The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-02-14
CITY NEWS.
A Few Reflections on st. Valentine
and the Tender Passion which Seeks
Vent on His Natal Day.
Regulating the Mud.Splashers-..Land'
Slide on the Trunk.
The Remains of Dead Infant DiscOy
ercd...Thc New Jail.
Other Interesting Local Matters
st. Valentines Day.

st. Valentines Day.
To-day is the 16l2th anniversary of st.
Valentines day, and joyous day it is
throughout the Christian world. 1t is
pretty generally known that the day takes
its name from st. Valentine, who was mar
tyred in the year go, Ammo Domini, in the
reign OF Claudius, emperor of Rome. He
was canonized undoubtedly after his death,
and his festival fixed on the 14th day of
February, in the we ar following, or, that is
to say, the day corresponding with that day
uuder our computation. ST. Valentine is
claimed by some TO have been bishop,
while others assert that he was only pres
byter. Whichever he may have been, it is
admitted by all that his character was so
indicative and illustrative of charity and
and love that the ceremony and custom of
this day is ascrbed to him. Other accounts
Of the origin of the day, and of
the custom prevalent of choosing
sweethearts say it came from the Roman
festival OF Supercala. During that festival,
which commenced on the 18th of February
each year, among other ceremonies was
practiced that of putting the names of all
the young women in box and mixing
them.up thoroughly. The young men then
each drew enc out, and the young lady
whose name 1t was, was his valentine, or
sweetheart, during the year and he was
hers. IL was u pleasant custom, proyoca
tlve.oi much merriment and enjoyment,
and the selection of sweethearts in this wav
often led to the dearer and holer ceremony of
marriage. II is said that the birds all mate
on this day and begin housekeeping in
their leafy homes on hillside and in deli.
Certain it is that the day is sacred to
love. Ali blessed day, and blessed theme!
Who has not loved? Man is hut a
courtier, each one lover and beloved. 1t
is said the angels pair us. Our hearts are
made to beat in unison. Nature iavors this
assertion, for the stars twinkle in clus-
tiers the mountains are ridged the boughs
entwine; the tender ivy embraces close the
giant tree, the waveless rivulet, the wan
dering rill, the meaudering stream. the
bright-rollng river, all unite and form
old ocean; and the birds that mate TODAY
the joyous birds, natures poetry, twitter
love songs the livelong day Who does not
love? Who is not loyed2 1t is as ubidui-
tous as air itself. There lives no human
being who has not at least one in all the
sounding music, and whose smile is MS n
rainbow over the heart. We must love, If
there is such thing as forgettulness, if the
spray from Lethe's waves can reach the
human heart, perhaps there is indifference
but while memory asserts its sway love will
live, We love or have loved. Ii we have
loved we love yet, though there may be
something of bitterness in it.
Memory will cherish the fairy pictures of
youth, the beautiful imagery ofboyhood, and
they nevercan quit eurpresence; who would
not rather to have loved, though It's agony
only remained, than never to have hopedP
No one can be prodigal to love. 1t is an
inhabitant OF every cline, and wherever
there is mind there is love. Heaven,
itself, is paved and pillared with its spler.
dor. There is not one in all the earth who
is not loved; there is no grave that has not
been watered with tears; no hearse without
its mourner; no mound without Its slab
Love is as potent as it is universal. There
an earthly immortality about it, This
side the grave II is never eytinguished, and
who knows that 1t is not, in robes of light,
without alloy, renewed beyond the tomb2
Grim,visaged death is terrorless at the
side OF love. Its puissance is well portrayed
IN the grand and swelling lines of poesv.
Burns sang to his Highland Mary amid
scotia's poetic hills; Coleridge breathes a
gentle and lasting affection for his lovely
Henevieve; Byron swears his love for the
Maid OF Athens and at her feet would al
most deem twas not idolatry to
kneel;" Moore regrets the time
hes lost in wooing;n Poe raves over the loss
oil "a rare and radiant maiden whom the
angels name Lenore !" Wordsworth, be.
side the springs of Dove" loved his Lucy,
VINO was as fair as u star, when only one Is
shining in the skye Tennyson was coquet.
iied, with by "airy, fairy Lillian - and who
Is 'here who has not time and again repeated
who that has has not vowed To-
For my bonnie Annie Laurie
LAY me downc and dee"
History attests the power of love. For
melting.eyed Helen, With her tawny tresses,
proud Troy lies In ruins. For love the Hell
i,espont bore upon its bosom the frenzicd
Leander, and for love its cruel waves roll
over his devoted Hero. There is a potency,
subllmity, belonging TO love which pre-
vents impure hearts from enjoying its
wealth. There Is nobleness about IL that
,ne dark aud uncommuning mind may not
possess. IL Is o gift from God Himself and
Sod Is love Who is there of us who on this
day cannot say;
TO be believed is something so divine"
Vln you not almost hear the sDft, sweet
oooings ofth little birds in the woodlands
az they tell their loves aud upon the altar
o. nature make their VOWS of mutual alice
Won and pledge their iathp Is II not metc
mat this day should be held sacred, that It
should be u festival that all our hpurts
Keep, for the renewaloi their affections, for
.ncpartnking oftne sacrament oI the holy
Shtism II hat rure, fond earnest, tender
nj .l a..I. F..l. -.