St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-28
MARRIAGE SANS LOVE
True Affection Not a Neces-
70 sary Adjunct to Modern
al5 Matrimony.
No Use for Valentines in These
Days, and the True Rea-
son Thereof.
soecial Letter to the Globe.

Special Letter to the Globe.
NEW YORK, Feb. 26.-The quiet and
unnoticed way in which St. Valentine
has passed by, and the very few records
which he left behind, make food for
grave reflection. Of course valentines
are no proof of tender feeling; why
should they convey more than the most
surface sentiments? But when we have
no time or inclination to trifle, it looks
as though we are becoming dreadfully
matter-of-fact doesn't it? A valentine
used to mean lover, and lover used
to mean heart that offered its affection
to another heart When both hearts
were fresh and young, the valentine
was the poetical expression Of honest,
spontaneous sentiments. In the days
of valentines love came first and mar
rage followed. The stories of those
days ended with marriage, so we don't
know if there's really
something in domestic doiugs
Which forms, in fact, true loves antithesis."
The stories of these days begin with
marriage, and love comes in afterwards,
but not between the right people. The
French have shown us that apparently
it is impossible for woman to gain
lover until she is handicapped with
husband-Only they don't consider this
husband an obstacle, but rather solid
human excuse and permission for the
lover. With the disappearance of the
valentine has come the disbelief in the
marriage for love, the worldly reslgna-
ton to the marriage Gle cOnyenance,"
and then ''Some take lover, some take
drains or prayers"
From the dull palace to the dirty howell
Some play the devil, and then write novel"
Not much to do with valentiones, you
will say. All, but it is ali part of the
same system. The valentine type of
love has gone out and the French novel
type has come i'll. Instead of sOnnets
we have sensational articles, with start
''rami de maison." In the performance
of "a Broken Seal' at Palmer's thea
ter, Broadway, this inevitable part of
French drama comes rather BADLY to
light, and critics are also murmuring
with diSSentnent voices at the way the
dramatist makes the priest break his
sacred VOW. One paper describes it as
'..bucketful of SORROW" but it is sor-
row artistically poured out. The scenery
is natural and refined; the dresses show
the most artistic idea of modern CO.'S
tumery. 500
Modern gowns are about to shake off
the severity which has been their lead
ing characteristic for so long. The .'for-
reau" gown has reigned sole queen of
Orr hearts for an unquesti0nably long
time, and it will be quite relief to see
the slightly draped skirts which we are
promised as spring style. The tight
fitting coat, buttohing up primly and
covering the upper portion OF the gown,
is another thing we must say goOd-by
to. The coat we are threatened with is
giddy. frivolous sort of a thing. which
|. will have no sleeves, back which will
be la Vatican, or with a flowing
Charles l. cape, a good deal of eecen-
tricity in the matter of revers, and gen
orally some sort of waiStband. Bodices
of different material to the rest of the
gown are certainly an economical as
| we'll as certain coming style. 1t is a
smart, jaunty style, and especially so
when it is made as a sleeveless casque,
as this one sent by Redfern.