The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-14
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

T
 The grown-ups who read this may not be aware of the fact that it is ] Valentine Day, but rest assured the kiddies have not overlooked it, for I have seen during the past week, both lads and lassies lingering valentines lovingly in the stores where they are sold.
 I can remember to this good hour the first time I ever got excited over the question of sending my sweetheart valentine. I had saved up my Ren- nies against the day and the choice ! of pretty one with a suitable verse vas a matter of much thought and pride.
 can also recall the boyish yglee used to get in picking out comic ones to leave on the doorsteps of my | 'buddies" cryto send them through the mail in a disguised handwriting. have lived it all over during the past few years in watching and listening to my two boys and I certainly miss much fun by their being at present in Florida
 l. The shops are full of valentines, for tne art of printing is now in it's glory but time was when it wasn't so easy to get an appropriate printed one. | ffo l ture Of one of the earliest printed variety, and to say the least of it it is very crude and wouldn't pass muster save as a comic in these days when artistic cnes are to be had.
 The first printed ones generally con- 1 sisted cf gaudi1y colored pictures, rep resentipg loving couple seated in bower, with a church in the distance, and a few lines descriptive of the tender sentiments of the person for l warding the same. The designers of these amatory billets seemed to have entertained rather singular notions respecting the attire of the ladies and gentlemen of whose feelings they sought to become interpreters. The lady was invariably dressed in a scarlet gown, with blue or green shawl, while the gentleman was given a pair of lavender trousers. yellow vest. blue coat, and green or crimson cravat. They seemed, however, to sat | isfy our fathers and mothers, as they 1 never dreamed of the beautiful ones which were to come later There is style in valentines just as there is from the dresses of our grandsires to the ones now in vogue.
 | But ! spoke at the beginning of how the boys sent valentines through the mails. There would be a good story when it was the custom to tie ones valentine to an orange or apple and throw it through a windor or door 10 the ease of dropping them in letter box. and making Uncle Sam the servant of cupid instead of letting him shoo, his darts. It would be a chap lter i1 progress at the expense of senti- ment
 sIts long time to go back. even to the days of quill pens and dear post age, for in the good old times the 1 transmission of valentines by post was ar expensive luxury. The amorous
 
 themselves and their idolized fair ones with thick sheets of gilt edged letter lpaper, envelopes had not then come into use, the first page of each sheet heihg adorned with gilt Cupid, care fully gummed on; surrounding few lines of love greetings.
 The growth in the printers art and the reduction in postage were the causes of many thousands of valen- tines flying over the country in mail bags. An English writer awhile back, regretting that the custom in his coun- try of sending valentines was falling off, stated that as far back as 1882 jas many as 1884 passed through the London postoffice. He gave the tele- phone as the cause of the slump in the mails.
 In olden times. in England much time and care were spent in the writing of valentines. Charles, Duke of Or leans, who was taken prisoner at the battle of Agincourt which was fought in the year 1415, composed some beau tiful ones in prison which have been preserved. Three hundred years ago, Shakespeare speaks of the custom In the play of Hamlet" Ophelia says:
 Good morningl 'Tis St. Valentine s
 Day:
 All in the morning betime.
 And I a maid al your window,
 To be your valentine"
 But the best evidence that the GUS tom was popular in England can be learned from the fact that several books published in London more than