Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-14
DAY FOR GENTLE nISSIVES
TrsditisA Says St, Valentine Ssori6O,d Eis
Life fer Cupid.
HENCE HIS BIRTHDAY is FoR LOVERS
Some of the Messages that Go To-day
Are called "Mushy," while Others
Are Supposed 60 ne
Funny.

This is the day when even some very old
and dignihed men act a little foolish about
things Of the heart and are forgiven be-
cause so many other people are acting
pretty much the same way.
Tradition furnishes the present Genera
tion With all manner OF tales about 81.
Valentine, the anniversary Of whose birth
day this is supposed to be. but the prettiest
is 10 the effect that as a priest he mar
rled, ct the cost Of his life, all those
betrothed at the time the old Roman em-
peror, Claudius. placed a years ban on
marriage because an inamorata OF his own
had deserted him. st. Valentine. the
story goes, was thrown into prison and be-
headed for his defiance OF the tyrant's
mandate. but mis- heart continued to beat
forever, and those for whom he had made
the sacrifice met on his birthday each year
thereafter to exchange love tokens. which
In most Instances were in the form Of
hearts. In S~hakespeare's time there be-
came prevalent, too. the belief that the
birds Of the SUMMER zones mated on that
day, the male feeding the mate OF HE
choice from his bill.
The mating custom went into decline
some years ago. after long popularity. but
the Valentine hearts seem not only to be
as much In favor as ever. but 10 be really
increasing In their popularity.
The missives now exchanged are said TO
be OF more artistic conception, too. The
comic valentine is In demand by only the
children and q few people with yellow
Journal notions Of illustrated fun, while a
principal Omaha bookstore ordered hun
dreds OF dollars worth OF the pretty cards
this year, but not one of the comics. ex-
planning that the demand for the latter has
grown so small that II doesn't pay to carry
them in stock.
The young man who is very, very cor
rect today and right up to the minute sends
the girl of his heart a box or design OF
roses or violets-no other flowers are
quite so appropriate-wrapped in wall pa
per OF the most flaming design obtainable.
Or. II It is not flowers. It Is CONNECTION.
which this year is displayed In more elab-
crate and diversified forms than ever be-
fore. And, II not that, IL lie a gold heart
with some dainty chasing on its exterior.
Cupid, OF course, appears everywhere
and on everything, for Cupid Is emblem
attic OF love and love is king, at least for
the day. A man who had never married
and was sour because he hadn't complained
to a saleswoman yesterday afternoon as he
glanced over the display counters under
her charge in a local bookstore that there
is too much love in valentines" He said
they were 'mushy' and made him tired
BIT that is what Valentine day is for
the girl answered promptly. You can't
Inc anything else but love TO inspire
them"
The cards on her counters bore out her
claim. They were in all sizes, but always
with the heart design in evidence, even to
the coiors, which were heart red. violet or
bird -egg blue. The old style comics were
replaced with some really clever poster
conceits, In which there we're funnyisms
Of more delicate wording. The verses ap-
piled to things which are modern. as, for
instance, this one, lettered in gold under
the figure Of a golf girl:
They tell me you're daily on golf
And at love and the like, miss, you scolf
But some day a laddte
Called Cupid will "caddie,"
And a different tune you'll roll OFF"
Those who would complain OF the meter
should remember that this is Valentine
day when all things are to be forgiven 1
they have approximately the right senti
ment.
The more seriously sentimental kind Il
illustrated by the following, which tn
complaining customer had In his hand wher
he told the saleswoman they we're too soft
what can / give thee, what can ! sa.I
To prove how I love thee, this Valentine
I'll give thee my heart then at least tho'
There's nothing within st, hearts dearest
but thee"
This F.. Marion Crawford variety of goo
gooing is for only the extreme cases, Blu
as there are always a considerable numbe
OF extreme cases' waiting for an excuse {
express themselves the demand for thi
kind Of valentine IL greater than som
people who have been married long enoug
to become acquainted with the real thin
might suppose.
The bookstores and department stores an
posey emporiums report that the sale O
valentine offerings this year is larger tina
ever before, and the mail man. the expires
companies and the messenger ofhces conhrr
the report.
In many OF the rooms OF the publ
schools today there will be special v~alentin
boxes, In which the children will mail thel
gifts during the day and from which Their
will be a general drawing Just before schos
dismisses this evening. II IL this that al
fords the boy OF the school HE only oppor
tunity TO get even with the teacher" an
the good little girl who sits in the bac
seat and always has a 'visitors' day" hal
|, Of propriety about her, her only opportur
! ity to let the powers that be know how Ia
/, comparably sweet she thinks them.
! gives them an opportunity. too. 10 let oths
little boys and girls have an inkling OF III
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