The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-02-07

toused-and his hands and face uanswer-
able testimony to the fact that the rising genera
ton occasionally gets back to Mother Earth even
in the private city streets pessimists to the con-
trary. notwithstanding. He has been having
great time. ST. Valentines night is almost
much fun Halloween! Valentines? Sure, he's
been giving valentnes-but they aren't exactly
the kind Sister Lu even little Jane received.
He's presented the almondeyed Celestial down
at the corner with most touching reminder of
how he looks when he irons shrt-and he had
thrilling, hair breadth escape from the aforesaid
washee washee, who couldn't 1t joke at
all. Pshaw, Chinaman never could run anyway
Then there was old Peanut Caruse. who kept the
fruit stand on the opposite corner. Poor, ex-
citable old Dago II there hadn't have been quite
many little American devils in the gang he
might have run one OF them down and gotten his
revenge. But, II he did what would become OF
his peanuts and his smooth sleekly-polished ap-
pies in the meantime, with all those other little
pests swarmng around and yelling like Comanche
Indians?
And grandma and grandpa They sit quietly
by in their big armchars and smile compacently
at the enthus iasm OF the youngsters. In their
hearts memories of other st. Valentines
eves-'way back in other days in the dim and dis
tant past, when they both were young and the
fever Of love beat strong in their breasts There
are valentines for them now for they old
and gray and their course of life is almost rum
and somehow, st. Valentines day is day for the
young. But wait. What is that grandma's
lap? Can 1t be? Yes-it is-its valentine!
Grandpa has remembered! 1t is not of those
gaudly- painted modern of elaborate manu-
facture; no. but old-fashioned of many
layers of carved and curly-cued paper framing
tiny picture OF the Madonna and bearing the
simple message: BE my valentine" 1t is the
kind grandma knew and learned to love long
years ago when grandpa. then fine young
dandy as was to be found in all the country
round, came sparkling her. She smiles happily
and mods across at the old man, who understands
all that she feels-and remembers.
In the morning the mail loaded
down with more valentines Indeed it seems just
like another Christmas to little Jane, when she
beholds his pouch full to Overlooking. But he
can't see 1t in that light at all, or In any other
light except that he has been Juggling that blamed
old pouch for ten squares, leaving something at
almost every door. and the darned old thing is
heavier than when he first started out with it
Christmas is bad enough, and the people who
made these fool holiday stunts ought to be salts
fed with plagueing mail men year; but
instead. they don't give him time to from
the Christmas avalanche Of mail before they jam
all this crazy Valentine foolishness down his
throat. After that pouch has gotten to
spectacle, convenient size-so that it feels
like mail pouch and less like ton OF coal
the mail man may appreciate the sentimental side
of the day. He may recall the flushed. eager
faces that fairly hurled themselves almost
through the door in their eagerness to snatch the
mysterious letters from his hands, He may
call his boyhood when he himself both gave
and received valentines with childish glee and
couldn't understand why in the world this of
all mornings the mail late. If he
smiles good naturcdy and remembers that every
task however onerous it may be has its
ward when viewed In the right light
Watch your newspapers ST Valentines day
for particular news item-eloping couples
who chose the day because it is especially Cupids.
Some years they many in number, and some
times but few and far between But there is al
ways a halfdozen at least. Cupid sees to that
himself And to the lovers themselves, 1t is .
day OF all days. for each gives himself the other
really truly valentine for life