I wonder if my grandmother, Sarah (Sally) Colma de Vasconcellos Malrose, agreed with this cartoon that it was a "Scrappy New Year!" Dearest, for that is what she was affectionately called, was 19 years old when President Woodrow Wilson declared WAR officially on Germany. On April 2, Wilson went before Congress asking for a declaration of war. His reason were: Germany was sinking American submarines and merchant ships in the Atlantic and it had been discovered that Germany was trying to form a secret alliance with Mexico. Well, this was enough to convinced Congress and on April 6, one day before Sally turned 19, approval was granted. For on April 7, 1917 Sally was almost 9 months pregnant. How Sally must have worried what the world would be like for her new baby. Surely she wondered if she had a boy whether he would one day be called upon to go to war. Nothing worries a mother as much as that. For Sally and Lee (Leroy Fred Malrose) were convinced that they would have a son.
For as it happened earlier that year Lee didn't return home from the art studio as he had promised on Valentine's Day. Sally fussed and fumed and finally wrapped her coat and scarf around her and ran out the door to find him. For everyone must understand that a pregnant woman on Valentine's Day is not patient. No, not patient at all. And although it was Lee's nature to be caught in his thoughts and to let time pass by without notice, still this was not the day for day-dreaming. As Sally approached the studio she caught her composure and upon entering she found Lee drawing a whimsical pen and ink valentine for his love. And this drawing was proof that the two young lovers were definitely having a handsome young son.
And so it was that on May 11, 1917, GLORIA ALICE MALROSE WAS BORN in Chicago, Illinois. No, it wasn't the handsome little boy in the 10" x 13" Valentine. Instead they had a beautiful 11 lb., red-haired baby girl. My Mother. And thus it could not be a Scrappy New Year.
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