The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-02-14

I
times unhidden, was afforded the
girl or boy who got the most Val
entines. Of course teacher wa:
winner, but the fact that she al
ways got several of those dreadful
comic" ones from some of the dis,
gruntled pupils gave left-handed
satisfaction.
The boys in the class were CHIEF
offenders in giving the ugly carl.
catures with nasty slaps in verse
although some of the little minxes
of the distaff side were also cul-
prits. The balm of my life was a
girl who haunted me right through
grade school to high school when,
fortunately, she moved away or my
already imbedded inferiority COM
pick might have caused perman-
ent ill-effect. maybe it hash Any
way, / used to tremble in my cop
per-toed shoes and behind my horn
trimmed glasses (and so few chill
dren wore them way back when)
and pull nervously at my Indian
straight braids. because she al
ways sent me gruesome- picture
which predicted that with my looks
l would become an old-maid. al
ways tried to hide the comic"
before anyone could see it, but she
would always manage to find it or
snatch it away, wave it deriSively
in my face, and what is more la
mentable, in the faces of the other
students. Retaliation was impossi-
BILE. She was the prettiest, curly
locked lass in class.
Times and rhymes haven't
changed much in the general run
of salutations. but the styles have.
| went a-hunting yesterday to get
a hearts eye view Of what modern
Valentines were like. Marti Hart
ley at Roberts Office Supply gra-
ciouSly allowed me to browse in
the Elysian field of romance on
glazed and fancy paper. She said
that if / had come in two weeks
ago the pasture would have been
greener, or crimson and gold, in
this instance, the predominating
colors for Valentine throbs.
In the plush class was a huge
boxed Valentine IL and half in
ches In length, Is inches across
when opened. 1t featured an arti-
cial rose of velvety fabric which
could be detached for a hat or q
gown, flanked by two rotund Gu
pids and an envelope which said
Secret Message" in which the
giver could put folding money.
There was a rather coolish little
number which said, Friendly
Thoughts" A funny greeting, but
not of the old-time barbed comic"
disturber style was one of hippo
with baby blue eyes and a verse
that began on the first page, Pm
not really emotional, I'm thick
skinned as can be. But when you're
near, it's different. !" turn the
folder 81 get goose-pimples. !.
Sect" You run your hand over the
hippo's hide, and sure enough, the
rough texture is pinpointed with
tiny bumps!
] though slick chick was mod.
ern slang. but ] learned the latest
from a phrase on a card with two
birds, spotted with real fluffy yell
low down lettered, "A Valentine
For A Cute Quail" Quailing,
picked up another. This one had
a small bear. bearing a hotwater
bottle. The title proclaimed "Some
Hot Jokes For Valentines Day.
Ha Ha Ha !" Sample jokes inside:
Wife, THAT you dear? Husband:
at had better bel" and one with
a dialogue which went like this:
"Do you object to petting, Me-
hitabel?"
''That's something I've never
done, Joshua"
"Petted, Mehitabel?"
Objected, Joshua"
Also on the bold side were ap-
proaches which voiced such tender
thoughts as "I'm a girl, you're a
man. Make sumpin' of it If you
can" Or, I'm q lady in waiting
this Valentines Day. Waiting for
YOU to start. feeling that wayi"