Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-02-11

: F
minute. These comics have come to be an i'm,
portant feature OF the modern celebration OF st.
Valentines day. Some people call them horrible
distortions of clodhopper humor; but that de-
ponds on the condition Of development of the
recipients funny, bone. II he's tcklish, he will
most likely smile and let 1t go at that II he
n doesn't, you have found man without a saving
sense of humor. lsFST
Watch papa when he gets his on ST. Valentines
eve. II he Just grins and makes some remark to
. the effect that the manufacturer Of the valentine
Is certainly up-todate In placing his cartcatured
figure in an aeroplane. you may be sure he's a
pretty good sort OF a papa who believes In boys
wearing their stockings out at the knee. But II he
q doesn't, II instead he makes a wry face and wryer
remarks anent the unwholesome influence of such
hideous atrocities upon the juvenile mind; he
isn't-well-it might not hurt him to be reminded
of the days when he kid himself The real,
good natured. beloved papa isn't apt to mind in
the least being labeled by the multicoored carica-
ture pushed under the door Merry Nat"
Grim Old Money Bags. or Walking Jewelry
Store" He just grins and sort Of says to himself
with lump in his throat, Well guess boys will
be boys" p
And Sister Lu? It isn't altogether a pleasant
occasion for her, the receipt Of a comic portray
ing her as vain vixen who spends most OF the
day and a good part Of the evening admiring her
. self in her mirror. It's trhe trying on ones
dignity. Maidens in the popular romances of the
day never have unpleasant experiences Of that
sort-or, at least II they do the author forgets TO
mention them.
But how different 1t is when really, truly
Il valentine arrives Sister Lu is all smiles and ex-
b element Who could it have come from? Stop
that, you Jane 1t isn't yours at all, and you have
no business opening 1t. Ny how beautiful-how
!. b-e-a-u-t.if-ul Violets Um-um! Aren't they
fragrant" at&
~ Papa and mamma are called In 20 what
gorgeous valentine Lu has received. Pa makes
some remarks about being willing to venture
guess as to the identity of the sender, with the
added insituation that the 81 the yiolets cost
might help some, at least, in furnishing apart
( ment. But ma just smiles and is pleased. 4.
Il know who It's from! know who it's FRONT"
cries little Jane, dancing up and down and teas
ing her sister, with one chubby little forefnger
working diligently back and forth in "Pshaw! Z,
For shame!" fashion upon the other.
Sister Lu makes great show of trying to
think who in the world could have sent them.
And she appeals to mamma for her opinion In the
matter Yes, mamma agrees, 1t might have been
Alfred, it might have been VIII, or it might
have been any one of dozen other young men
she knows. But Tom? Why. Toms name is the
very last Of all mentioned, though both she and
mamma know perfectly well the violets came
from him. Humph Little Jane knew 1t was
Tom right away!
Just as this moment. perhaps the young hope
full Of the family comes stamping In. He is a
sieht! His stockings and trousers dirtstain-
ed, where he evidently fell down, his hair is all