The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-02-21

Lust lnursuay WAS NulenllNe y l''y'
and we forgot to say a word about 1t
last week, But il doesn't matter If We
did forget. We couldn't have said
anything new apon the subject, for we
have, during these past ten or twenty
Years, upon each recurrence of the day,
searched every encyclopedia within reach
in order TO see If we could muster up
something We had not mustered ny he
fore. Sometimes we have copied al
most verbatim what We had written
several years previous, thinking our
readers would not observe that we had
stolen from o%lrse.l, or, in other words,
acted like some preachers who preach
owe their old sermons, word tor
word, We did not suppose they had
as good memory as the fellow WHOM.
we have all head Of. He never hai
been to church until just before his
emigration TO a distant part OF the
country. when his wife persuaded him
TO 90 just for once. And the minister
preached from that part Of Scripture
which says Simon's wife's mother lay
sick of fever. In about twenty years
our friend returned and his sold wo-
man. persuaded him to 90 to church
once more to hear the same minister.
And hy mere hap the text OF the good
man was: And Simon's wilc's mother
lay sick of 4 fever. Our friend touch,
ed his sold woman" and whisper ed
My God! ANT Simon's wi(e's mother
deod yeti" lie had good memory,
certain.
But, there we're u number of valcn-
tines dropped INTO our post office last
Thursday, and sc guess our clever y.
NJ. and DIR. Garner were buster than
usual. Some cittcrn head sent as a
valentine, the reception of which is
hereby q, knswledgcd. Well, %valen-
tines are cheap, and they give love
sick fellows n chance Of expressing
sentiments which on ordinary occa
sions cannot be properly revealed. We
never resorled to them, though, IN u
counting davs-not a bit Of it, We told
our tender passion with a courage
"worthy of a better cause" They
don't send valentines now, however, as
they used to. The day is MT general
~ observed, albeit valentines. especial
" Of u comic or burlesqne style, are
very cheap. Some Of these are really
very funny, but, as the New York sun
says:
They are dangerous weapons of ridi-
Guile to be put into the hands Of people
who lack good taste, and have personal
prriulicas and grievances they desire to
crafty. Many Il girl is made very unEap-
py by getting Il valentine which repre-
scnts her in \ dismal plight. or eXagger-
ates some physical defect of which she is
herself conscious, but tondly imagines Is
unobservcd by her acquaintance. lll-na-
turcd people take advantage OF the day to
vent their spite against neighhors or
whom they be Jealous or cnvious, by send
ing them insulting valentines. Last year
II woman was driven to suicide by getting
such a communication.
still, nobody should receive even the
most atrociOus valentine in Il serious splr-
it. while every maiden should tendcrly
cherish one which pours forth in verse
the inflaned feelings Of a susceptible
youth. The lines may not he smooth the
artistic work in the way of the picture ON
the sheet may be very detective. but the
intention of the sender IS good, and per-
haps he may someG day muster up courage
to say orally, speaking into her " at
tentive ear. the words of love he now
dares utter only through the medium Of
an anonymous miSslve."