Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-02-14

cessary. Still II Is interesting TO refer to II
briefly. -
feasts Of the Catholic Church Is dedicated to
a. valentine, but the connection Of the Gus
toms Of this day with the name Of the
sanity martyr IL purely accidental.
In the legends OF the different saints Of
that name no trace Of the practice peculiar
to the 18th Of February IL found. II has
been suggested by an eminent author that
the custom may have descended from the
ancient Romans, who, during the Luper-
Gala, celebrated In the month OF February,
were wont among other things TO put the
names OF young women into box, from
which they were drawn as chance directed;
and that the Christian clergy, finding II DIFF
fult or impossible to extiTpate this pagan
practice, gave IL at least a religious sanction
by substituting the names Of particular
saints for those Of the women, and Il 10 Ger.
talnly q usage more or less widely extended
lu the Catholic Church to select, either on
81. Valentines day or some other, patron
saint for the year, who Is termed a yalen-
tine. But II is far more probable that the
creation Of choosing valentines Is relic OF
that naturo-Whleh was undoubtedly the
primitive form Of religion in northwestern
Europe-as elsewhere, and that II sprung
from a recognition Of the peculiarly Of the
season. II 10 said In explanation OF this
that about this time OF the year the birds
choose their mates, and probably thence
came tho custom OF the young men aud
maidsns choosing valentines or special low
ing friends on that day.
Bat nowadays the festival has degener-
ated, the only observance Of any note con-
sistlng merely Of the sending Of jocular
anonymous letters to parties whom one
wishes 10 quiz, and this 10 confined very
much to the humber classes. The approach
Of the day IL heraldod by the appearance In
tho store windows Of vast numbers Of mis-
slyea calculated for use on this occasion,
each generally consisting Of a single sheet
Of paper, on tho nTst page Of which Is seen
some ridiculous caricaturo Of the male or
female figure, with q few burlesque verses
below. More rarely, the print Is OF sentl-
mental kind, such as view Of the hymenial
altar with q pair undergoing Initiation
into welded happiness before II, while Cupid
| autters above, and hearts transAxed with
darts decorate the corners. Young loving
| sWalns Interchange such eplstles with each
other on 81. Valentines day, no doubt con-
| celvlpg that the Joke 10 amazingly good;
aud generally the newspapers do not fall to
record that the letter carriers In their
cities delivered so many hundred thousand
more letters on that day than they do in
general. Such is nearly the whole extent Of
the obserTances now peculiar to st. Valen-
| tines day.
A learned traveller OF the early part Of the
last century gives apparently q correct Rc-
count Of the principal ceremonial Of the day
as lndnlged In By our forcfathers. "On tho
eve Of Sc. Valentines day the young folks In
England and Scotland, by a very ancient
custom, celebrate q little festival. An equal
number Of mAlds and bachelors get to-
gether; each unites their true or some
~ naa htIInFa W.ht.k
they roll up and draw by way Of lots, the
maids taking the mems billets, aud the men
the maids; 90 that each Of the young men
has selected some girl that he calls his Valen-
| tine, and each Of the girls has q young man
whom abe calls hers. By this means each
has two VAlontlnesi but the man sticks
faster to the Valentine that has fallen to
him than TO the Valentine to whom he Ia
fallen. Fortune having thus divided the
| company Into 80 many couples, tho Valen-
tines give balls aud treats to their mis-
tresGos; wear their blllets several days upon
their bosoms or sleeves, and this little sport
Omen ends In love-"
Formerly England furnished all our pub
lished valentines, and at the present time we
believe there are only six publishers Of them
in the United States. Ofthese, three arc in
New York city, ono In Philadelphia, and
two In Worcester, Mass. Their main busl-
Il uNhh u kuht OF bOphh
and songs, and the sale OF stationery. Their
valentine branch Is simply an incident In the
years transaction. Sales for city use has
declined Of late years, but the country de-
mand hAs Increased. This Is especially the
case among the negroes OF the South. As
they acquire the ability to read, they arc
stimulated TO make numerous purchases Of
/ cheap valentines, the exaggeratlons OF the
designs appealing TO their strong apprecla-
l Al - Al
| Of the comic valentines are to the extent OF
about four millions, but of sentimental val
entines less than a million.
II the perpetuation Of 81. Yalentin O's
| day, or Its observance rather, depended upon
any one generation, II would die out, bat
happily for the peTpetuity Of this old time
| holiday, fresh young hearts are constantly
appearing on the worlds broad stage to take
place Oft the old onss. II your heart, old fell
low, and ours are muslc-boIes no longer,
and have become so toughened that multi
tude Of rude touches would not break them,
there arc young and tender hearts in plenty
waiting and eager for the magic key that
shall wake their fairyllke music. 81. Val
ontine's day will never be allowed to become
forgotten, and Its annual return will not
lack due observance 90 long as youth and
love are among terrestrial things"
TINS CoLoRED SCHOOL INvEsTIGATIoE.-
The Senate Committee on the District have
concluded their investigation In regard to
the management OF tho colored schools Of
the District, and have furnished 10 the Sec
Rotary Of the Interior q copy OF the evidence
and their recommendation. The Secretary
declines allowing the matter 10 be given to
the public until he has reviewed the evil
dence. II IL understood that the Senate
committee recommends the dismissal of a
certain member or members Of the board Of
trustees but the Secretary Ia doubtful Of his
authority, as Ia the Attorney General; The
evidence before the committee dlaclo0es
startiinG state Of affain In the Management
OF the schools and the disbursement Of the
money provided for their sustenAnce by the
Government and corporation OF the Dis
trict. Bulls have been paid without any To-
quiry made, and II IL alleged that tho evil
denoe proves concluslysly that large
amounts Of money have been squandered In
q manner that looks very much like private
Interests have been served.
ESTHRPRIsIN0 RsTABLIsHNENT.-All live
business house, up With the times, ready to
take advantage OF every turn In the market,
and willing to share those advantages with
their patrons Is always welcomed and sup
ported In any community, and such houses
are an evidence Of a general business pIos
perity, for enterprise IL contagious, and one
such establishment acts as leaven upon the
who'll lump Of old fogyism. The American
Tea Company lie such an Institution In our
city. With them there Is no stepping 10 de-
bate as TO the probable movement Of the
capital, the tendency OF gold, the decision
OF some law suit, or matters Of that sort.
The only questions are, what are the present
wants OF the people, and how eau they DO
best supplied The result ls they are always
prepared 10 furnish the latest, best, and the
cheapest articles In their line, and the people
approaching It pAtronlEe them TO an extent
that shows that dull times and slow trade do
not keep company with integrity and enter
prise.
TnE Roll or HoEoR.-Rey. DR.. L. II.
Chaplin, OF New York, will deliver the ninth
Of the course Of lectures Of the Grand Army
Of the Republic, In Lincoln hall tomorrow
TUESDAY )evening. The subject Of the lecture
10 10 be "The Roll Of Honor" which will be