The Rugbeian. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1881-1882, 1881-03-01
YaIentines.'

NIT the attrocity of telling, what kind and quantity
Of valentines were received and sent by fair Rug
beians and their admirers, on the first celebration in
Rugby Of the day dedicated to the amiable but some
what indiscreet saint who does more to encourage
Irritation than all the rest in the calendar Suffice it
to say, this head that our worthy postmaster was
not found on the 14th ult. struggling in of sus-
piciousooking envelopes, and had not even to take
on the extra letter-carrers who have in London and
elsewhere become an institution on that suspicious
day. And we may just add in passing that, so far
as is apparent no serious business has resulted from
any indiscretion which may then have been COM
mtted.
So much for that part Of the subject, which might,
after the continental manner, have been placed un
der the heading of Personals
1t is the valentine of the present Gay in the abb
stract illustrating two tendencies sadly the in
crease on both sides of the Atlantic Of which we
wish to speak The first of these tendencies is to-
wards Irritation, or in other words philandering with
out view to business. Now we hold that, though
rare specimens of that noxious variety the & to
be found the term hrt applied to the gentler SEX
is absolutely incorrect The girls no doubt make
themselves agreeable rule but only dangerously
so to men who have such conceit of their sweet
selves as to make it impossible for them to take it
cheerfuly when they discover that the winning ways
which they had presumed were reserved for them
selves, meant nothing more than general goodwill
towards mankind. But the male firt is, and, so
long civilized society insists the sterner sex
taking the initiative in these matters, will continue
to be, the most contemplate animal in creation, and
were there no other proof that he has been on the
increase for the last twenty-five years it would be
found in the alarming rise and progress Of valentines
during that period, to say nothing of the Christmas
and Easter cards which, originally harmless, have of
late apparently been pressed into the service
valentines. The other tendency of which we de-
pore the increase is that towards the vcarous taking
of trouble. In the days before the food when we
were young towards the end of January, it was our
wont to become sorely exercised in spirit as to the
most suitable meter in which to express our feelings
toward the object of our affections. As the fatal
fourteenth approached the trouble to discover other
suitable rhymes, besides those of Glove" with
"dove," and ''cupid" with "stupid," became
agonzing; but scorned to seek aid from the art
list, except perhaps to the extent of transxed heart,
such re, typical Of our feelings at the head
of our note paper. And now-why, the whole affair
has been reduced to of artists work by the gross
and dollars and cents, and has much resemblance
to the old thing the modern battue with its spare
breechoaders and barn-door pheasants has to days
sport, as it understood in the days Of youth.
All well! we no longer young; and the boys
and girls will go on managing their own affairs in
their own particular way, charm we never so wisely
we old fogies. And, to say truth, it to at
this point that we might just as we'll have kept our
sermon to oursel, for there be little risk for
many day of any Rugbeian, youthful or otherwise,
yielding to the temptation to shirk taking trouble
and still less of his becoming firt so long as for
every lass in Rugby there are as at present. dozen
lads. I, III
THE Nashville Ame,7can on "Dirt Roads :"