A man wears a plaid jacket with large sleeves, vest, and pants., Text: What more would have, all plaided and stuffed / Sleeves full dimensioned and puckered and cuffed; / A spectacle spectacled -- good morrow to you, / A sample I pass, for the best Boggs can do., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A large soldier wears a large plumed hat and a blue jacket decorated with flowers and a sash. He carries a sword., Text: What man is he that loveth not renown; / Out on him for a booby or a clown! / Fortune and women love the soldier brave, / But love not him who'd be a willing slave. / For me thou art the man brave soldier mine, / And I accept thee for my Valentine., "104", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
An ice skating man jumps. He has a tail and holds a walking stick. The border shows cupids and hearts; one cupid shoots a heart out of a thimble cannon labeled "Love"; another cupid travels with a heart in a hot-air balloon; and another cupid hammers at a cracked heart below a heart on a fishhook labeled "Caught.", Text: Art spirit of health, or goblin dam'd? / Or dry goods shopman, by butcher boy lamm'd; / Kangaroo, agile Gibbon, or bearded Saki -- / Or perhaps one of Barnum's "What can they be?' / The C.P. Commission won't stand it, I say-- / To let such a guy on the ice slide about, / While the mothers of children prospective are out., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man turns up his nose as he changes the diaper of a infant lying on his lap., Text: Child-like spooney, here are you, / To your own vacation true; / With the babe upon thy knee, / Drivelling even like to thee. / Wretched papspoon, sawney driveller, / Beggard, hound, and fireside sniveller, / Take this picture to thy sight, / And hang thyself by morning's light., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man sits on a chair with an infant on his lap. A bowl marked "pap" [i.e., mashed baby food] is on the table next to him, and the infant reaches for it. The man appears to be changing the baby's diaper., Text: To rock the cradle, make the pap, / Or change the baby's linen, / I plainly see e'er long you'll be, / Much better than the women., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man balances on the base of a weather-cock, with his arms and left leg indicating the directions. Birds and builiding spires and roofs are in the background., Text: You quickly turn and cock your nose / To each new breadth of wind that blows; / Your proper place is on a steeple, / Where you would be some use to people., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man is a weathercock, with his legs and arms indicating direction and the center spire going through his torso., Text: The weather-cock that turns it face / With ever wind that blows, / An emblem of a class of men / As uncertain as the drifiting snows; / Although his points he argues well, / And promises so very fair, / Yet like the sprightly Paddy's flea, / You'lt always find he isn't there. / I've brought this fact to your attention, / To show you are of the class I mention., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman wears plaid breeches, smokes a cigarette, and looks in the mirror., Text: Wearing the breeches, wearing the breeches! / Know that all our experience teaches, / A woman, forgetting what's due her sex, is / Ready for vice and all it annexes., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman runs and wears breeches underneath her dress. A man runs away from her., Text: That a woman's rule is ofttimes good, / This, firm experience teaches, / But it really seems to reach extremes, / When she tries to wear the breeches., Cf. Valentine 12.36., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman runs and wears breeches underneath her dress. A man runs away from her., Text: That a woman's rule is ofttimes good, / This, firm experience teaches, / But it really seems to reach extremes, / When she tries to wear the breeches., Cf. Valentine 12.37., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman wears many flowers in her hair and a skirt with furbelows. She rests her chin in her hand. The valentine cautions the recipient against holding sentimental beliefs about marriage, suggesting that she will not receive marriage proposals because she is neither sensible nor wealthy., Text: Waiting for an offer, few indeed the chances; / These are not the times we read of in romances; / Men want wives with good sense, or with flowing coffers, / And are very careful to whom they're making offers., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman wears a coat and a large-skirted gown that make her triangle-shaped. The valentine mocks the hoop skirt trend for the cage-like appearance of crinolines and the dirt the large skirts attracted in the streets., Text: Waddling pyramid you go, / Flounce flouncing in the snow; / Pretty lady do not rage, / When I say you're in a cage, / By a lot of hoops secured -- / Of it, I am well assured. / Head, of course, is left outside, / Bonnet on your back doth ride; / Sweep away the side-walks clean, / Of street sweepers, you're the queen., Cf. Valentine 