The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-12
.MAKEREADY FOR
 VALENTINE DAY
Shops Doing Good Trade As Public Buys Supplies, Mer-
 chants Report

Is sentiment. particularly that kind of sentiment that runs to the broad casting of valentines, on, the upgrade in Birmingham?
 Apparently no since dealers in the plain and fancy designs of cards unan- imousely report the biggest sale for years in preparation for St. Valentines s Day.
 Candy, too, in heal shaped boxes has been in big demand and along with the comes flowers, although the run on the florists will not reach it's peak until Wednesday, the day before the big event.
 H. B. Hamel, connected with the New York offices of string of -6-1025 cent stores. declares there is noteworthy increase all over the country. in favor of giving valentine remembrances. The business, he said, suffered as did many others in the period during and after the war, but now it is back in the show mans phrase of bigger and better than ever.'"
 Three Classes
 Birmingham valentine buying is di- vided into three classes. First, by those buying for out-of-town friends next women who make purchases for their children or friends, and the last minute buyers running mostly to men who stampede the "comic" counter. And in with all three classes are scattered children who run more to quantity than to quality.
 The final stage in buying is most generally felt in the candy line. John Griffin, assistant manager of large Fl A<>wv ck1 I,A lar seen the seasons equal.
 Just take look at our, order book, T he suggested. .'Herlare addresses given us for Chicago delivery, Dayton, Gin cinnati and points all over the south and central west"
 Candy box prices range from 35 cents to $8 and Mir. Griffin says there is a surprising sale of the latter.
 Some light upon the sale of the "comic" valentine is given by NJ. c. Shields, who says their big clientele is not. as is commonly supposed, with children.
 Not The Price Ear from it." he states, its with big, grown-up men and the older they are the more they buy. Unlike chil dren, they don't buy the comic design because it is cheap, but because it hap pens to fit their ideas of joke on tn, other fellow. If they found one tha suited them they'd just as soon pay { dollar for it as penny"
 The high-priced valentines are sell ing splendidly," adds W. H. Faulkner whose store caters largely to this clas. of trade. 'Some of them cost a. much as $5, but I've never yet seen $ fellow balk against the prior, if it suited him. The main thing is selecting 1 Valentine seems to be in getting some thing appropriate"
 Pausing at the valentine counter oi one of the popular 2''five-and-ten- cent stores Monday, reporter found tn, customers largely women, who wer, making their purchases with care ant apparent enjoyment. -
 Grudge Gift | "Oh, look" one of them spoke to hel companion as she picked up a protes que comic" That looks just like - @I think I'll send it to her." "Why-,' answered the other, fein. ing a shocked attitude, you wouldn really do that" "I wouldn't, huh? after what that wornan's done to me.s You wait an, see" And turning to the clerk sh, bought the card in question.
 From which, it might seem, that passing the ~heavy sale on all thos beautiful illusions of sentiment, is a least only partially right.