Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-02-15
In nonor Of a Mnrirr.

Superstition is nearly as old rs man,
and that it exists now quite as strong,
though not as widespread as in the
early ages Of our world is proved by
the various rites and ceremonies prac.
ticed on certain days throughout the
year, says a writer in Table Talk.
Even those who ridicule them, vet
participate in them Gust for fun, "have
a lingering half-suspicion in their
minds that they might come true;"
especially is this the case when incli-
nation points the way. St. Valentine
Is the acknowledged patron saint of
lovers; and the peculiar customs con-
nected with the day were referred to
by writers nearly 500 years ago. The
st. Valentine, who suffered martyrdom
on the i4th of February, was one of
ffty-two saints of that name, but moth
Ing has ever been found in his life, or
IN the lives of any Of them, that would
give occasion for the singular observ-
ances of the day 1t has been main
tanned that it was an ancient custom
among the Romans during the Luper-
Gala, celebrated in the month of
February, for the boys and men to draw
the names OF their future wives in
honor OF their goddess, Februate Juno,
and that the Christian clergy finding
1t absolutely impossible to abolish this
heather practice changed it to o re-
ligious ceremony by writing on the
slips OF paper instead of the names of
women those of particular saints, whom
they were to follow and initiate during
the year. have been told the custom
still remains in the Roman Catholic
Church to select on St. Valentines
day patron saint for the ensuing
year.
1, In England, Scotland, France, and
some other parts of the continent it
was formerly the custom of the young
people to meet write each others, or
some of their acquaintance, names on
q slip OF paper, which were thrown in
to box from which they we're drawn,
the men taking the girls names and
vice versa. The person thus drawing
became one S valentine, and for O whole
year was bound to devote himself to
She one who drew him. Sometimes, of
COurse, this led to real engagements
between the parties, and often tricks
were played in such way that the
slips of paper fell into the hands thew
were meant for. During the fifteenth
century married people could be chosen
as well as those who were not married,
and often very valuable presents were
exchanged. 1t is recorded that the
Duke of York gave to lady who was
his valentine that year a Jewel worth
$500, and that the following year, hav-
ing been chosen by some one else, she
received ring worth e300.
In after years the word valentine was
transferred from the people to the
missives they sent. These missives,
instead OF being the fancy creations in
lace, satin and ribbons which we now
see, were selections of poetry, more or
less sentimental, ranging in style from
the rude couplet
"The r, Sc Is red, the violet blue,
The lily Is sweet and so are you,n
TO the more elegant quotations from
the poets These were copied on all
kinds of paper, plain or fancy, as suited
the taste OF the sender, were some
times accompanied by pen sketches of
two doves, lovers knots, cupids, and
other sentimental devices, and ad-
dressed to the beloved object, were
slipped under the front doors on the
morning Of St. Valentines day or sent
by mail. IN small towns they were left
with the postmaster, who was usually
the general storekeeper, to be deliv-
cred, without charge, to his customers
when they called for their mail OF
late years this pretty custom has been
brought into disfavor by the so-called
comic valentines, which are a disgrace
to the name, though they are used only
by the lower classes and occasionally
by mischievous children.
The valentines which are not comic
can be bought as low as cents, and
from that upward to as many or more
dollars, and some of them in the form
OF cards are really very pretty; but it
seems foolish waste Of money. A few
pennies spent to perpetuate an inno-
cent customis not so bad; but, for the
dollars, books, pictures, or some useful
article could be bought and sent as val
.entines, in place of those hideous and
useless combinations of laces and rib
bons which one does not know what to
do with. They are not even like Christ
mas and Easter cards some of which
are little works of art, and can be used
as book-markers and pasted in scrap
books to amuse children, but the valen-
tines are only dust-catchers whose final
destination is the a-h-barrel.