Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-02-13
Valentines.

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readers, as they indite or purchase and
mail their valentines, reflect upon the
origin of this singular custom. Would
il not surprise many of them TO know
that the custom of choosing valentines,
as We now call them, was in. vOg ue
among the ancient Romans, and that
at the annual festival known as Luper-
Gala, which occurred during the month
of February, it was customary for q
number of young persons OF either sex
to place a corresponding humber OF
slips bearing the names of young peo'
rle of the other sex into vessel, and
each one drawing slip therefrom at
random, to consider the person whose
name was written on their slip 80 their
valentine Gas we should now call i) for
the remainder of the year. This Gus
tom existed over 1000 years ago, and
Is said to have originated from the
supposition that at this particular time
the birds choose their mates. In suc'
ceeding centuries, when Christianity
prevailed In the ancient capital of
Paganism, the custom came to be as'
socisted with the name of the great
and good st. Valentine, whose festival
occurred on the 14th of February, and
whose great charity earned for him an
enviable reputation, even in thUss days
of Christian heroes and martyrs. He
died in the third century.
For a long time the selection of valen'
ties continued to be made at this season
Of the year, in the same manner, how
ever, as had existed formerly a.nong
the ancient Romans. When the pre-
sent system of sending valentines to q
particular person instead of selecting
them as formerly, at random, or by
lots, was adopted we can not say; but
many years ago in Englatd, we are
told, the custom was for each maiden
to regard as her valentine the particu'
lar lad who should be the first one on
whom her eyes rested on Valentines
Day. Accordingly, on that day, the
youths were accustomed to rise early
and present themselves, ,attired in their
bravest at the residence of her whom
they desired to claim as their valen'
tine, and many amusing stories are
told Of the devices INDUCED in by the
young people of both sexes to secure
their seeing or being seen by the right
one first, the girls endeavOring by all
sorts of devices to avoid seeing any
other but the youth of her choice, while
the youth himself sought by every
means in his power to put himself in
the Way Of being seen by her and by
no other one until the great question
was settled.
In our young days, valentines were
not, or at least rarely, manufactured
for US. Only very expensive ones were
to be bought complete, and 1t was
usual for boys and girls to write their
valentines themselves on pretty orna'
mented note paper. In default of any
original talents for versifying, the older
members of the family were, perforce,
made cOnfidants, and all the range of
poets known in literature were ram
sacked for suitable sentiments. Nor
in these old'fashioned days did il fre'
quently occur that any one boy or girl
sent more than one valentine, while
noao, bless me, these little folks send
cut and buy their valentines, senti.
ments and all, for from five to twenty
i've cents apiece, and many OF them
are not satisfied with sending less half
a dozen. Well, l suppose, we must be
in the fashion. and so the Farmers
Review begs each one of its readers, to
accept this number of the Review sc
one of the numerous valentines which
they will probably receive.
n. B.-A word of advice to the
Don't be betrayed into
into the weakness of sending any vul'
gar or coarse valentines, such as we see
too many of in the shop windows. Es'
peclally avoid sending any rejecting
upon personal defects Farmers Re-
view.
San Jose, CAL, forbids the Chinese to
celebrate their new year with pyro-
Paterson, N. j., jail keeps so full,
that many people want a whip
ping post.
The orange blossoms on brides heads
are crumped now, instead of being
An Ackle, Ia, man Las been pois-
oned by exhalations from cholera
killed hogs.
r. Walker, of Salem county, N. j.,
found Gen. Scott medel, in q late
cows stomach.
Indigo blue cambria will be much
worn when the spring time comes,'-
Star.
Joe Medill, who aspires to be the
branch of George William
Curtis, is in mourning on account Of
John A. Logan's walk
& AT 'corowner's inquest In Eng
land, this was the verdict rendered:
The child was suffocated, but there Is
no evidence to show that the Iuffoea-