1.41 and Valentine 8.37., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A volunteer Union soldier cowers behind his rifle and a bullet is near his head., Text: Oh, why did you ever enlist-- / Oh, why to the wars did you go? / Your mind must have been in a mist, / For surely the danger you know. / The cannon balls fly through the air, / The bullets go whistling by; / And the enemy don't seem to care / If they hit you or not as they fly. / Then come home to arms of your love, / Before by fright you are hairless; / For believe me, my own dearest love, / The Confederates fire too careless., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman in ragged clothes frowns and points her finger., Text: If you keep on, you vile old wretch, you, / 'T'is certain that old nick will catch you; / But if he does, how much the winner / Will he be by so great a sinner., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier rests on crutches, has his left arm in a sling, and is missing his right hand and left leg. His rucksack is on the crutches. Chickahominy is a Virginia river near where the Battle of Gaines' Mill took place. The border shows cupids and hearts; one cupid shoots a heart out of a thimble cannon labeled "Love"; another cupid travels with a heart in a hot-air balloon; and another cupid hammers at a cracked heart below a heart on a fishhook labeled "Caught.", Text: Come up to the bar, old boy-- / Come up to the bar and drink: / Did you leave your leg and arms / On Chickahominy's brink? / There's lots of your sort around-- / Young heroes in a war grown old-- / And out on the niggardly hound / Who'd leave them "out in the cold.", Variant of Valentine 12.29 and Valentine 12.30., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier rests on crutches, has his left arm in a sling, and is missing his right hand and left leg. His rucksack is on the crutches. Chickahominy is a Virginia river near where the Battle of Gaines' Mill took place. The valentine has an embossed border., Text: Come up to the bar, old boy-- / Come up to the bar and drink: / Did you leave your leg and arms / On Chickahominy's brink? / There's lots of your sort around-- / Young heroes in a war grown old-- / And out on the niggardly hound / Who'd leave them "out in the cold.", Variant of Valentine 12.30 and Valentine 12.31., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier rests on crutches, has his left arm in a sling, and is missing his right hand and left leg. His rucksack is on the crutches. Chickahominy is a Virginia river near where the Battle of Gaines' Mill took place. The border features matches, a heart-shaped beet, and cherubs playing tennis and tug o' war. The label on the matchbox reads "Red-headed matches go off easy," and the beet is marked "D.B." [i.e. "dead beat" or "dead beet"]., Text: Come up to the bar, old boy-- / Come up to the bar and drink: / Did you leave your leg and arms / On Chickahominy's brink? / There's lots of your sort around-- / Young heroes in a war grown old-- / And out on the niggardly hound / Who'd leave them "out in the cold.", Variant of Valentine 12.29 and Valentine 12.31., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman sits at a work bench with sheers and a bolt of blue fabric on it. Vests hang on a clothes line behind her., Text: Put away your sheep-face, wench, / You're only suited for the bench; / The ill-shap'd form resembles thee, / Such nondescripts don't do for me. / Such vests as you pretend to make. / What gent would wear, for Heaven's sake? / Go, go, you remnant, mend you ways, / And think no more of brighter days., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A young man looks at a poster of an elephant. Behind him is a sign that reads "NOTICE GENTLEMEN FROM THE COUNTRY TAKEN IN," suggesting that the recipient is from the country and will be exploited in the city., Text: My tender sprout of cabbage head, / I would your young heart deceive; / So seek some more congenial bed / To flourish in, -- and now leave., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman reads a sign that says " INTELI- / GENCE/ OFFICE." She holds an umbrella and circle of rope. A young man thumbs his nose behind her. The phrase "not to know B from a bull's foot" means to be completely illiterate., Text: Verdant damsel, jolly green! / Never was a simpler seen; / B from Bull's foot scarce you know, / Yet you think to catch a beau., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The handwritten note has a border with cherubs, grotesques, regal figures, and flowers., [illegible], Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man is a bird, and a woman is a fish. He opens his beak over her head. The valentine mocks the recipient for trying to marry a younger woman., Text: No fool like an old fool. O! for shame; / Pretending to feel love's hold flame; / The ladies laugh at your ogling eyes, / And shut their ears to your pumped up sighs., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man carries a walking stick and wears a monocle. In the text, "vane" means a constantly changing person., Text: To point how airs of folly blow, / The vain man is