The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-13
A SAINT GONE BY DEFAULT.

| Tomorrow is St. Valentines day. A
good old saint he was, with proper idea
| for the fitness of things, that he arranged
| to suffer his martyrdom just at a season
when blushing love is budding and the
young mans fancy lightly turns TO
thoughts of love.
But Valentine day, not the day, but the
observance, is dying. 1t must be. Every
body says so.
But better proof still-the shop windows
are no more gaily stored with the wealth
of commercial love messages-pink cards
with superstructure of fiimsy paper
laces-deep. deep within the centera paper
nosegay, beneath whose motley charms,
rests the billet doux, printed to be sure.
but enhanced invaluably by the emotion
that prompts it.
Shakespeare wrote of St. Valentines
day. So long has it been observed. But
today il is dead. In the back of the store,
and the questionable part, are couple
of trays for those who still cling disconso-
lately to the custom, full of these tender
love messages of the poetaster-
There is no other mortal to me but her
And ] have no other worshipper.''
st. Valentines day dies from common
fate-the American failing for derision.
1t has endured for centuries,
year after year, an occasion for
battle of affectiOnate epigrams between
the lovers of English-speaklng communi-
ties. The American wit introduced the
comic valentine-a communication, not of
affection and flattery, but of ill-will and
criticism, five for nickle. This was one
extreme. Extravaganza followed. The
10 cent message, cheap Of course intrin-
sically, but rich with the sender's passion,
was superseded by the sybaritic, sachet
powdered, silkened eDistle of love-S20.
This was the other extreme. Sentiment,
frail and delicate at best, naturally sue
cumbed.
In few years the custom will have been
dropped entirely Even now it is the old
man, caught III net of early remenl-
berances and jeweled memories, who is
first among the decimated following of the
good old custom. Theyoung man of today
has no rhyme for his mistress-but calls
in the evening with box of bon-bons in
stead
With the old lover of today when he
dies, will die st. Valentines day. The old
lover-there are many of him, cannot
break loose from the practices of his day,
now Anticipated. And after all there is
something inexplicably admirable about
the old mans love. 1t is true, sincere,
devoted, passionately tender. Not So the
young mans fitful calenture, as perisha
bic as his bon-bons.
And touching upon this why do young
men die, and old men fall in love?
According to Jean LIE Maire-an old
poet,-Love, with his bandaged eyes, was
flying homeward one day, when he chanced'
to stumble against Death, whose
sombre wings also were lifted in flight.
This collision called forth some
angry words; but presently the mood of
the two wranglers softened, and they
stopped at tavern to drink and make
merry. Here as the wine warmed their
blood they began to talk loudly of their
prowess. Love boosted of fine hundreds
he had driven mad-Death of the hundreds
she had laid low by her invincible might.
AT last mine host, tired OF these tipsy.
noisy guests, turned them both out of
doors.
In the confusion of the moment Love
and Death exchanged bows and arrows. 1t
may be imagined what mischief ensued.
Love, aiming as usual at the young, was
astonished to see them fall dead at his
feet; while Death, regarding the
old as his lawful prey, found
that she was impelling them toward the
marriage altar, instead of the tomb. The
whole world seemed in danger of being
turned topsy-turyy, when Venus appealed
to Jove to set the matter right. He sum-
moned Love and Death, and, after lectur-
ing them upon the evil of their ways, gave
them each a new bow. Commanding them
to lay aside the ones that had been inter
changed
Love and Death solemnly promised to
obey: but still at times, they cannot re-
sist the temptation to use the borrowed
bows
"And this is the reason" adds the poet,
that yonng men die and old men fail in
love"