Today in Comics History, February 29: Happy birthday, Anne Ide...or is it?

Born on this day in 1876...or was she?!?...Anne L. Ide, daughter of U.S. Senator Henry Clay Ide (1844-1921). Or so the story goes...or does it? Why yes. Yes, it does. To wit, Anne complained to Robert Lousi Stevenson that she only got a birthday every four years (which seems to point towards dull, cheap and unimaginative parents more than a vagary of the calendar) so Stevenson gave her his birthday (November 13). Thus this so-called-story goes:


from "Robert Louis Stevenson" in Real Life Comics #33 (Pines, July 1946), creators uncredited and unknown
The event was immortalized in a poem "that every child should know" (and believe me, it's no "Milk, Milk, Lemonade") by Katherine Miller. It starts out

"How I should like a birthday!" said the child,
⁠"I have so few, and they so far apart."
She spoke to Stevenson — the Master smiled —
⁠"Mine is to-day; I would with all my heart
That it were yours; too many years have I!
Too swift they come, and all too swiftly fly."

The whole thing is right here, and it's about as wet as this verse.

Truth is, Ms. Ide was born not today but on Christmas Day — December 25, 1876 — but the vague lyrics of this piece of nonsense gave rise to the historical legend that is repeated in this comic: that Anne was born on Leap Day. (See here.)

So, for being at the center of false history, today you get nothing, Anne Ide! You lose! Good day, sir miss!

However, you can't deny the historical truth that Anne Ide was known as "Levei-malo" to the Samoans, which only goes to show.

Happy not birthday, Anne Ide! Ya big cheater.