The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-14
SAINT VALENTINES DAY,
UHY THE FOURTEENTH OF FEBRU-
AIRY is CELEBRiTED.

still Observed by Many, But Not TO the Same
Extent rs In Years Gone by-Curious Jos
tunes of the Long Ago-The Origin OF the
Day Not Certainly Known.
Listen, But it is only the door-bell tina,
the small boy, who lives next door, has pulea
vigorously more than score OF times 81
rendy. and he has left comic valentines ior
every member Of the family from grahu-
mother down.
The custom is detestible and many rejoice
that if is on the decline. Not only is the pre-
senting Of mankind on the l4th OF February
with photographic caricatures OF all the linper-
fections to which mortals are heir becoming
less common. but the saudy sentlmental V"'en-
tine is now hardly to be seen.
The mail carriers pouch bulges now win
its burden If tinsel and poetic loNe' ou' Ho'
10 the same extent "a in years gone ny .,
While this is a day recognized by All anu
celebrated by many, there are few II any VINO
know the real origin Of the day.
PECULIAR CUSTOM.
Valentines day. the 1lth Of February, was
at one time celebration III England, Ncotlauu'
and in different parts OF the continent Dy u
very peculiar and amusing sustom. On the
eve of St Valentine number or young t0lhs
of both sexes would assemble together and IN,
scribe upon little blllets the names u an eq'hu
number of maids aud bachelors OF their ac-
ouaintances throw the whole INTO receptacle
of some sort and then draw them lottery-wise;
OF course care was taken that eacn should
draw one of the opposite sex. Inc per
son thus drawn became the Naien'sne
of the one drawing. Each one, De-
sides having gotten valentine became
the valentine of some one else but as was re-
marked by learned man in the early part ol
the past century: The man stuck faster 10
the valentine that had fallen TO him, imam 10
her 70 whom he had fallen" These mag mary
enrapeueuts often led TO real ones.
because one necessary consequence
of them was that for "A whole year the man re-
NAMED bound to the service OF his valentines
somewhat after the fashion OF medleVa
KNIGHT OF romance TO his lady love. AT one
period it was customary for both sexes 20
make presents 20 each other, but latterly the
obligation seems to be restricted 10 young
men.
THE LEGENDS.
It is believed that the connection Of the Gus
tom with any Of the ~. Valentines IL barely
accidental. in the legends Of the different
saints Oy that name no trace of the practice
peculiar to the 14th of February Is to
be found II has been suggested tnat
the custom may nave descendeded -
Us from the ancient Romans who celebrated
the month Of February and who among otDer
things, put the names Of young women INTO
a box. from which they were drawn by the
men. and that the Christian clergy finding II
difficult OF impossible 20 eAterpate tins pagan
practice, gave il AT least a religious aspect Dy
substituting the name of popular saints Tor
those OF the women.
1t Is believed however, to be far more prob
able that the custom is a relic OF that nature,
religion. which was the primitive form of re-
ligiOn IN Northwest Europe, and that II sprung
from q recognition of the peculiarly OF the
season. Hence the explanation that about
this time of the year the birds choose Their
mates, thence probably came the custom OF
the young men and maidens choosing yaieu-
tines or special loving friends on that day.
THE NAME
Valentine. or Valentins is the name Of a con-
siderable number OF ialnts, three OF whom
may be particularized. Ialentus was a pres;
5yter and martyr, according 10 the authorized
Roman legend. He was arrested and thrown
into chains Mt the instance Of En-
perOr Claudius. and handed over 70
Calphuriu-. who employed one Asterius, to
try to win him back to idolatry. Valentines
miraculOusly healed the blind daughter OF
Asterius. who accordingly, believed and was
baptized with all his house. The saint, after
long Imprisonment, was beaten with cluns
and finally beheaded on the lsth Of February
The second is Valentines of Interama. who
was q bishop and martyr, and who wonder
fully healed the deforned son If Grafton, a
Greek rhetOrician living in Rome. who. with
other prominent persons, was accordingly
converted This Valentine. who also Is
cOmmemorated on the l4th of February
is invoked especially in Italy and Germany in
cases of epilepsy and cognate disorders. The
third yalentius is spoken of as the apostle Of
Rhoetia and yenerated a. its first bishop. He
fourished during the first half of the fifth cen