Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1896-02-13
VALENTINE DAY,
Some Interesting Facts In Regard to tho
observance Of This Holiday

VALENTINE DAY.
Some Interesting Facts In Regard to tho
Observance Of This Holiday.
The 18th day of February popularity
known as st. Valentines doy, is re-
r,arkable as being festiva! which has
10 connection with the one from whom
it takes it's name. There is more than
one saint of that name, but in all the
;egenGs connected with them there is
70 trace of the practice peculiar to the
lay. Bishop Valentine, with whom the
day is most generally connected, was
lnartyred at Rome, in the third CEN
fury, being first beaten with clubs and
then 5eheaded. The greater part of his
-emains are preserved in the church of
st. Praxedes, at Rome, where ga tie
now*tne Porta del Popolo-was former
~ named from him Porto Valentino"
1t IS most probable that the custom
may have descended to us from the
ancient Romans, who, during the Luz
perca!ia celebrated in the month of
February used to put the names of
young women into box, from which
they were drawn by the men as chance
directed. With the advent Of Christian
'ty, thus pagan custom survived in COM
mon with many others, and the church,
finding it impossible to extirpate it,
gave it religious aspect. The names
OF the certain saints were substituted
for those of the women, and the one
which was drawn became the patron
saint for that year, and was termed
Valentine" From this the custom adj
vanced until it became an annual fes-
tjval, generally celebrated in England,
Scotland, and in different parts of the
continent of Europe, particularly Lor.
raine and Maine in France.
On :he eve of St. Valentines dav a
number of young people would assem-
BILE together and inscribe on little bill
let's the names of an equal number of
{.laids and bachelors of their acqua;nt-
ance, throw the whole into a recep-
.acle of some sort and then draw them.
~ lot, care of course being taken that
each should draw one of the opposite
Sex, tne person thus drawn becoming
a valentine for a year. It naturally
followed that the young men would feel
i incumbent to give his valentine
present, which she reciprocated with
4ower, or some such token Up to the
18th century it was customary for both
sexes to make each other presents. but
Iatterly the obligation was restricted
to young men.
All this, of course, has nothing to do
with the martyred Bishop Valentine.
or any other of that name; but it really
makes no difference, since the day has
greatly degenerated from it's former
observance. With tie introduction of
so-called comic" valentines. the dav
lost caste.
V A comic valentine is usually nothing
out gross libel, couched in coarse
Lyme, and no sensible person will
send one under any circumstances. The
practice is not witty, and can accom-
plish no good purpose. There are, to be
sure, very pretty and appropriate val
entinss, which may be sent with pro-
priety, and which are received with
pleasure; but even here the custom has
received a setback, since there is a
tendency to make the valentines so !
costly that maay people who cannot
afford to compete with other and rich
81 friends do not send valentines at
all, @
The day is interesting, however. as
a survival of q very ancient festival.
and it will doubtless survive for many
,-ears in modiAsd form. OF late the
custom is growing of substituting i:ttle
gifts such as gloves, ribbons and other
articles dear to the feminine heart. for
the printed cards. and in time to come
we may see something like another
Christmas or New Years day. At pres
ent its observance can be made cheer,
inl or. otherwise, according to the good
taste OF the observer, and it is hoped
that no self-respecting boy or girl will
take advantage Of the day to wound
an enemy or insult friend. Goldep
Days. ~; IN.