A man stands in front of an almshouse with "releiving overseer deficit" written on it. In the background four people stand together; a woman holds a baby and a small child, and a man hunches forward onto a cane. "Overseer" is short for the "overseer of the poor," or the public servant who provides services to the poor., Text: Hard of Heart! the poor are flying; / At the sight of you their faint hearts bleed: / You callous wretch! you are denying / The mercy you will some time need., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A Union soldier holds a pickaxe and wears a helmet. The valentine mocks his occupation as a miner before the war, and the sender rejects the recipient because of his social status., Text: You belong to the Sappers and Miners, 'tis said, / And you work in the trenches with pickaxe and spade; / An old spade and pitchfork you wielded at home, / And with ash-cart and blind horse the city did roam; / On 'taters and cabbage you daily did dine, / And you'll die in despair if you want to be mine., "517", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
"Bridget" looks at herself in the mirror glass. She wears a bonnet and large skirt with the crinoline visible. A broom stands rests on the dresser in front of her. Honiton refers to an expensive English lace company. Brass here means brazenness or impudence, and the valentine condemns her pretensions., Text: Bridget, sometimes, at the glass, / Tries Miss Julia's bonnet on;/ Making, thus, a face of brass, / Edged with lace of Honiton., Cf. 5.7., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman sews a cap. Her face is large, and the shading around her mouth appears to be facial hair. The valentine mocks her for gossiping and trying to appear richer than she is., Text: You nasty thing, think any chap / Would woo the stitcher of a cap? / You walk down town, (and such a caper!) / With dinner tied up in a newspaper? / To make folks believe you've been shopping, / In buying shoes or a pair of stockings, / Your figure's bad and when at your labors, / You talk too much about your neighbors., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman wears a gown with large sleeves and a headdress with large feathers. "Upper Ten" refers to the elite., Text: As a fair belle of Fashion, / I charm all the men, / And a husband I'll catch / 'Mongst the tall "Upper Ten.", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The housemaid looks in the mirror and ties her bonnet. Her crinoline is visible through the skirt she wears, and a broom rests against a bureau. The maid probably wears her mistress's clothing. The valentine satirizes the house maid's vanity., Text: O, my missus! don't I beat her? / Ain't the pink upon me sweeter? / I should sit upon the sophy, / And Missus Jones should make the coffee., Cf. 2.13., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The valentine shows a large man skating as he holds two children in his arms. The child facing front resembles a bull-dog. The verse mocks Irish accents., Text: Be aisy now, darlints, be aisy, I say, / There's swate Widdy Connor skathing this way; / I want to present her these jewels of mine, / And wid them, this gay second-hand Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The country clown holds a rake and stands on grass. He smiles widely and wears a wide-brimmed hat, trousers, shirt, and vest. The text suggests that he speaks a provincial dialect, saying "ye" for "you.", Text: Devoid of breeding, arts, and graces, / Among the greens I'm sure your place is; / To come to town would be a pity, / For I am sure some horse would eat ye., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman wears a bonnet, shawl, and a dress mended with patches. She holds a small parasol., Text: 'Tis not very handy -- of that I am sure-- / To feel what you want -- to know you are poor; / But when poverty aims airs of pride to attempt, / It only can merit our deepest contempt., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The "country pumbkin" is shown from the waist up. He carries a green pumpkin (or other squash) and wears a green top hat, blue jacket, and red vest. His mouth is open, either yawning or yelling. "Pumpkin" is a derogatory term for an important person., Text: Oh you poor corn-fed country Elf, / Behold the picture of thyself. / Hither come to make love's vows, / Better stay at home and feed your cows. / A city life will never do / For a stupid Hound like you, / Go hoe your corn and feed your swine / And keep your pumpkin for a Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The storekeeper daintly holds a napkin in one hand and pours coffee on the table with the other. He is thin, has thick catfish-like whiskers, and opens his mouth either yelling or shocked. A vase and a book are on the counter in front of him. A "codfish" was a wealthy New Englander whose family