Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-02-13
NEWS, VIEWS, Cos
SIP OF NEW YORK
Interesting Letter From the
Metropolis Of the
New World
IBy Glenn Guernsey.I

ADJ 1Achh GuGfA5EIsl
NEW YORK. Feb. I3.-"Roses are
red and viOIets blue. sugar Is sweet
and so are you"
Such saccharine sentiments. slight
ly changed to meet modern conditions
but still sufficiently redolent Of the
happy memories Of youth and calf
love as to be recognizable, are to be
seen In thousands OF shop windows
today. Their influence is evident in
the glowing faces OF thousands OF
pedestrians. who smile at the display
with all the blase worldly wisdom OF
Manhattanese. and are yet made glad
by the memories the tender messages
invoke. st. Valentine. In the annual
visitation OF his tender spirit. supplies
the incentive for a million OF fond
reeollections that would other
otherwise sleep soundly IN the ceme-
terry OF memory. From the limbo OF
the subconscIous mind stalk the
ghosts OF millions Of dead loves, clad
in cerements Of nlmy lace. embeI-
lished with hearts.
That the rising generation OF New
Workers Is not lost TO sentiment Is
abundantly proven By the throngs
that today surround the counters
where are sold the offerings which
viii be placed on the shrine Of 81.
Valentine. The swollen mail bags
and the heavy burdens OF the letter
carriers also tell their story. II b
safe Representation that many thous-
ands of maidenly hearts will be afiut-
ter tomorrow with the Joy that comes
OF protestation and a promise half
revealed and half concealed In the
fiowery yersIficatlon affected by st.
Valentine.
While the day OF st. Valentine. the
able ally OF the pagan Cupid. is es-
sentially a festival for the young.
there are many to be found among
his devotees who are gray Of hair
and fat OF paunch and years. Shame
faced business men and finaneiers.
whose lives are devoted to the quest
of dollars and who would not be sus-
peeted for a moment OF any emotion
resembling tender sentiment. are
mingling today with the callow de-
voices OF the good saint at the yalen-
tine counters OF the department
stores. the stationers. jewellers and
florists.
The valentine counters this year
are indicative of change in artistic
standards that speaks well for the
esthetie and sentimental growth OF
the people. Those pictorial horrors
Of past years. the comic valentines.
have almost wholly disappeared
from the New York shops. and while
their place is to some extent occupied
by the alleged humorous post card.
the latter are lacking in the extreme
vulgarity that was the distinguishing
mark of the old comics. Dealers
say that there Is no demand for the
indecent earIcatures, with their dis
gushing doggerel. in any part OF the
country, and the valentine printers
have ceased 70 make them.
Some OF the valentines on sale to-
day are more expensive than any ever
before produced. Heart-shaped bon
bon boxes and jewel boxes. inlGid
with precious stones and costing hun
dreds OF dollars. are among the offer
ing Many novel and expensive de-
signs are offered by jewellers and sill
versmIths TO gladden. the hearts of
the recipients. The statiOner no
longer has a monopoly Of the valen-
tine business. and in New York the
paper lace creations are decidedly out
of style. except among the poorer
classes Floral valentines, made OF
roses. carnations, yioiets and other
flowers woven into heart-shaped
wreaths. are extremely popular
among the young men who hope to
make a hit with their lady loves, and
the florists are doing a rushing bust