indeed a vane: / What vein of yours, pray, can you show / Better than ours, man made in vain?, Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier kneeling next to a cooking pot eats from a bowl., Text: Oh! How I love the volunteer, / Who eats his soup with conscience clear; / Who never runs-- except for meals; / who ne'er the pangs of hunger feels-- /And believes in fighting there's no good, / Unless his belly's full of food. / See him; beside that iron pot; / He longs for me to shar his let, / And I, alas, can not go., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman points her nose up and holds a small parasol. The valentine mocks the recipient for being a social climber., Text: Just as a mushroom from a bed / Of marshy vileness rears its head, / Distilling poison to the touch, / So you appear, and worth as much., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman sits in a tree holding a fishing pole. Men swim in the water in front of her., , Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man holds a cat o' nine tails whip and a pistol. He frowns, has sharp teeth, and facial hair., Text: I ne'er for a husband a tyrant would have, / Because he would treat me just like some old slave; / And if he should try, his persuasions to urge, / I'm sure it would be 'cross my back with a scourge., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man ice skates surrounded by a cloud of a smoke from his pipe., Text: 'Twould be a rather serious joke, / And break the heart so fondly thine, / If all your vows should end in SMOKE, / 'Twere made on ice, my Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
An ugly woman holds a mask of a beautiful face., Text: So so, here we have you unmasked, I declare, / And Satan himself you would certainly scare; / The mask, keep it on, till he sendeth for you-- / Come for you himself, is a thing he'll ne'er do-- / O brimstone and bitterness, how it he'd rue!, Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman has two faces, both with pox marks. One side smiles and extends a hand, and one frowns and extends a fist. The valentine possibly refers to promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases., Text: Avaunt! foul tempress! though you show'd a face / As fair as heart of man had ever charmed, / I see another on the other side, / Deceit has wrinkled, passion has deformed., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man has two faces. One is smiling, and the other sticks out his tongue. The side that sticks out his tongue makes a gesture with his fist., Text: Monster of wickeness, deceit and crime, / Thou wretch that glories in all that's vile, / Look on this picture, and there thou'lt see / A double featured knave like thee. / You're lying tongue would disgrace even Satan, / So never presume to the hand of a maiden; / But go to your vile clan, and with them revel, / For rather than wed you, I'd wed the devil., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man has two faces. One side smiles and waves, and the other frowns and extends a fist., Text: One moment in dimples and smiles, / And filled with good humor, your face is; / Another you then to us turn, / Which is covered with frowns and grimaces., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man with a long beard wears a colorful turban and smokes a long pipe. He sits on a pile of pillows. "Tartar" is slang for an unpleasant woman., Text: My lazy old pipe-smoking turk, / If you catch me you'll have to be smarter; / And if you succeed you may find / In the end that you have caught a tartar., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man on ice skates has one foot off the ground. His hat has fallen off. The border shows cupids and hearts; one cupid shoots a heart out of a thimble cannon labeled "Love"; another cupid travels with a heart in a hot-air balloon; and another cupid hammers at a cracked heart below a heart on a fishhook labeled "Caught.", Text: Dame nature thus has well decreed, / "Fools go where wise men fear to tread;" / You've lost your hat-- and dropp'd your weed, / Go home before you lose your head. / A head which though 'tis not much used, / Except to hang a hat, or nod; / By mortal should not be abused, / E'en cabbage-heads are works of God., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man stands with a confused expression on his face., Text: Your foolish trifling would lead one to think / That you have come quite close to dotage's brink, / And from your age I am sure it is quite plain / That you've come back to childhood's days again., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The first line is an allusion to "Hamlet." A Union soldier holds up his sword and stands next to a cannon. Another soldier lies on a hill and thumbs his nose. A skull and cross bones flag flies above them., Text: "Treason most foul as in the best it is" / But, who could think of treason worse than this; / From its proud staff to tear our Starey flag, / And in its place to hoist that traitor rag., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector., Provenance: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616, Hamlet.
