CUPID’S MISSIVES
Something new is doing this year
in the way of valentines. The old
style of thing, in the line of Cupid's
missives appropriate to the season,
has gone out rather suddenly, and has
been succeeded by an entirely novel
fashion.
In the first place, the long familiar
comic valentines have “gone out'*
entirely. Of course, one may buy
them at the *“penny stores*’ on alley
corners, and, in all probability, simi- i
lar ones will be sold in such places
centuries hence. But they are only for
the vulgar—and the very vulgar at j
that. The verses printed on them are
usually abusive and often nasty, and !
persons who send them through the
mails are commonly inspired by mo
tives of malice.
The new style of humorous valentine
appeals to the taste of decent people.
It is really funny, and not calculated
to injure anybody's feelings. Their
only purpose seems to he to engender
cheerfulness and merriment, and such j
verses as accompany them are not !
turned in a spirit of ridicule. They
make no fun of the old maid—favorite
object of the old-fashioned “comic”
—and aim no envenomed shaft at the !
physical peculiarity or moral weak
ness ol' this or that recipient.
“Love's Telegrams” are decidedly a
novelty in the line of valentines. They
are got up much after the style of
real telegrams, and a printed warning
at the top state, that If there be any
doubt as to the accuracy of the mes
sage, “it can be repeated verbally by
the sender on receipt of ten kisses.”
A figure of Cupid carrying a pen
thrust through a pair of hearts adorns
,the telegram, which is. as a matter of
course, written in verse, for example:
To My Valentine:
Wire <late—can't' wait—he quick;
Love-sick—no joke—heart broke.
• !
Quite as amusing in its way is the
valentine passport, which is got up in i
the style of the documents issued by j
the department of state in Washington !
•for the convenience of American citi- I
zens going abroad. The seal on it
‘bears the words, “Department of
Love,” with a pair of hearts thrust
through by an arrow. This kind of
passport is granted by the Union of
Hearts, and is addressed to “My Sweet
Valentine.” .t is signed by Hymen,
sind reads as follows:
“I, the undersigned, secretary of
’state of the Union of Hearts, do here
by request and require, in the name
of St. Valentine, that you allow
(blank) to pass freely through the
realms of Love; also that you afford
to her (or him) every protection and
encouragement in the furtherance of
her (or his) objects."
If the character of the comic valen
tines has changed, the pretty and rela
tively serious ones are equally differ
ent from what they used to be. Fili
gre paper and other long familiar in
cidentals of the old-style designs have
disappeared and have been replaced
by really artistic bits of color printing
and decorative work. The old themes
remain, but are ‘•illustrated,” as one
might say, in a new manner.
In one of the prettiest of the new
valentines for this year a cupid is
shown in the act of unlocking with
a big key a heart which takes the
form of a large padlock. It is a
dainty conception, implying a hope
on the part of the sender that his
particular key will prove a fit. An
other winged child is riding on the
back of a dove, which carries in its
beak an arrow. The paint of the
arrow is inscribed, “Sweetheart, be
ware!" and on the other end are the
words: “Thy charms are many, my
merits few; yet I venture to offer my
homage true.”
A valentine is hardly complete,
whatever its design may be, without
a cupid. In one of the new ones Love
is playing on a mandolin and looking
up at two doves billing. In another
the winged god is painting a picture
on a heart-shaped plaque. Above his
head are hung on a line several simi
lar plaques, each of them bearing the
portrait of a pretty woman. Perhaps
this valentine is meant to be sent to
a young man accused of fickleness.
A big heart of violets incloses the
whole.
Obviously for a young man is a
heart-shaped valentine bearing the
words “Good luck” and ornamented
with pictures of cigarettes and play
ing cards. Thus playfully are the
little masculine weaknesses touched
up, and in no spirit of unamiable criti
cism.
Designs with colored cupids—wing
ed pickaninnies with their wool done
up in little twists—are more than half
humorous. But none of the new
style of comic valentines have any
suggestion of malice in them, or even
of ridicule. They are just pleasant
and friendly greetings, appropriate to
the anniversary of the good saint
who is supposed to be especially the
patron of lovers.
Out of my “Telematiue,” worn and old.
