New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-11
SOME VALENTINE DAY HINTS.
A HOUSE PARTY THAT COULD BE GIVEN IN
ALMOST ANY HOME.

ALMOST ANY HOME.
II was at house party in the country numoer OF
clever girls determined TO celebrate 81. valentine
Dav in fitting manner. so that each guest would
carry away particularly bright recoiiectioh OF 'ha'
ast evening as a climax OF the weeks fun
They were too far off 10 select souvenirs and mad
M time TO look up Observation-Disclosures, more
than half Of the charm would be In the originality:
SO they put their heads together and devised a
| scheme which tested their ingenuity TO some ex-
tent but promised az much pleasure in the prepara-
| ton as in the contamination.
| OF course there must be dancing. for what would
country house party be without dancing? So CO.
tlllon was decided upon offering the greatest held
for the exercise Of fancy The invitations were cards
| as are often used for informal dances but In the
| lower rght-hand corner were the words, ITO meet
your valentine" and the upper left was ornamen'ed
with tiny gilt device. either arrow. key or a
| clover leaf.
The next thing the programme was 10 provide
themselves with supply Of gilt paper. tinsel bells,
| gay ribbons, coraline and rhymes BY the tasteful
combination OF these numerous dainty favors were
made, all representing in some way one or other Of
the familiar symbols associated with the day. Those
skilled In the use Of the paint brush found their
services In great demand.
one plan that proved quite successful was tina. OF
writing valentines. using quotations from we'll
known poets and inc!osing them In sealed envel-
opes As these verses were generally of a sent-
mental nature and often addressed TO particular
hero or heroine. and therefore suitable only 10 a
particular type of person. the results OF indscrim
mate distribution OF them fav0rs afforded no lit
tie amusement. As they sealed and unad
dressed, responsible. and the remarks
were perfectly impersonal
While the girls were busy with the favors. clever
man of the party con,rved miniature pos,ofice In
the reception room. This was easily done by means
Of sing,ass and paseboard set a shelf Of light
pine. extending across the room abOu. three feet
ne a
dropped TO the floor, thus inclosing end of the
room. A postman was In charge 10 deliver the val
entiHes as the guests arrived.
There was a letter for each. but of course TO
be genuine ones valentine" true love- must
be n matter Of chance. when man appeared he
was asked to choose the number Of his box. This
he did. the little boxes being numbered and the
mail already arranged In each. He then received
the contents which envelopes one con-
tanning merely card with the name of young
quaint language Of the past. requesting her TO be
my valentine which, In other words, means his
partner for the cotillon.
To prevent confusion the girls did not draw for
valentines but were instead given a way TO ex-
DreSs some judicious sentiments on the subject.
Each one received large and very ornate heart
shaped card. on which were fastened three bits OF
ribbon. and by each OF these were written In gilt
letters TWO lines OF doeeerei hunted no doubt.
out Of some time-stained scTapbook The Mst
said:
II your hear, ne true
send back this bow Of Glue
The second:
Return me this bow OF yellow.
The third:
II the donor you viii wed,
Give him. then. this bow OF red.
The first favor figure furnished an occasion for
compIying with these rather startling requests, and
as every one entered into the game with the true
spirit of evening II occesioned no htte amuse-
ment.
Neither the young ladies' themselves nor any one
disc neing aware OF the identity OF the sender
there being in fact. one responsible except the
ent ert ainment committee for the whole matter
considerable range was allowed not only IN the
fancy Of expression but in the choice OF victims as
well ,-,-I,.. 49,
Some Of the male contingent were laVishIy deco
rated I'm rl-colored ribbons while one caliow youth
found himself representing study In scarlet
before he could prevail upon any one TO show him
one OF the omnous little hearts explaining me
mystery Needless say. his ardor was SIGNIFY
qucnched for time; however. he soon feco'ereu
from the shock $780, .u. a,,,os, for
,crten were revived for the occasion ana those
80 rtakinp of the nature Of games OF chance were
preferred so that there was little resemblance eN
cept in the dancing Itself. to the ordinary co''o"
OF to-day. . 1T, !, , -, 3D.. .y.r,rc NJ
~ IA 51stb or 18th and still be called Valentine
affair.