Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-14
VALENTINE 8 Day.
The Supply Of Cupid's MissiVes Was a
Little Short, at the POstOfiCe.
Still, Good Many Young Ladies
and Gentlemen Were Seen Hover
ing About the Government Build
ing, Last Evening, and 1t May be
There Will be Fair Supply To-
day-Something About the Saint.


AS u.s. perhaps, universally known, to-
day figures in the calendar Of Cupid as
sacred to ST Valentine.
Several young people Of an enquir-
ing turn Of mind have asked for infor-
nation concerning the Saint, how he
was chosen to bear messages between
bashful lovers, ETC.. and in answer to
the questions the following is submit
ted
Among the chief facts known con-
corning this fmous man is that he was
beheaded in the year 27O by order of
the Emperor Claudius. Why the ruler
OF the Romans should have killed Val
entine is not exactly clear; but you
know they chopped prophets heads off
in those days on very trifing pretexts.
Historians do not even agree as 10
the rank OF Valentine. Some contend
tnat ne was Bishop, while others hold
that ne was only Presbyter. Wheth-
er he was Of nigh rank or not he must
have been very popular, because he
was canOniZed soon after beng be-
headed nd he has been in high favor
ever &c, both in and out Of the
church. Possibly there is no other
Saint outside Of the Romish Church as
popular as this St. Valentine.
How st. Valentine came 10 be mixed
up in matters pertaining TO love and
matrimony is the question.
1t seems, however, that about the
time at which he figures most prom
inently the Church was trying to
break up the Pagan custom of mating
by ballot, as it were. The festival Of
Lupercalia occurs about the middle of
February, and one day was devoted to
matchmaking. Any unmarried wo-
man who so desired, or whose parents
SO desired, could have her name placed
in a box. The slips containing these
names were drawn out by unmarried
men who wanted wives. "A little naked
Cupid held watch and guard over the
box.
If a young man didn't like the girl
drawn he had the privilege Of trading
her off. It IS said tht there was much
trading. When fellow drew vixen
the Augurs told him that the powers
of the earth had directed his choice
and he was made to believe tht he was
! not in favor with the powers on high
Olympus. A small sum of money,
however, would enable him to place his
prize on the market, and if successful
in disposing of her he could try his
luck again the next year. In the mean
time he had to keep on the good side
of all the Pagan deities, especially those
whose domain was on top OF or above
the earth
The Church made war against this
custom, because it was thought to be
demoralizing At least it was contrary
to the doctrines and the policy Of the
Church. The custom, however, WAS SO
popular that it seemed well nish a
hopeless task.
1t was here that Valentine came in.
He argued that it were better to con-
troll bad custom than to fight 1t I'M
successfully. If it gould not be wiped
cut, let the Church appropriate it.
To this end it will be agreed that upon
the 14th of February a given number
of each sex should place in a box an
equal number of the opposite sex and
then draw from this. 1t appears that
the box or vessel was open. so there
would be no difficulty in selecting the
ballet desired At least it was so ar
ranged that the choosers could select
the one that he loved best
For devising this scheme Valentine
was canonized by lovers, and for this
his memory is still kept green.
Whether it was for this he was canon
lied by the Church or not is not shown
by history.
The dealers about the city report a
very fair demand for valentines this
year particularly in the finer sorts, pre-
sumably to be devoted to the legitimate
purposes OF the day, but enquiry at the
postoffice, last night, elected the in
formation that the number so far mail
ed was not up TO the average of other
years The collections of mails through
out the city Yesterday showed some in
crease in the number of letters, and
last evening good many large envel-
opes were dropped inatthe postofficeby
young ladies, who, for the most part,
called in twos and threes, and who evil
denced a most unaccountable DISPOSE
ton to giggle and laugh, while not a
few young men slipped silly into the
vestibule of the building and dropped
large square envelopes in TO the proper
receptacle. The comic" valentine
that abOmination of the age and times
appears to have met with q decidedly
smaller demand this year, and it would
be a blessing if 1t could be effectually
squelched altogether. For a burlesqu5
of caricature and bad taste run to seed.
the comic" valentine easily holds first
place.