A man drinks from a wine glass., Text: You vow and protest that you never will love, / Than myself, any other young lass; / But already you love something better than me / You love stronger your every day glass., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The valentine shows a plate with bread, molasses, a fork, and a knife marked "butter knife" on it. The border features a woman embracing a man; the pair resemble Commedia dell'arte characters. At the bottom is a pack of matches marked "Lucifer's matches." The sender rejects the recipient because of her young age., Text: Bread-and-butter misses / Will not do for me: / Then reserve your Kisses / Until "after tea." / Certainly for "lasses / I've a tooth, I own, / That all teeth surpasses, / But they must be--- grown!", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman smokes a cigarette and and plays billiards., Text: For a "high old time, " and a jolly spree, / A man might spend an hour with thee; / But he never would choose to make a wife, / Of a woman with such ideas of life., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A skeleton wears a Union uniform and holds a saw and a bag of surgical tools. A Union soldier bends over behind him., Text: Ho! ho! old saw bones, here you come, / Yes, when the rebels whack us, / You are always ready with your traps, / To mangle, saw, and hack us., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The chaplain stands between two kneeling soldiers and takes currency from their rucksacks., Text: A pretty man of God are you! / You claim to have an eye of faith, / But have a stronger eye for booty, / When soldiers all are at their prayers, / You go on Pick-et duty., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier plays a trumpet., Text: When from that horn sweet music flows, / With full melodious swell; / Then, Trumpeter, upon thy form, / My eyes with rapture dwell. / Thy cheeks so round, thy form so fat, / Thy grand majestic mien; / So fill my heart with rapture, that-- / I'm happy as a queen., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A simian-faced Union soldier rides on a horse., Text: To Mars, the soldier's god of war, / You may perform your duty, / But you too great a blockhead are, / For Venus, queen of beauty., "462", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman sits with her hands on her lap. She has a carrot in her hair, perhaps suggesting that she's died it red., Text: UGLIEST of the fair creation, / With carrots for fashion on your head; / Face devoid of animation, / Your lips are blue, instead of red. / Dried and wilted are your features, / They're charmless for this heart of mine; / And if I'd wed you I would be sure / To have no rival Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier wears a Zouave uniform and holds two pistols out. He has a pistol tucked into his belt, and his sword scabbard hangs away from his body. A smoking cannonball lies between his feet and a bullet is near his head., Text: Hero! how my fond heart doats / On your trowser petticoats; / On your leggins, tight and trim; / On your cap without a brim; / On your lip of hair prolific, -- / Arab-Yankee-- you're terrific! / There's a wild light in your eye--/ Is it valor? Is it rye? / O! beware of whisky-skin, / Brains go out as that goes in. / Sober keep, and by the Nine! / You shall be my Valentine., Cf. Valentine 13.45., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Two Zouave Union soldiers run among rifles, pistols, cannons, and cannonballs, one of which is marked rum., Text: Zu-Zu, you made a splendid run, / From Bull-Run fight, to Washington. / By Bully Runners e'er so fleet; / Your feats of legs such wonders/ raised, / That every one has stood amazed. / So, Coward Recreant, Renegade, / Your Valentine I'll not be made., Cf. Valentine 11.49 and Valentine 12.1., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Two Zouave Union soldiers run among rifles, pistols, cannons, and cannonballs, one of which is marked rum., Text: Zu-Zu, you made a splendid run, / From Bull-Run fight, to Washington. / By Bully Runners e'er so fleet; / Your feats of legs such wonders/ raised, / That every one has stood amazed. / So, Coward Recreant, Renegade, / Your Valentine I'll not be made., Cf. Valentine 11.49 and Valentine 11.50., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Two Zouave Union soldiers run among rifles, pistols, cannons, and cannonballs, one of which is marked rum., Text: Zu-Zu, you made a splendid run, / From Bull-Run fight, to Washington. / By Bully Runners e'er so fleet; / Your feats of legs such wonders/ raised, / That every one has stood amazed. / So, Coward Recreant, Renegade, / Your Valentine I'll not be made., Cf. Valentine 11.50 and Valentine 12.1., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man in a black suit stands next to a tomb stone marked "In Memory," and he looks away. A woman stands in the background., Text: You're old and ugly, and not sincere, / And your actions, sir, are very queer! / Those canting words will never do, / For none will have such a thing as you. / Dressed in black -- yet blacker heart, / You can't make me your 'better part;' / And although you cast a longing eye, / All your advances I defy., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier puts snuff in his nose and leans his rifle against his arm. Dead soldiers lie around him, and cannonballs are in the air and on the ground., Text: To make folks think you're bold and brave, / You swear your country you will save, / And fiercely charge upon her foes, / But first you'll stop to charge your nose; -- / Like the dog that lost the rabbit. / When taken short, -- as was his habit; / This application suits me fine, / That I can't be your Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