fortune originated in maritime business., Text: Magnificent merchant! you much I admire, / O! you prince of the counter -- you odd fish! / No doubt in the future I'll see you aspire / To a place 'mong the regular codfish., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A short and stout country bumpkin smiles and carries a pitchfork. The sender rejects the recipient's romantic advances because of his occupation., Text: My country chuck, go turn your hay, / And do not put me in a splutter, / By asking me to go away / With you, to make your cheese and butter., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman walks in front a much smaller man, presumably her servant, who holds a bundle. "Upper Ten" is a term for the wealthy elite, or "Upper Ten Thousand." The sender mocks the recipient for not marrying., Text: Though dress'd in ribbons, silks, and laces, / And midst the Upper Ten your place is; / You surely should you silly elf, / Find some poor man to share your pelf., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The woman wears a gown and holds a fan. Her head is shaped like a cod-fish, and the fins resemble strings on a bonnet. Cod-Fish aristocracy was a derogatory term for New Englanders whose family wealth originated in maritime businesses., Text: You wish to be thought "some" we know, / In truth a very odd wish; / Since people say, not long ago, / Your parents dealt in cod-fish., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The country girl wears a low-cut gown, and she holds a basket of fruit in her lap and pares a piece of fruit. The valentine suggests that she is fickle and possibly sexually promiscuous., Text: Now's the time, sweet girl, for paring, / But, like your onions, I'm a pun-gent; / Ah! I fear you're too ensnaring, / And not content would be with one gent., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The lady of the house wears a fashionable gown and holds her head at a haughty angle. Behind her, another woman washes clothing in a large tub. The woman at the washtub is probably the employee of the lady of the house. The valentine mocks the woman's social pretensions as unjustifiable given her role as someone who minds a stand (i.e., works in a small commercial enterprise)., Text: The lady of the house, so grand, / With head stuck up, and airs refin'd, / She quite forgets that little stand, / Which all day long she had to mind., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A woman has a codfish for a head and wears a gown. She holds out a slip of paper and a fan. "Cod-fish aristocracy" was a derogatory term for New Englanders whose family wealth originated in maritime businesses., Text: Fair dame, your fishery portrait here you see, / One of the Codfish Aristocra-she; [prouder / Lest your soup-erior wealth should make you / I leave you to the friends of Codfish Chowder., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man driving a carriage and says, " Don't I feel nobby now I keeps my own carriage?" "Nobby" is slang for smart or elegant., Text: They say you feel so proud of heart, / Because you keep a donkey cart; / One thing tho' you should bear in mind, / "Fellow feeling makes us kind," / Therefore you sometimes might change places / With the Donkey in the traces., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man holding a trowel lays bricks. The valentine urges the recipient to amend his behavior so that he will not be considered "shabby," or someone who plays mean tricks., Text: If you aint the best of good fellows, / Or constantly up to your tricks, / I think you'll be put down as shabby, / Though you're daily surrounded with Bricks., "31", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The "contemptible man" wears a blue coat, red waistcoat, yellow trousers, and a black top hat, all of which appear too large for him. His fingers and eyebrows are sharply pointed. He stands by a table where yellow items are for sale (butter?). The text mocks him for his penny-pinching nature., Text: You're really so mean in all you attempt, / That failing, you meet with nought but contempt; / I really believe 'tis your constant endeavor / To make yourself small and meet scorn forever., 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 closes the door in the face of a woman caller., Text: Though nought in face or form you're needing, / Nor none more handsome ever was, / You're ugly still, through lack of breeding; / For "pretty is as pretty does.", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A man stands next to a small dog and smokes a cigarette. The sender implies that the recipient misrepresents his background., Text: Oh my! what airs aristocratic! / "First Fam."--ahem! -- a noble scion! / You date your birth high up (an attic); / Come, come, such game as this don't try on., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
