The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-02-13
i, j. + 1. + + j + i + + J. + 1
+ NEWS, VIEWS AND GOSSIP OF 1
+ NEW YORK. !
NEW YORK.
BY Glenn Guernsey.


NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-"Roses are
and so are you"
Such saccharine sentiments, slight
ly changed to meet modern condi ions
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 glow
ing 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. VAL
entine, in the annual visitation of his
tender spirit, supplies the incentive
for a million fond recollections that
otherwise would sleep soundly in the
cemetery Of memory. From the limbo
of the subconscious mind stalk the
ghosts of millions of dead loves, clad
in cerements of filmy lace embellished
with hearts.
That the rising generation of New
Workers is not last to sentiment is
abundantly proven by the throngs that
today surround the counters where are
on the shrine of ST. Valentine The
swollen mail bags and the heavy bur-
dens of the letter carriers also tell their
story 1t is a safe representation that
many thousands of maidenly hearts
will be a flutter tomorrow with the joy
that comes of pro;estation and a
promise half-revealed and half-con-
cealed in the flowery versification at
fected by ST. Valentine.
While the day of st. Valentine, the
able ally of the pagan Cupid, is es-
pecially festival for the young, there
are many to be found among his de-
voices who are gray of hair and fat OF
paunch and years. Shame-faced bust
ness men and financiers, whose lives
are devoted to a quest of dollars ana
who would not be suspected for mo-
ment of any emotion resembling ten
der sentiment, are mingling today with
the callow devotees of the good saint
at the valentine counters of the depart
rment stores, the stationers, jewelers.
and florists.
The valentine counters this year are
Indicative of change in artistic stand
ards that speaks well for the esthet1c
and sentimental growth of the people.
Those pic ,orial 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 ''humor-
Gus" post card. the latter are lacking
in the extreme vulgarity that was the
distinguishing mark Of the old com
les" Dealers say that there is no de-
i aY1 af11rn
with their disgusting doggerel in amy
part of the country, and the valentine
printers have ceased to make them
Some of the valentines on sale to-
day are more expensive than any ever
before produced. Heart-shaped bon
bon and jewel boxes, inlaid with pre-
cious stones and costing hundreds OF
dollars. are among the offerings. Many
novel and expensive designs are offered
by jewellers and silversmiths to glad
den the hearts of the recipients. The
stationer no longer has monopoly
of the valentine business, and in New
York the paper-lace creations are de-
cidedly out of style. except among
the poorer classes Floral valentines,
made of roses, carnations viOle's 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
ness. The confectioners have entered
the field with elaborate valentine-llke
boxes filed with choicest bon-bons'
and thousands of youngsters will re-
verse the old rule ard attempt to reach
the hearts of their best girls by "
the palate Books are increasingly pop
ular as ST. Valentine tributes. and New
York publishing houses have brought
out many volumes of sentiment
verse especially suitable to the occa-
sion.
The annual ST. Valentines kettle
drum entertainment will be held at
Sherry's this evening, and many other
social affairs in which high society will