The Washington times., 1903-02-12
A NEW VALENTINE.
Whistling Postals Of Ingenious Make
Add Bulk to Mails.

"hlSJlnS fOStdlS OF ingenious Make
Add Bulk to Mails.
The ever ingenious German has a new
valentine wrinkle which has not as get
made its way into the commercial strata
on this side of the water. Only the for
tunate shopper at first hand in Ham
burg or Bremen has brought back with
him the quaint and curious "whistling
postal that has lately been creating
some CONSERVATION among the unini-
tiated I'm the sea post service.
The 'whistling postal" is rather a new
thing under the sun and still a high
priced one. The simplest and cheapest
are so and 60 pfennigs. and the more
elaborate double that amount. In con
struction they are like "a double postal
card. glued securely about the edges.
one side blank for address and postage
and the other yariOusly decorated, while
between the two outer surfaces are
placed one or several sweet toned whis-
ties. The slightest pressure makes a
sound
One whose reverse surface shows a
flock OF birds trills and MARBLES between
the fingers like the little feathered folk
themselves Another bearing a rooster.
has a hoarse. crowlike whistle. and one.
deeper toned still. carries a dog. with
the German inscription. Squeeze me
twice and I'll boWwOw-' IF you squeeze
me I'll say papa is on another. with a
chubby checked, tow haired baby aboy @
n, and a Ions train OF cars adorns stnl
another variety with a bon voyage
inscription.
There are MANY other designs. such as
bleeding hearts. which are supposed 20
groan and cry through these iugeniously
placed whistles, and doves that COO and
cupids which plead, all Of which are
valentine specials. Then there are The
burlesQue sorts, after the fashion OF The
comic valentine rampant on this side.
The late Homecoming and delinquent
husband IS given in realistic manner by
means of the ubiquitous whistle. and
every malady and megTim of man or
maid is somehow CaTiCatUrcd IN this
noisy little novelty.
There are. OF course, some dainty and
artistic varieties. but these are in the
minority. as the Germans use them prin-
cipally as Jokes. Though called pOstals.
they require the full letter postage OF
20 pfeuniEs and since their appearance
in the market they have perccptibly in
creased the bulk OF American bound
postal matter. Each is like a little
package in itself and so stoutIy made
that Il resists all efforts to press il into
smaller compass. whistling its protests
most persistently. a green sea post
clerk was much alarmed when first IeT.
in charge Of mail pouch cOntaininI
these audible little articles. He spranr
I'D hastily from the leather bag on which
he had taken his seat and looked about
in alarm for the source Of the strange
sounds. The senior clerk preserved q
discreet and sober silence and tho
"greeny'' began 10 doubt the evidence a
his senses. lie next tried the pressure
OF his foot upon his mysterious charge
/ why. the things alive. or I'm crazy. Of
] no erfa al e. az urb fcf hot
greeted his kick And nothing would
DO but he must hear the whole story and
walk down Jungfernsteig. the Broadwaj
of Hamburg. to purchase for himself
/ some Of these "pasteboard canariCs" foI
/ valentine purposes here at home