The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1860-02-14

married Miss Grimes of the 10 YER c,unty.
They were the parents of the ladies who
marrird Mr. Isaac Hite and John Hay, OF
Frederick county, aud ". Polk, OF Wash
ingtou. More Pious AMI estimable ladies'
than the mother aad daughter are not easily
| found. There were also several sons.
TO BE coSrINUEp.
| PuGlLisFIc AFFAlR.-This morning about
| ten o'clock. two small bogs named Henry
| Robbins and Fred Taylor. met at the corner
OF Middle and King streets, and from what
we could learn, it appears that a bad feeling
| has existed between them for some time, and
| on meeting an exchange of words took
place, which resulted in a genuine fight, in
| which stones, bricks and sticks were used
quite freely, and we doubt not that one sr
| the other, perhaps both, would have been
injured, had not an officer Of the city made
his appearance and separated them, at the
same time threatening to carry them both
to Jail if they persisted in their indecent
conduct
81. VALENTINES DAY.-ro-day is one OF
the moss conspicuous in the whole calendar
to "yolug maiden's fair" and loye.sick
swains. 1t is known as the festival of st,
valentine, and 1t is one long remembered
and much dreaded by the Post Office clerks
all over the land, from the unusual amount
OF labor it imposes upon them. # is conjec-
tured hat the Custom of devoting this day
to CaPid,is traceable to the ancient Romans,
whose festivals, called Lupercalia, were cell
| ebratsd about this time. On these occasions.
amidst variety ot csremonies, the names
of young women were placed in a box, from
which they were drawn By a band of devo-
tees, as chance directed.
The practical joking which prevails so
| universally on each anniversary Of this day;
| the E0ve OF fun and caricature with Cupid il
of comparatively modern date. Formerly
owe making among our sober progenitors
wore much more grave and demure as
| pest; it was sot matter TO be trihed with.
thtt OF linking hearts and hands with the
Jont VI mtS-lUIkuues OIL lie.
"Oh, love how potent is thy sway;
Thou'rt terrible indeed to most men,
but once year there comes day,
w hen thou tormentest chiefly post-Mep
Oh, hard indeed, the lot must be,
Of him whe wears thy CALLING letters:
But even more miserable he,
Who has TO deliver all thy letters
st. Valentine is represented as having
been canonized in consequence of having
suffered martyrdom in the third century
under the Emperor Claudius ii. He was a
holy priest OF Rome, who, with st Marius
and his family, assisted the martyrs in the
persecution under that Emperor; was appre.
hended, and sent by the Emperor to the Per
feet OF Rome, who, on finding ill his effort,
to make him resource his faith Intellectual,
commanded him to be beheaded; and this
execution took place on the 18th February.
About the year 270, Pope Julius is siid to
have built Church near Ponts Mole, to his
memory, which for long time gave name
to the gate afterwards cated Porta del
Populo. The greatest portion OF the relics
of st. Valentine are said to be preserved in
the Church of st. Praxedas.
The month OF February is well known to
be the brieiest of all the family Of months.
1t derives it's name from Fetrup, to purify;
hence Februarius, the appellate assigned
by the Romans to the eSpiatory sacrifices
they were accustomed to offer at this season
Pisces, the constellation over which Neptune
was supposed to preside, MAS regarded by
the sncients as the last OF the winter signs;
and was represented under the figure of two
fishes; but at present it is the first,in order of
the stellar groups of the Zodiac, presiding
over the venerable equinox. The Saxon
name for this month was Sprout ksle, also
,SaL-n oaath, or pancake month, from their
custom of Offering cakes to the sun for his
increa sing power.
TIE Town PoINT WARS. We desire 10
remind the councils that there are repeated
and increasing complaints about vessels
stopping at the Town Point wharf. This
wharf was built for the accommodation of
steamer, and ii sometimes happens that it il
tiled with vessels which are carried there
to save Wharfage. This is alike unjust to
owners OF wharf property and to the pas
sengers on the steamers who do not like to
be carried TO Portsmouth before they are
1.