Like a sword from a rusty sheath,
Hath fallen this trifle of lace and gold—
A fairylike tissue, all ‘hot with gold,
Half veiling a verse beneath.
In the midst of the verse Is a heart,
transfixed
With an arrow of steely blue;
Oh. the foolish verse, with its metaphors
mixed!
Oh, the foolish heart, with the dart
transfixed!
And the foolish way to woo!
I remember ■well the sunnv-haired lad
Who wrote in this boyish way;
A dreamer—what glorious eyes he had!
Poor dreamer, whose dreams l-ave grown
sere and sad.
And whose hair and hopes are gray.
One fair spring day, when the wood
lark's song—
So sweet that it sank like pain
'Through our thrilling hearts, as we
) passed along
iAdown leafy aisles—(How that haunting
sorg
1 Floats back to my mind again!)
The story as old as Adam and Eve's
Was told, while the lark o’erhead
Flung his arrows of song into golden
sheaves.
And the silken rustle of tender leaves
Made sweeter the words he said.
Ah.
weU!f# We have all had our “Arca
And this is the brief of mine.
AlKl k* v mystic messases. the shining
That opened that land of delight to
Was this primitive valentine.
We do th*se things in a different way
From tl v younger folk 1 glean.
In the learned light of this lettered das
We move in a more esthetic way, 3
And a wiser way, I ween.
But athwart fhe years, with their grand
er things.
Their treasures of wisdom and lore.
This trifle of gold shot tissue brings
Remembrance of simple, holier things
That hallowed the days of yore.
—Agnes Mahony.
HEARD LINCOLN IN 1860.
Oldtimer Writes of an Excursion from Chicago to Springfield, 111., Where He First Listened
to Speech from the Idol of the We9t.
There frequently come to my mind
the tumultuous days of 1860, when the
comparatively unknown Abraham Lin
coln was nominated for the presidency
in the wigwam at Chicago for the first
time, writes A. B. C. Hitchcock in
the Chicago Inter Ocean. Though in
the city I did not have a coveted ticket
to the convention, either as a delegate
or silent spectator; but there were
thousands in the same fix, so there
was enough going on on the outside to
engage the attention cf boy, fresh
from the farm, with a decided bucoiic
flavor.
All through the summer of that
year there was intense political ac
tivity in the Queen of the Lakes, and
outspoken loyalty mingled with dis
loyal and defiant mutterings almost
everywhere, for the impending san
guinary conflict w-as in the air. Some
time in September a great Republican
meeting was widely advertised to be
held in Springfield, the home of Lin
«ln, and the railways all over the
watermelons. Every available spot
seemed piled with them, huge speci
mens, at from 5 to 10 cents apiece.
They were bought for refreshing seats,
to slake thirst, and the seeds and pulp
rinds made walking exceedingly pre
carious, as much so as a highway of
banana skins. Rubber boots were a
necessity if one would have dry feet.
It must have been the banner season
for the esculent, the people having
largely planted the prairies for a crop,
having got an inkling somehow that
there would be a great demand for
campaign purposes. In any event,
they were a godsend in this emer
gency, and, while they were not very
nourishing, they kept the bhxMl thin
and the stomach distended, thus pre
venting an utter collapse.
After a breakfast of crackers, cheese
and melon, I went to Lincoln's home,
which was not thronged at that early
hour, was ushered into his unpreten
tious two-story house, was warmly
welcomed by the future president, and
wart shoulders. They were so jostled
that it kept the great man waving
very much like a turkey perched upon
a sUmder branch in a high wind. The
sight was somewhat ludicrous, but he
could not fall, for there were too
many hands eager to hold him up,
deeming it a privilege to but touch the
hem of his garment. His trousers were
pushed up to his knees, and, though
but an humble spectator of the scene,
i may be called an assistant in car
rying the precious burden, for I
grasped one ankle. The platform was
finally reached, and. with air of heaven
caressing and tossing his locks, he
made a brief address in acknowledg
ment of the honor of being chosen as
the exponent of the young party so
soon to take the reins of government
in its giant hands. He was a natural
orator, with a charming voice, and his
usually heavy eyes lighted up and re
flected the fire of his inmost soul as
he warmed to his subject, and a pe
culiar sweetness irradiated his fea
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date and adjoining states planned ex- j
cursions, offering extremely low rates
—the round trip from Chicago being
but $3. I concluded to be among the
excursionists.
