Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-02-13
VALENTINES DAY.

uaI W tuy returning festival, OLD BISHOP
valentine. Great is thy name in the rubic,
thou venerable Arch famen of Hymen, Im-
mortal Co between. who and what manner of
person art thou Art thou but hume typi-
flying the restless principle which impels poor
humans to seek perfection In union or vert
thou indeed a mortal prelate, with thy tppet
and thy rochet, thy apron on, and decent lawn
sleeves Mysterious parsonage, like unto
thee, assuredly there is no other mitred father
In the calendar not Jerome nor Ambrose, nor
Cyril nor the consigner of undipt infants to
eternal torments, Austin. whom all mothers
hate; nor he who hated all mothers, Origen !;
nor Bishop Bull, nor Archbishop Parker, nor
Whitgift. Thou contest attended with thou
sands and ten thousands of little Loves, and
the air Is
" Brushed with the hiss of rustling wings
Singing Cupids are thy choristers and thy pre-
centors and instead Of the crosier, the mysti-
cal arrow is borne before thee
In other words. this is the day on which
those charming little missives, yclept Valen-
tines, cross and intercross each other at every
street and turning. The weary and all for
spent two-penny postman sinks beneath lead
OF delicate endorsements not his own. 1t is
scarcely creditable to what an extent this
ephemeral courtship is carried on in this loving
town, to the great enrichment of porters, and
detriment of knockers and bell wires In these
little visual interpretations, no emblem is 80
common as the heart-that little three-cornered
exponent of all our hopes and fears-tLe be-
stuck and bleeding heart; it is twisted and
tortured into more allegories and affecta tions
than an opera hat. What authority have we
In history or my thology for placing the head
quarters and metropolis of god Cupid in this
anatomical seat rather than in any other, is
very clear; but we have got it, and it will
serve as we'll as any other. Else we might
easily imagine, upon some other system which
might have prevailed, for anything which our
pathology knows to the contrary, a lover ad-
dressing his mistress, in perfect simplicity of
feeling, Madam, my iiccr and fortune are en-
tirely at your disposal" or putting delicate
question, o. Amanda. have you q nidrtf to be
STOW ," But custom has settled these things,
and awarded the seat of sentiment to the afore-
SAID triangle, while its less fortunate neighbors
wait at animal and anatomical distance
Not many sounds in life, and 1 include all
unban and rural sounds, exceed in interest a
throne where hope lie seated" But it's issues
seldom answer to this oracle within. 1t is so
seldom that just the person we want to see
comes. But Of all the clamorous visitations the
Welcomest In expectation is the sound that ush-
ers In, or seems to usher in, q Valentine Az
the raven himself was hoarse that announced
the fatal entrance Of Duncan, so the knock of
the postman is light, airy, confident, and beft-
ting one, that bringsth good tidings. 1t is less
mechanical than on other days; you will say
" That Is not the post, | am sure Visions of
Love, of Cupids, of Bymens delightful, eter-
nal commonplace, which 90 having been will
always be" which no school-boy nor school
man can write away; having your irreversible
throne In the fancy and affections-what are
your transports, when the happy maiden, open
ing with careful finger careful not to break the
emblematic seal, bursts upon the sight of some
well designed allegory, some type, some youth
full fancy, not without verses