The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-02-09

1t has been comparatively but a
short period of time since the cele
bration of st. Valentines day in
England AID Scotland, and on the
continent, partook largely of the
features of the old Roman festival
of the Lupercalia. On Valentine
eve the young unmarried folks
would assemble together and in
scribe upon billets the names of an
equal number of each sex, one
name on each paper. The names
OF the bachelors we're placed in one
box and .those.of the maids in an
other. Each person was then re-
quired to draw q name of the
opposite sex, and the person thus
drawn became..one's valentine. A
bachelor was bound to the service
of his valentine for the space of
one year. OF course, by that
method, one not only drew val
entine but was also drawn by some
one else. Nilsson, however, ob-
serves that man generally stuck
faster to the one he had drawn
than to her who had drawn him.
These imaginary engagements
often led to real ones, familiarity
breeding love instead of contempt.
*&
The festival of St. Valentine has
almost ceased to have the graceful
symbolic meaning of former years.
Those who seem to be always on
the ookout to profane a sacred or
delicate subject have not omitted
the opportunity lto ridicule St.
valentine and his doings. The
sacred instincts of love are pushed
aside to. N AXE room for the unfeel-
ing caricaturist. A male or female
figure is shown in some ridiculous
attitude and underneath will ap-
pear a burlesque verse or two.
The birds and flowers, bow and
arrows, pierced hearts, winged
cupids and other emblems ofAlove
have almost disappeared. In their
place is a mass of rubbish, Otter
verging upon the insulting, which
is fast becoming nuisance. Il
reminds one, more than aught else.
of a delicate flower dropped upon,
and disappearing beneath, the
Shiny ooze of sewer.
"Hail to thy returning festival
old Bishop Valentine" exclaim!
Charles Lamb. ssGreat is thy
name in the rubric, thou venerable
Archflamen of Hymen! Immorta
Go between; who and what name
of person art thoul Thou comes
with thousands and ten thousand
of little Loves, and the air is
Brushed with the hiss of rustling wings
Singing Cupids are they chorister
and thy precentors.
The little maid who dances VI
and down the room, upon the re
ciept of her first valentine, NJ
doubt thinks the venerable ol'
Bishop a wonderful saint. He
valentine has drawn a wonderful
heart, which is duly pierced will
an equally wonderful arrow, ant
underneath he has inscribed, il
somewhat struggling characters i
is true, but with an undispute'
earnestness, the following doggerel
The rose is red,
The violets blue,
| Sugar is sweet,
And so are you.
She shows it to you, very cou
tiously, and henceforth it is one O
her cheifest treasures. Boun'
about with bit of bright ribbon i
becomes one of collection, NOR
precious than gold, which sh
boards with scrupulous care unit
life has reached it's limit and she i
bound about with her grav
clothes.
, There is an old song called Low
, on the Brain. This song assever
: ates, with startling distinctness
1 IN oft repeated chorus, that every
Y body is troubled once with that di
: sease. Son never survive. 9th
. ers, although they may recover, ar
e married for life. 1t is safe to sa
f that no man lives who has not, a
, some period of his existance, fel
1. L - -. =