New-York tribune., 1901-02-15
VALENTINES FILL THE POST
THE OLD CUSTOM AS STRONG AS EVER.
WITH MODERN MODES OF
EXPRESSION.

Old customs die but slowly. Some of them have
never died az all yet. Often they are alive long
after they are generally supposed TO be dead NO
body who has enough faculty Of observation TO look
a., ~ sbor windows slpposes that the custom OF
sending valentines is dead. but many suppose that
II is dying and do not hesitate TO proclaim their
Ignorance They think that valentines are little
used because they themselves no longer either sehn
or receive them. In other words. being no longer
Young they think that the world has grown oio-
There used TO be a story in the reading DOCKS
about some little peas in peapod' ana theS were
green and the pod green. ana they 'housh'
that the whole world was green. Ana arter d ui'e
they turned yellow and the rod turned yeho"' ana
they said: The whole world has turned se"o"'
And so these self-contained persons say L nave
not sent valentine received one THESE twenty
years: the world forgotten its pleasant Ola GUS
toms"
What have such persons to say when the superi"-
tendent Of general delivery at the Pos'oii'ce ue-
c1arss that all this month the mails have been eN-
ceptionaIly heavy and that yesterday theH OIoke
the months record? Does that SOUND as IL IT Nai
entine had lost his grip? The superintendent oi
general delivery is not the only man, however VINO
could give an expert opinion. Ask any florist val
entines without words fashionable now anu
they are logical too. For 1t Is ancient traui'ioh
that a valentine should be anonymous anu II Sou
do not know who is talking TO you. what oiierence
does il make what he says? bunch OF Vloie's 0i"
say II just rs we'll stanza printed 'n ~ P'A'
under an embossed heart with dripping blood seen
,broueb window in a paper lace canopy. tied with
blue ribbon.
OR ask the confectioners. Boxes or pohooh9 " ,
another fashion for valentines. They can oe "a'i
a little cheaper than flowers and they DO h"o @ 10
ND In price Just because II is St valentine LAY
as flowers do They put up In hear'
boxes II desired of the color Of blood OF p'e "ue'
II the case has not gone FAR enough TO ~arI'.h' "a"
deeper dye Flowers and bonbons are olessile
70 the swain who Is short of words They zen SO
much and they are so impossible 10 misnnners!si
or course there is the Inconvenience tIlttt a
which may mean anything may also mean noeI III. ;.
t,t thar is irst the state Of mind whlch many q
though words are most excellent al times !"i ~ II
cealng thoughts they are I'm general hot 10 tie
comTared with silence for that purpose, foi 81
lence merely conceals the thought. whie ~oius. % -
In irving to conceal II. are more thah HheS W
Inisrepresent it, - , - ,,o5s
Thus the custom remains with Chanse OF iIi'Ie "i
I2ut me old modes remain, too. You can StI vic
real old paper lace valentines, X YOU want IHeIn'
and you can get the genuine olu 'oiI.Io va. a.
entines II you want them You cannot stt t 1IcIn
M The first class statiOners. but that was hot n,
Won got them when you were cnlld, II YOU WI WI
fake the trouble 10 remember Go 10 the same
kind place whore you went then a!lu S o 49,
find them. and you will be astonished 70 @ lIu nC
cIassicallv vile they still I'm color and tone ana
vet how up-to-date I'm subject. - H.,
And this IS all. There Is reason 10 pelIe Z {
that as many four. and possibly SIX younE mr.. M.
in New-YorlI City wrote genuine love lettetS-Ioe
good ones. but good as they knew no" I" write
Yesterday.