Three long passenger trains start- j
ed from.the city and it was our mis
fortune to board the last one. Mis- \
fortune, I say, for the other two trains
seemed filled with patriotic gluttons
on a foraging expedition, for the trains
followed each other so closely that the j
eating houses did not have time to re
cuperate or replenish, so they were as
bare, when our train arrived, as the
cupboard of Old Mother Hubbard—not i
a bone left. The day was delightful, the !
air just keen enough to whet our ap
petite to an edge which would not
have questioned the quality of any
spread obtainable—even breakfast
food half sawdust would have been
relished. Our train missed but a very
fewT of the side tracks, and lingered
for a while on most of them. So a
day and a night were consumed before
Springfield hove in sight. The city
was but an insignificant one compared
to what it is now, and was pervaded
by the spirit of the sluggish, turbid
Sangamon on whose banks it reposed,
and was in no way prepared to take
care of such a congested mass of hu
manity, estimated at over 100,000 peo
ple. Square meals and lodgings were
out of the question and fortunate was
he who could get crackers, a stale
sandwich or a second-hand cup of
coffee.
The only thing, except people, was
sat down at his bidding for a Tew min
utes on a haircloth sofa. Finding out
that I was a boy from Vermont—the
state that, though the birthplace of
Douglas, eagerly embraced Republican
doctrines from the very first and has
never wavered in its fidelity—he plied
me with questions and seemed glad
to hear from my lips the esteem for
him held by the sturdy residents of
the Green Mountain state. I shall nev
er forget the warm clasp of his long,
bony fingers, nor the sad but inde
scribable benignity and tenderness of
his homely face when he smiled. His
magnanimous spirit and almost infin
ite tenderness of heart irradiated every
lineament and made it beautiful, as
rugged scenery becomes charming in
the play of sunlight and shadow.
Tlie fair grounds had been selected
as the speaking place of the great
gathering, and a dozen stands, per
haps, erected, for no one man's voice
could reach one tenth of tlie listeners.
Senator Lyman Trumbull, Illinois, Sen
ator Doolittle, Wisconsin, and scores of
lesser lights were there to discuss at
length the grave issues with an earn
est intensity not equaled since the re
public was horn. The defiant and
threatening mutterings of the south
ern wing of the democracy were full
of ominous forebodings and seemed to
inspire the orators of the occasion.
About 3 o’clock a barouche, drawn
by white horses, brought Lincoln to
the grounds. The crowd was too dense
for the team to be driven to the stand,
so he alighted and was born upon stal
tures, which in repose had not a linea
ment of anything but sadness. If ever
an inworking spirit came to the sur
face, it was the spirit of Abraham Lin
coln. The recollection of those few
minutes when he was addressing the
multitude is a treasured remembrance.
All through the afternoon and even
ing store boxes, steps and porches
were utilized by spellbinders, polit
ically bubbling over, and, as lodging
quarters for the host were out of the
question, speeclimaking. at sporadic in
tervals. broke out until the morning
hour. By a chance, deemed good luck,
I climbed to the top of a fanning mill
stauding on the platform at the sta
tion, and curled up in the hopper, out
of all danger of being stumbled over
or stepped on. It was not exactly of
the shape to fit the human form, so
the form had to assume a shape to fit
it. It was a coveted place to rest,
however, but when I awoke in broad
daylight there was an excruciating
stiffness in the joints of my frost-cov
ered body which made it exceedingly
hard to get off the perch, and some
time elapsed before normal shape was
assumed, cast, as 1 had been, in a hop
per mold. Not until Chicago was
reached was the delight of a square
meal experienced, a fast of nearly four
days, in which time no boots or gar
ments had been shuffled off, no face
washed save in watermelon juice; but
as in the economy of our nature pains
are not remembered, the recollection
of that excursion with its collateral de- j
lights, is pleasant to recall.
LINCOLN AND VIRGINIA.
Agitation Caused by His Letter to Ex-Confederate Official
After the Surrender of Gen. Lee.
