Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09


cord, as follows, her Valentine vigil!
Last night was Valentine day, and the
night before 1 got five bay leaves and
pinned four of them to the four corners
of my pillow, and the fifth to the middle;
and then, if ] dreamt of my sweetheart
Betty said we should be married before the
year was out. But to make 1t more sure,
boiled an egg hard, and took out the YORK.
and filled it with salt; and when went 10
bed ate 1t, shell and all, without speaking
or drinking after It, l also wrote my low
ers' names upon bits of paper and rolled
them up in clay, and put them into water,
and the first that rose up was to be my
valentine"
The quaint young maiden that bravely
swallowed her thirsty portion in order to
raise the vision of bonny lover has with,
cred into a crumpled dame in cap and
spectacles, but she lovingly boards her
treasure of the pasta copy of verses yell
low with age, oddly illuminated with
from across the sea to show that he had
kept his faith with her though oceans
rolled between them.
Romance of the Day.
Long, long ago, before the valentine had
become conventionaliZed, very costly gifts
were used as tokens on Cupid's feast day.
For instance, the ruby cut in the form CT
a heart, which the brave smith OF Perth
wrought for his adored Catherine. This
rare gem was transfixed with golden
arrow and inclosed in a small purse made
of the finest work in linked steel, eft for a
kings hauberts.
the days when valentines were in favor.
One of the loveliest of these is faint
reverberation from the battle of Water
loo Those who We're examining the dead
he HIATT fol- q
shot through the heart; the fatal bullet
had also pierced a little parcel. consisting
of delicate handkerchief and tress of
long golden hair, folded in what once had
been a valentine.1 They knew nothing of
the history connected with the blood-stain-
ed love tokens, but they felt that their
dismal tidings would reach. somewhere, a
girlish heart racked with suspense, would
stain with grieving tears fair young
face-and they tenderly replaced the valen-
tine on the heart that would never again
b. moved by joy or sorrow.
Another pretty legend is the pet posses
SIGN of a family of colonial ancestry 1t
relates to one of those apparitions that,
like the grandsire's portraits. should grace
La Rochefoucauld with the hooking COM
parison for his famous epigram: True
love is like apparitionS; many have heard
of them, but few have seen them"
Many years ago, in old Virginia, beautiful
Mildred Martin had two suitors; and,
though neither had declared himself to
one, Jack Randof, she had given, wholly
and fervently, her warm, loving heart. On
Saint Valentines morning she received two
missives, one of which conveyed in unmis-
taxable language an offer of marriage. AS
the writing was evidently disguised, accord
ing to the custom of valentines there arose
the troublesome question, Was it from the
one she secretly favored? After much de-
liberation, she wrote an acceptance of the
proposal, and pretty little note in answer
to the less ardent missive, but sealed them
IztI Iofn CHI nd or
from this arose one of life's sad little
'.mght have beenS.'
The delighted lover fastened the mar
riage, but Mildred seemed listless rather
than happy. AS they drove from the
church, the bridegroom whispered, holding
her hand in his: Il may venture to tell you
a secret now, my darling. 1 never proposed
to you at all it was Jack I did not do SO.
because 1 fancied you liked him best
Poor Jack! His disappointed heart soon
laid down it's load of grief forever. Poor
Mildred, She was n kind, faithful wife,
but she could not quite forgive her .hus-
band for accepting as his own her mlsdl-
rected valentine.
A Buried Love.
The years glided on. In Mildred's girl
hood home, far from her later one, an
other generation was budding, and enc
memorable February a jolly house party
had assembled there for the pre-Lenten
gayeties Soon after midnight of Saint
Valentines day a piercing shrek was
heard from the room that was our hero
ines before her marriage, but which was
now occupied by her nameSake, a debu-
tante Mildred: The aroused household was
soon at hand, and found Mildred junior
sitting upright in the high, Old-faShioned
bed, looking out from behind the carved
pests and rich, though faded hangings,
with a wild terror. In answer to bewil-
dered inquirers she gave recital which
vas received with incredulous comments.
Il had climbed into bed" she said. "and
was drowsily watching the fiickering lights
cast on the walls by the waning fire, when
1 suddenly felt impelled to look at the
dressing table. 1 drew back the curtains,
which hid the dressing table from me- and
there, leaning over it as If searching for
Something, was a slender little woman in
a long green velvet cloak and a green vel
vet bonnet of strange fashion. Then 1
became aware of phantom mist, which
Wavered about the little figure, and cried
out with horrid, creepy terror"
After many joking illusions to plum
pudding dreams, and the detail of q maid
to guard Miss Mildred's slumbers, quiet
was restored But the next morning at
breakfast a telegram was received an
nouncing that the Aunt Mildred had died
at midnight!
A few months after her death a secret
drawer was discovered in the dressing
table 1t contained Jacks valentine, dim with
the tears that had fallen upon It, and
miniature of Mildred as a grim a green
velvet Cloak and queer green bonnet
which Jack had once possessed, but which
had been returned to her when he died.
The traditions of the February saint have
faded now. Maidens no longer watch with
pit-a-patting hearts for an over-burdened
postman; hoping wooers do not now rise
early like the mating birds, and await the
enclosing of their true loves window. On
the contrary, the modern wooer, thorough
ly aware of his value in the matrimonial
market, saunters carelessly on, utterly re-
CARELESS Of romance and hearts,
To Finish in Unison.