The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-14
ST Valentines Day.

This day Of the year, Feb. IA, is nominally
devoted to the memory of a charitable, be-
nignant old bishop who, blessed with
persuasive tongue, used it to convince the
pagan of the error of his ways. For his
good works he was cauonized. after he had
been cruelty martyred. The connection be-
tween Cupid and this good old prelate is not
clear, but explanations have not been lack
ing. Ths most reasonable one is found in
the spirit of Cancellation that led the early
Christian fathers to ingraft pagan celebra-
tions upon the simplicity of the Chris
tan worship, finding in the heathen merry
making inaugurased in honor OF the gods a
good reason for continuance in commemora-
ton Of the birth or death of newly can
onized saints.
The festival Of st. Valentine doubtless
| came about that way, and grew up with
the country" changing with the character
| of the people and the times. In very early
days in England it was the custom to send
"valentines" on Feb 14-usually a bit Of
| verse breathing more or less warmly the
thoughts of a basbful, love- sick swain who
| lacked the courage of words.
The evolution of ST. Valentines was
gradual, but always on the down grade, un-
til at the present day bit OF bright,colored
cardboard with fringe of paper lace and a
more or less bad verse. is the highest tribute
paid the occasion. and the chief devotees of
the old saint are found among girls
and boys just growing out of the Santa
Claus period and not yet Cupid's legitimate
quarry.
| One thing that has fastened the fall of
| st. Valentines day from Its former high
standing among festivals is the comic val
entine That nightmare i'll color and horror
in doggeral is the chief feature of the mod
ern day, to the disgust of the thousand and
and one persons who will this Iuorn-
ing break seals or neat envelopes, only
to dash their contents into the CRATE, with
more or less highly dashed remarks
Nobody is safe from the comic valentine
1t comes, not like a thief in the night, but
boldly by the front door. aud filings its in
suits into the receivers teeth shocks his ar
tistic sensibilities and spoils his breakfast.
| Everybody gets them; everybody has an
enemy and everybody's enemy is at perfect
liberty to wreak tue dIres5 vengeance by
sending her or him a comic valentine
They are all libes, but no court will hold to
that effect. so the only thing to be done is to
get even by returning the compliment, and
mail the enemy an even more hideous carl
cature of picture, if it can be found.
The New York World is authority for
the statement that in the event of the demo-
cratic national convention dropping all con-
siderGtion of New York candidate there
are nine other gentlemen in the United
States who could carry New York for the
democracy. The following are named as
the men: Gov. Horace Boies, of Iowa !;
Gov. Robert E. Pattison, of Pennsylvania;
Senator John Nj. Palmer, of Illinois; Sena-
tor John G. Carlisle, of Kentucky; Chief
Justice Melville w. Fuller, of Illinois
Senator Arthur P. German, of Maryland;
Gov. William E. Russell, of Massachusetts,;
Gov. Isaac P. Gray. Of Indiana, and Gov.
Leon Albeit, of New Jersey.