“In April, 1865, just after the end
of the war,” said Major Alderson, “I
was sitting on the porch of the resi
dence of Lieutenant Governor Price in
Lewtsburg, in Greenbrier county. I had
just returned home from the army,
and you may well believe I was en
joying the rest and the company of
the prettiest girl in the world, Gov
ernor Price’s daughter, who was on
the porch with me.
“While we were talking,” Major Al
derson continued, “a soldier suddenly
galloped into sight and drew rein at
the door. He asked if that was Gov
ernor Price's house, and upon my tell
ing him that it was he said* he brought
a letter for Governor Price from the
president of the United States.
“I told him that the governor was
down on his farm two or three miles
away and that as he seemed tired and
broken down 1 would deliver the let
ter. ‘
“I found the old fellow at wrork in
the barn fanning wheat,” Major Alder
son went on, w-ith a reminiscent smile.
“They had buried twro or three sacks
of grain to keep it from falling into
the hands of the northern troops, and
now they had-resurrected it and were
cleaning it to have some bread. A
negro was turning the wheat fan, an
other was scraping awray the cleaned
wheat and Governor Price was stand
ing by the hopper working the grain
through to the riddles.
“I jumped off my horse t nd hurried
■into the barn.
“ ‘Governor,’ I said in some excite
ment, ‘here is a letter for you from
the president of the United States.’
“The old fellow turned as white as <
a sheet. You see, we did not know !
at that time just what course the <
United States government would pur- '
sue toward the men who had fought in <
the confederate army or held office <
under the confederate government.
The old fellow broke the seal and took 1
out a large document, portentous look- 1
ing indeed. He read hurriedly and <
then laughed. X
“‘Its all right,’ he said, and he '
handed me the letter. It was ad
dressed to Lieutenant Governor Price,
and signed by Abraham Lincoln. It
requested him to call the Virginia
legislature together at once to take
action regarding the changed condi
tion of affairs in the state. In con
clusion were these words, which I
shall always remember: “I want you
people to come back and hang up your
hats on the same old pegs.’
“But on the very night that letter
was received, I think,” said Major Al
derson, “the president was assassi
nated, and his plans for the govern
ment of the states w’hich seceded wrere
never carried out.”
Battle Creek Sanitarium.
Battle Creek! What memories that
□ame conjures up—memories of other
days—even the pioneer days, when the
redmen of the northern lake region
bent the bow and smeared their faces
with keal—braided their flowing locks
with feathers of the porcupine and
wild eagle, that they might appear
more wild, if possible, than before.
And as they painted the cheeks and
braided tbe hair, the squaw-women
sharpened the flint arrow heads and
shaped new bows, that their lords
might do battle to the death with
other redmen.
And here at Battle Creek, way up
in Michigan, a great battle one day
did occur, and when it was over, and
the sun kissed the range to the far
west, the tom-toms were muffled and
the squaw-women wrapped their heads
in vari-colored blankets and wept, for
with the going down of the sun, many
braves passed to the proverbial happy
hunting grounds.
But that was many, many moons
tgo, as the Indians measure time, and
a new era has long since dawned.
True, it is “Battle Creek” to-day. Just
as it was decades ago, but, instead of
the cry of the savage, is heard the
hum of industry; the throb of life;
the greeting of men and women of
the Anglo Saxon race—the shouts of
happy boys and girls, who know of
Battle Creek’s former history only
by tradition. And here on the site
of the famous battle between the red
men stands now one of the fairest
cities of the great Northwest; a city
sought out among thousands, for in it
dwell, month after month, as the
years come and go, men and women
who find within the charmed circle
that which they have long sought else
where—health.
When one speaks or health, the
mind naturally wings itself to Battle
Creek, for up there health is to be
found as at few other places on earth.
Forty years ago there began in Bat
tle Creek a return to nature move
ment, with purposes and pricinples in
many respects similar to those which
led to the famous “Brook Farm Exper
iment” twenty years before and to the
Graharaite movement of that period.
This movement, while religious, was
avowedly non-sectarian, and was in a
broad sense philanthropic, altruistic
and reformatory. The immediate re
sults were the establishment of a
monthly journal now known as Good
Health and shortly afterwards the
erection of a health institution called
"The Health Reform Institute.” The
chief features of the institute at this
early period were diet reform, dress
reform and the use of water as a cura
tive agent.
