The times., 1897-02-12
ST. VALENTINES DAY.
JUNlUS HENRI BROWNE ON JOKES
AND LOvEMAKlNG.
He Thinks No Saints Are Needed to Slim
ulate Mating-Nature Provides at All
Hazards For That-The Question of Pop
ulation.
Copyright, 1896. by the Author.]

Copyright, 1885, by the Author.]
The origin of st. Valentines day is un-
certain. There are various and widely di-
vergent accounts of it, not one of them sat-
isfactory. But the custom of choosing
valentines, as it is called, has for ages
been confined to Feb. IA, which is sup
posed to be about the time of the year that
the birds choose their mates. In this coun-
try always and in different parts of Europe
the date is commonly marked, particularly
In oities, by the sending through the post
Of valentines, generally comic or satirio,
though often sentimental and of elaborate
design.
For weeks before the day these, exhibit
ed in the print sellers and booksellers win
dows, mostly attract the attention of chill
dren and half educated young persons, who
also form the bulk of their purchasers.
Many educated young men, and not few
who are not so young, buy the cheap, bur-
lesque, sarcastic valentines to send to their
acquaintanoes in order to crafty their
sense of fun. Our love of humor, our pas
sion for joking, may well be considered
national trait. We exceed all other ma
tions in this respect, and st. Valentines
day offers us very favorable opportunity
for it's indulgence. Indeed the day has
nearly lost on this side of the Atlantic its
once sentimental, romantic associations
Those who preserve them are, in the main,
but boys and girls of exceptional sensibil-
ity. The mass of people here pay no at
tention to the day, would not recognize it,
would never think of it, but for the pic
torial display in the shop windows.
Under the circumstances it would hard
ly be suspected that there could be demand
enough for valentines to insure coptinu-
ance of the trade. But the exact contrary
Is true, as the postal records show. The
letter carriers can scarcely get through
with their vastly increased deliveries Feb.
IA and 15, and each year these are larger
than they were the previous year. Who
sends all the valentines? Is an unanswer-
able question, but that an enormous and
steadily augmenting number is sent does
not admit of a shadow of doubt. This
would indicate-would it nota-that the
American habit of jesting grows with the
growth of the republic
ST Valentines day, whatever it may
have been, has long ceased to be employed
in an erotic or mating sense 1t may
we'll be questioned If one in two or three
hundred cases of acquaintance between
the sexes beginning through valentines
leads nowadays to marriage or to ensnar-
ing of the affections. Such ensnarement
Is constantly occurring, independent of
date, propriety or reason. Matrimony
thrives at all seasons in spite of prudence.
The fact Is that all days are st. Valen-
tines days and will be to the crack of
doom. We are continually hearing and
reading that marriage is diminishing
throughout civilization, and 1t undeniably
Is, not only in the old world, but in the
new. Marriage Is not the result of reflec-
tion. II 1t were, It would very rarely hap
pen, instead of happening always, as 1t
does when humanity is left to itself. Mar
riage Is, In a broad sense, an instinct, 40