The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1919-02-13

insult. Maids and bachelors, widows
and widowers all looked eagerly fol-
the postmail on st. Valentines day.
1t is these mid-century English val
entines that have in the past few years
caught the fancy of collectors of the
old missives, as readers of a chap
ter on "a Box of Old Valentines
in Virginia Robes 1.-THE Quest of the
Quaint" may have noted. In Cincinnati
Frank II. Bear has formed a collection
of valentines that is internationally
famous, with upward of 1000 speci'
mems, representing such makers as
Kershaw, Marks, Dobbs, Martin, Gilks,
Peck, King, Richardson, Hughes,
Bysh, Hodgson, Kidwell, Tegg, Dean,
Bailey, Harrison and others of Lon
don; Lloyd of Edinburgh, Leleux Of
Calais and Riedel of Nurnberg.
Churches and towers rise in the
background of many of these Febru-
airy romances. In one, at least, is
sued over the name of "a. Park, Lon
don," the village church is all the pic
ture-just fine, substantial late
Gothic structure quite literally de-
picted. To the receptive maiden it
must have come as a rather common
place if apparent symbol of her suit
or's hope for early nuptials. Seem.
ingly he might have sent something
with little more of the color of love.
However, probably he knew the tenn
permanent of the lady.
The Message Revealed.
Just the bare church and it imper-
feet, for that flap over against the
southern aisle has not been properly
pasted down. "Why, look, it was in
tended to be lifted" You raise it, the
loose cardboard, and behold, you are
looking into the warmly lighted
church interior where a pretty we'd
ding, just like the one we hope to
have, is in progress. Was there ever
a sweeter conceit? To match the senti-
ment of the picture these dainty lines ::
les, mere At last young rove ana L
The Gordian knot of love shall tie.
And throbbing thus, my bosom swells,
To listen to the marriage bells.
Oh! hasten fond one-haste to me,
In thine own truth and constancy.
Concerning the maker of this church
wedding valentine, and of many others
which are much sought after by col
lectors, Miss ROBBIE has gathered bit
of information. He was located at AZ
Leonard street, London, and made
many valentines about the time of
Queen Victoria's wedding. His produc-
tons are generally printed in color
over a black and white foundation, the
deep reds and blues and green run
ming at the edges as if put on with a
full brush. The scene Is always set
in the center of a large sheet. The
lady is always retiring and coy The
gentleman wears a low waistcoat, q
high stock and Victoria whiskers, alas
for high romance, while Cupid looks
on like small English schoolboy in
tent on a new game. Park valentines
are not beautiful, but they are well
worth securing and few are decid.
eddy amusing"
Cupid and Merry Widow.
Much in several of the valentines of
the famous collection somehow re-
minds one of the art, or artlessness
of the beefy English ladies who semi
expose their charms to all weathers
among the fOrsythia bushes along the
facade of the Boston Museum OF Fine
Arts.
Wholesome beeffed Briton, the fact
is, asserted itself even in the most
ethereal manifestations of nineteenth
century rOmanticism, in such valen-
tines as the one of plump blonde lady
with Merry Widow hat who compla-
Gently permits three cupids to paddle
about her neck and shoulders. Nothing
In the wording of the nippa Suopegts