Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-04
HARSH valentine
NO LONGER VOGUE
Old Time Comics Replaced by
Those Witty and Senti-
mental Kind.
REMEMBER HOW THEY HURT
"Roasts" from Unknown Friends
Now Thing of Past-Designers
Aim at Higher Standards.

With Valentine day almost two
weeks away, the little missives of cupid
are already appearing in the shop
windows and the indications are that
the 1910 Valentine day will be me-
morable by reason of the almost total
absence of the one-time popular
comic" valentine. with caricature
and verse of poor wit, but containing
/ the criticisms that hurt.
/ The comic valentine is with us yet
and bids fair to remain in demand
( for some years to come, but it is Of
different and better form and it's
sting has been largely eliminated.
Almost anyone can accept the jokes
supposed to be embodied in them OIL
, follow the implied suggestion with
out feeling hurt or getting mad abou
/ it.
/ In former years it has not always
/ been SO. The attempt of the design
ers of the penny comics seems to be
to hit the hardest blow at personal
characteristics.
Anything But Love Tokens.
Far from being a token of love. the
comic valentine become tokens of
hate and many little girl who has
chung to the idea that her hair was
auburn, has gone home heartbrOkeI
from school or postoffice with two
or three horrible caricatures under
which We're verses warning her of
tbs possibility Of setting the house
afirc. Many a boy, discouraged by
his studies. has been unable to see
anything funny in a missive that
called Iim " a brainless idiot" and
has attempted 20 discover who sent
it and reply in k.ud Sometimes IT,
recipient has heartily laughed. hat
cherished a secret resentment nat
ur;l and justitiacle under he CIR
cru Stances, for most comics wore IN
tended as 'roasts" and accomplished
their purpose, although their shafts
had no application to the ones re-
ceiving them. AS breeders of trou-
bic tEey were almost perfectly eff
ficient.
Old Order Changed.
The older order is now changed.
and it is safe to say no dealer viii
make much profit off his comics this
year, nor order large consignment
next. The ones that sell for the
price of the old are in the form of
post cards, and are limitless in va
riety, but on the whole of a much
higher standard. Old maids, bache.
lOrs, cigarette fiend. the mannish wo-
man, now called the "suffragette,'
the college rah-rah boy, the dude.
and those of both sexes fond of fine
clothes, have not been forgotten by
the designers. but there is little that
could give offense. Other more ex
pensive valentines of the comic or.
der are intended to be cute and novel
rather than funny. Among the best
of these are those on a string, work
ed like jumping jacks or designed so
that the figure climbs toward a heart
on one end, when the string is pulled
Run to Fancy Product.
The expensive lace paper affairs
that have carried so much love in the
past also seem to be suffering a de.
cline in popularity, and yet store
windows are full as ever of valen-
tines. The new valentines run more
TO fancy products of the Autograph
ers' art and some even attempt to
be useful and would not look greatly
out of place when hung on the wall
of room. Monstrosities of taste in
silk, flying cupids, pierced hearts,
lace paper and tinse1 are still offered,
but they are in the minority