In 187(5 the present management
took charge of the institution and with
the consent and co-operation of (he
Board of Directors (the institution
having been incorporated ten years
before), a thorough reorganization was
effected. Broader plans were intro
duced, the methods of treatment were
placed upon a substantial and thor
oughly scientific foundation, and the
name was changed to the Battle Creek
Sanitarium. Since this time the
growth of the institution has been con
stant and rapid.
From year to year accommoda
tions for patients and facilities for
treatments were enlarged to meet
the increasing patronage until Feb
ruary, 1902, when a great fire swept
away the two principal build
ings of the establishment. The erec
tion of a new building was speedily
begun, and the following year. May 31,
1903, the present fireproof main build
ing. erected at a cost of more than
$600,000, was dedicated. The cost of
the entire establishment, including
equipment, twenty dormitories, cot
tages and other buildings has amount
ed to more than $1,200,000.
The Battle Creek Sanitarium as it
stands to-day is recognized the world
over as the most complete and thor
oughly equipped establishment of its
sort and the headquarters for physio
logic therapeutics or natural methods.
Connected with the Sanitarium is a
Training Schcol for Nurses, in which
from two to three hundred nurses are
constantly under training.
These principles and methods have
penetrated to the remotest parts of
the civilized world, and scores of men
and women who have been trained in
these methods are devoting their lives
to medical missionary work in heathen
lands.
The Battle Creek Sanitarium may be
regarded as an epitome of the “return
io-«ature” idea in practical operation,
success in the restoration of sick
eople to health brings to it annually
many thousands of men and women,
many of whom have been pronounced
incurable, but who, nevertheless, with
rare exceptions, return a few months
later to their homes prepared to enter
again upon the battle of life.
There are many sanitariums in the
world, but few, if any, that are con
Jucted on the same plane as that at
Battle Creek. This haven of rest and
health is in no sense a money-mak
ng scheme, and every cent that is
nade from patients who are able to
jay for their accommodations is used
o help those who have nothing but
jroken health. All over this country,
ind even beyond the seas, branch in
ititutions are springing up—creepers
rom the mother plant at Battle
>eek. One point in view is down on
State street, in the center of the me
ropolis of the Middle West, Chicago,
vhere hundreds of the city's poor are
:ared for as tenderly as if in the par
ent institution at Battle Creek.
In a few brief paragraphs one can
ell but little of the good work of the
Battle Creek Sanitarium, but a postal
?ard will bring pamphlets that will
ell all—all except the knowledge ob
ained by actual experience, and that
■xperience must be had at Battle
Creek to be appreciated to its fall
worth.
Thi3 institution at Battle Creek was
not built up in a day—it took years
of toil to reach the perfected state,
and the work has but begun—the great
work is to come from rising genera
tions who are imbibing ideas from the
Battle Creek home, and what it stands
for.
For Three Decades.
For more than three decades th*
present Institution has been the
center of a wonderful educa
tional, philanthropic and reform
movement which has finally culmin
ated in success undreamed of a .few
years ago, and in this connection a
brief history is most opportune. In
February, 1302, the two main buildings
of the Sanitarium were destroyed by
fire. For a short time the days were
dark for those who had worked so
hard to build it up. But strong hearts
are not to be awed by misfortune,
and a new building sprung from the
ashog upon the old site.
The dedication took place May 31,
and June 1, 1303. An elaborate pro
gram was carried out and many men
of national reputation made speech* *
and highly complimented the manager?
and their co-workers on their good
work. Invitations were sent to all
patients, rich and poor, who had ever
been at the Sanitarium. Many re
sponded in person, and hundreds sent
letters of regret.
One of the prettiest sights in con
nection with the whole event was The
procession of nurses and matrons
which formed on the college ground",
opposite the new Sanitarium building,
and marched through the audience t >
reserved seats at the right and left
of the speakers’ stand. The matrons
in their usual cream white uniform,
the nurses in blue and white, and the
gentlemen nurses clad in new whit**
duck suits presented a sight which
moved the audience to one simultan
eous burst of applause.
bamtary Ideas.
