Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1913 — The Valentine. [ARTICLE]

The Valentine.

Next to our rejection of Santa Claus the worst thing that the sophistication of time does for us is to destroy our Interest in the other beßt dates in the calendar. If some of us strove to keep that interest alive we might know life better and live longer. One of these days id St. Valentine’s, now near at hand. There was a time in life of most men and women of middle age today when the approach of February 14 meant a thrill. It was a day of sentiment and humor. To the very youhg it was an occasion for the exhibition of irresponsible and frei quently cruel play in the dispatch of “comic” —and mostly coarse—valen-i tines. Old maids and bachelors and other grownups of well known weaknesses and tender sensibilities suffered most, but even these could afford to forgive and ignore the thoughtless effrontery of children. The other and elaborate valentines, however, if sent anonymously, bore a mysterious, even celestial message. There are many thousands of women still llivng today who have Borne of these lacy colorful creations preserved in lavender. And why not? There is all too little of the tender and innocent expression of a distant and respectful regard for women to be noted among men just —now, and altogether too much of a bolder and degrading admiration,.— Philadelphia Press.