Evening star., 1917-02-11

y ~
National Museum, amid unique
and charming costumes of by
S gone days. stands a case full of all
manner of serious things. Among
them there is curious old purse fash
toned entirely of steel beads, a couple
OF odd vases carved from solid ivory,
end with these are old valentines. One
entire corner is remarkably Hshtened
and delightfully."- frivolous with a veri-
table garden of these quaint love tok-
ems of uncertain age.
DIR. Walter Hough, a curator at the
National Museum. under whose super
vision the valentines come, confesses
to a vague recollection of these old
fashioned missives themselves and is
confident that they circulated among
humble folk and were received by no
celebrities. Fifty or sixty years ago
these valentines dutifully assisted Dan
Cupid in doing his work.
Appearances would indicate that they
were cherished over and above many
OF the later day valentines. Father
Time has not left his indelible mark
upon them, except in simple old-fash-
ioned sentiment and quaint adornment.
One valentine which attracts the eye
Immediately, not because of its size, but
because of the vividness of its color
ing, has a conspicuous position near the
edge of the case. In size it is all mod
esty, but in hue it is q startling green.
The entire valentine is of firm paper,
the green portion is strikingly similar
to n bit of moire silk bordered with Il
fanciful floral design of white paper
lace. At the top of the valentine,
where white lace edge joins the deeply
colored paper, neat wreath of gold
flowers serves as special adorIlment. A
corresponding ornament 1 gilt bow
and arrows seals the lower margin.
The center of this valentine really tells
its story and bears its tender message.
There a sofs-eyed. rosy Cupid kneelS
lowering above 4 gilded cage within
which can be seen Il captive heart.
This dainty picture is encircled by
wreath of tiny vari-eolored flowers.
The largest valentine in the collec-
ton is probably six by eight inches. It's
snowy. lacy edge of paper is deep and
irregular. A large circular piece of
bright blue paper occupies more than
the lower half of the valentine. This
patch OF blue is covered with a bit of
delicate white net, which but family
wells two dainty stately hgures-a gem
tleman saluting his naughty lady love.
Beneath her tiny feet is strip of bril-
liant red. The whole serves the pur-
pose of background for winged gold
figure. presumably Cupid, playing with
a swinging rope of flowers. In both
upper corners are smaller circles of
red. against which are silhouetted pa
per figures of snowy white. One of the
figures is undoubtedly that of be-
witch;ng girl: the other bears a strong
resemblance to the gentle lamb. Fes-
tooned between the two smaller circles
are a couple of gold paper doves bear
ing valentine sentiment which Is par
TALLY concealed by a paper lace design.
Among the older valentines is one
with a half-inch margin of fine white
paper lace. half wreath of old-fash-
ioned pOsies with it's ends turned up
ward is charmingly decorative. This
wreath is in color. the slender fronds
Of ferns are painted with great deli
cacy and care. and the flowers have
been painstakingly cut from properly
cotored paper and neatly pasted on the
valentine. A second semicircular
wreath. its ends turned downward, lies
near the bottom of the valentine, the
space between these wreaths being
given to writing which woos with sweet
dattery 1t is addressed to Miss.
Marion Campbell" The poem reads as
The Campbell is coming: ye Gentles beware
For Dan Cupid lies hid in her dark flowing hair,
And her eyes, bright as stars that in mid heaven
roll,
Pierce through frock coat and dickey right into
the soulf
All. ye lips which the coral might envy. ween,