As before stated there are many
sanitariums in the world. Ini' none
just like that at Battle Creek, it being
: the first of tee kind, so far as known,
where an attempt has been made, an 1
crowned with success, to bring to
gether in one place aad under one
management all rational healing
agencies, giving special prominence
to those physiological or natural heal
ing agents the scientific knowledge of
which has been chiefly developed
within the last century, especially
hyprotherapr, electrotherapy. mas
sage, exercise, diet, sunlight, mental
and moral influences, rest, and gen
eral health culture.
Of Course the first thing to be taken
into consideration was the construc
tion of the building to be occupied,
for much depended upon that. But
after it had been discussed pro and
con a plan entirely satisfactory was
adopted and the structure to-d/.y plays
no small part in the healing process
that goes on from day to day at
Battle Creek.
A Return to Nature Movement.
The philosophy of the Battle Cr- k
Sanitarium may be defined as the re
turu-to-nature idea. The doctors teach
the use of natural foods, natural life,
the use of natural agents :u the treat
ment of disease. A great amount of
attention is given to dietetics. Fruits,
nuts and nut preparations, cereal foods
and easily digestible vegetables are
the basis for the delicious mentis
which are daily served in the great
Sanitarium dining room, at which sit
down hundreds of intelligent men and
women from all parts of the United
States and e\en from foreign coun
tries. Milk, eggs and other dairy prod
ucts are also freely used. Great care
is taken to provide the very best and
choicest of everything edible, of which
the physicians approve.
During the year which has Just
closed a vast amount of these things
were required to provide for the army
of patients who visited the sanitarium,
for several thousand sufferers housed
there during the twelve months of
1904. As to the expense for the past
year it was considerable, amounting to
a total of $327.189.99, divided as fol
lows: Nut foods, 50 tons, $26,768.80;
cereal foods, 101.994 pounds, $9,521.19;
bread, 65,026 pounds, $2,667.43; canned
goods, 3.699 cases. $10,506.65; fruit
juices, etc., made on the place, 11.430
gallons, $2,030.90; fresh fruit. 5,783
bushels, $10,203.46; vegetables, 5,137
bushels, $3,695.20; sundry grocery
items, 41,558 pounds, $3,396.38; eggs,
25,301 dozen, $6,789.65; butter, made
on the place. 29.961 pounds, $5,951.59;
cream, 68,678 quarts, $10,323.70; milk,
57.366 quarts, $1,692.43; coal, 5,714
tons, $20,000.00; labor, $213,553.59;
total, $327,189.99.
me amount oi cnaruy dispensed
during the past ten years at this
sanitarium amounted to $585,610.
To care for the patients an average of
725 men and women were employed
during each year, and an average of
550 patients are under treatment at
this sanitarium every day in the year.
We have given our readers only a
brief glance at the workings of this
unique establishment. Another article
would be required to give something
of the details of the daily routine of a
guest at the Sanitarium, and of the
methods which have given to this in
stitution its world-wide reputation as a
Mecca for sick folks.
Must Marry to Get Prize,
An artillery volunteer won recently
at a shooting match at Blackpool
England, a prize consisting of a wed
ding ring, gratuitous marriage cere
mony, a wedding equipage, a polished
cradle, and a bassinet. But he must
marry within twelve months to
the prize.
Curtails Opium Smoking.
Japan's official control of the use of
ipium in Formosa is a success. Its
mport into that island fell from $769,
10 in 1902 to $594,095 in 1903, a de
:rease of $175,000. The price is fixed
iy the government, and selling agents
ire only allowed a profit of l1^ per
ent. Since late in 1900 the number
if opium smokers in Formosa ha3 de
reased by about a thousand a month,
iach opium smoker has to be regis
ered. Public opinion as well as the
a-** is against its use.
To Ward Off Disease.
Among the peasantry of Roxburgh
shire (Scotland) women who are nu**'
ing babies wear round their necks
small cords of blue wool. These ar!
never removed, day or night until fa
child is weaned. By taking ,his' f®
caution they imagine that thev in8urt
Rood health both to themselLi ?
their offspring during that cr tica! 1
riod. The cords are handed P
from mother to daughter and
teemed In proportion
tiquity. ®
