New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14

without spealung drinking after It, We also wrote
lovers names upon bits Of paper and rolled them
UP in clay put them into water the first that
rose up be Valentine. Would you think i'll
Mr.. Blossom my l Icy abed
NY eyes all the morning, till he to house for
would have seen another before him for all the
world.
4 girl who would do all this might be expected to
do almost anything. and accomplish almost
ANYTHING and Mr.. Blossom might as well
regard msclf doomed. There have always been
people posaicaly free from superstition and so Day-
ton. poet who died in 1881 to his sweetheart
Let's laugh az them that choose
Their Valentines by lot.
To their use
Whom idly they have got.
But here appears The custom which has lasted till
now and is practically all that is left OF the OBJ
servance of ST. Valentines Day. that Of sending mes
sagcs and letters The fashion OF hideous and vulgar
"comicp valentines has the sanction OF age. If moth
Ing more, but there also the more or
loss decorative designs supposed to be missives
Of love. which equally classic. and which
have been ob.efved 70 grow more tasteful and
artistic within the last few years. Tile first poctlcll
valentine attributed Charles Duke OF Orleans, who
was made prisoner al Agncourt in 1i1j. and wrote
his poem in the Tower of London II Is needless TO
say that they have been written since. The dis
cussion OF such subject as this would be incomplete
without quotation from Herrick, here ii is:
OFT have heard both youths and virgin, say,
But by their Night / never can divine
When shall couple with my Valentine.
If II be heresy 10 distinctly that anything Is
prettler than Ilcrrick, then let the reader judge
himself Of this from Montgomery:
Rosy red the hills appear
With the light OF morning
Beauteous clouds. in ether clear.
All the adorning;
White through mist the meadows shine;
Wake. love. Valentine.
4 l,Ia pfina
cally tine older ones. take the form of morning
greetings. Thus Ophelia's song Is:
Tomorrow : St Nscltinc's DAY.
All in the morning betme.
And l maid at your window,
To De your Valentine
This may be connected with custom that used TO
prevail among the children in Ierfordshire. They
formed little procession early In the morning. placing
OF the youngest Of their number fancully dressed
and adorned according TO their means ut their head
and about from house to house asking small con
trlbuons Of money and singing:
Good morrow to YOU. Valentine
Cur your locks as Do mine
Two before and three behind.
Good morrow YOU Valentine.
Probably the most remarkable valentine cTcr written
Is Edgar Allan Poc's 10 France, Sargent psgood II is
remarkable in two ways first. because The name Of her
10 whom il is addressed may be read ia 1t by taking
the first letter Of the first, line, the second
If the second line. the third Of the tl!N
line and on straight through, and second be'"u'e'
this being the case the poem mades sense. II Is easy
enough 10 make an acro-c in which the initials OF th'
lines spell something, but it is not - easy to put Inc
desired letter I'm the seventh sixteenth place In
line In the following copy Of Poe's verses the let
ter, that spell the name separated from the others
tx hyphens for convenience Of reading, but any one
WHO cares to count may find for himself that they are
correct:
For her this rhyme l. pcnnCd. whose luminous eyes,
brightly expressive a. Tia" twins oi LO'da,
Shall ind her sweet name. thni netting lies
Upon the page, cnwrippcd from every reader
Search narrowly the Inc they hold treasure
Divln.c-l tal-man-an amulet
That MUST be wora at Search we'll the measure
The word-.-thc syilablos Do not forget
The trivia.irst point, or you lose your lsDour'
And vet the Re g., IN thi, no GOriian knot
which one might not undo without sabre
II one could merely comprehend the plot.
Enwrl;ten Upon the leaf are peering
Eves scintila.t-ing soul. Uerc lio pcdus
Three eloquent words oft uttered in tho hearing
OF poets by poets--ns the name f. poets, TOO
It, letters. although naturally lying
Like the knight Pint-o-ucndcz Feidnando-
s.m form \ SYNONYM for tuth.-Ccssc trying
You Will no: reed TIE riddle. though Do the best
you do.
There IS not much left OF St Valentines DAY
now The shops sell ready made mssivcs OF various
sorts which 1t Is generally under Ni"od are 70 ne III
RIM awuv before ts door can Dc opened, ana pcIhAp,
one of then and then. remembers the ola ulck "l
chalkng the likeness Of letter ~ We 'seilnE Vi o
stem from which it, is naturally dbcut - pcs u up.
ut such as the Observance j., long may IL H'sl anu
long NAV it be before the loving children OF ~ Val
entne forget him.