece of
lace paper whereupon was depicted
border Of overgrown hearts sur
rounding a touching center piece
consisting OF two peculiar small
birds pecklng at each others
bills in truly realistic manner. Per
sons not gifted with an extraordinary
knowledge of ornithology would per-
maps mistake them for crows fighting
over worm, although any one with a
spark of romance in their composition
ought instantly to recognize them as
turtle doves. Then there was always
the verse below which explained that
you were cordially invited by the donor
to consider how happy the little turtle
doves looked, and make up your mind to
Try and do likewise. Sometimes, to
make the picture more affecting. the
artist would compel bewinged creature
To hover prolectingly' over the loving
pair; Ignorant people might also have
taken this remarkable insect to he a
huge moth-miller, but true artist
would instantly recognize a cupid.
The turtle doves were all right
for confident lover; but
considerable artists had to make
something more suitable for dispairng
or broken-hearted SWANS. There was a
soul-thrilling sketch of a bleeding
heart, cruelty stabbed throu gh the
center with an arrow made of ivorine :;
presumably fired by the heartless
maiden to whom he returned it, If
possible to work in Il weeping willow OF
two i'll the design, it visibly heightened
the despairing effect, and suggested a
sublime desolation which was simply
heartrending. Would not such pict-
ure of unrequited affection compel any
humane female to either take that cruel
arrow out or give the owner of the
stabbed organ another heart in return?
But, alas! in this practical age
bleeding hearts play little part; we left
such useless appendages with our
grandmOtherS. Instead of n heart the
modern sutton shows his m0neybags.
Most young ladies inquire. "What is
your income. good sir%' although I'M
sophisticated country maldens may
still be found who retain lingering
fondness for romance, and will ask a
man. Are you sure you love me?"
-
will here relate, as solemn warn
ing to all believers in the old style val
entineS, the fate of misguided young
man who sent one to his lady love. 1t
was a very beautiful valentine and
must have cost as much as twenty five
cents, retail, and the verse it contained
was simply sublime! In bright, gold
letters it read, My love, my life, wilt
be my wife?" To add to the effect. lite
appeared in blue print. Now, unfortu-
nately for our young friends peace of
mind, his loved one was twin, and he
addressed the envelope simply Miss
Brown. | suppose he thought the post
man ought instlnctiyely to know for
which Miss Brown valentine would be
intended. Buta lack-a-day! the post
man must have been very dense, for the
wrong twin received it, and when poor
Algernon called for his answer the
aforesaid wrong twin fell OH his new
necktie, wept tears of JOY all over his
collar. and before he could recover from
the shock, he found himself engaged to
the wrong girl, while her pa showered
paternal blessings upon them from the
background. Nothing is left for the
unhappy victim of this mistake, but
marriage or breach OF promise suit. L
have since learned that he is receiving
sealed bids for suicide contract.