The herald., 1898-02-06
FOur-Year-Old CherubS as
USherS at Valentine
Reception.
SHOTS AT A RED HEART
Guests Names in Puzzle
Form Determine COtil-
lion Partners.

Iu6re is Just time between this Oat
and February fourteenth for the SO
cially inclined to issue invitations for
Valentine party. If the company is no
to be a very large one, there is ais
time TO design appropriate cards upol
which to inscribe the invitation. Hear
shaped foundations with Cupid's play
ing snatches of familiar love songs-th,
music of which MAJ be written out il
a couple of decorative bars-lover':
knots. wedding rings and. perha ps
bells, are all good schemes for such
an occasion. If, however, a party Of
thirty or forty is to be invited. it woult
be better to defer the arduous task OF
decorating cards. and to keep them foi
the evening when the great event oc-
ours.
Once the invitations are issued. the
prospective hostess may devote all her
time to preparations for the entertain
ment of her guests. and the more orig
inal ideas she can gather. and the more
unique, and at the same time appro-
PIRATE each form OF amusement may
appear. the better for her reputation
as a hostess.
One of the leaders of the social set in
this city has already planned cotil-
lion for the celebration Of the day. She
has chosen to make Cupid the theme
of decoration, and around him she will
weave all the variations of design
which her own and her friends inge-
nuity can devise. When her guests ar
rive. they will be admitted as usual, by
a colored porter. but on stepping in
side they will be greeted by Cupid him
self, who directs them. with the aid
of an arrow where to go to remove
their wraps.
Cupid, in this case. IS the hostess
little four-year-old daughter dressed in
flesh -cOlored tights and wings, and with
her cheI-ub face and curly head she
will look the part to perfection. Any
one who is not blessed with such a
daughter can usually borrow one from
friend. Indeed, for her chorus of six
Cupids, the clever hostess above men
toned has hired a half-dozen chubby
little five-year-olds from the mission
school. These she will clothe in pink
lights, with sash running from the
right shoulder and tying at the left hip,
ard from it will suspend a quiver of ar
rows She will personally train her inn
provised Cupids to sing a ravishing love
song appropriate to the occasion, at
stated intervals during the evening.
Appropriate Valentine cotillion favors
are boutonnieres of flowers whose sig
nflcance is explained on a tiny fold of
paper concealed between the blossoms,
which must not be opened until after
the partner is chosen and receives the
favor, whereupon he unfolds and reads
the words therein inscribed. to his own
satisfaction and perhaps to the confu-
sion of the fair donor. A pink carna-
tion, for instance, means a woman's
love. Cases have been known in which
such incidents as these were fraught
with the most fateful consequences. for
if the maiden happen to feel any of the
sentiments thus florally expressed,
here is danger that she may betray
4 e fact when suddenly confronted with
n chance coincidence.
{ )ne of the games which g. somewhat
;us gestive of the donkey party, is both
n1s lsing and exciting, for the winner
rot only receives prize. but also an as
,ural nee that she will be the first of the
.omu any to wed. 1t is played with tiny
,oys and arrows, which can easily be
made at home Only two bows are
needed one lOT FIlh Ilen ana one Tor
he wo men of the party. If nothing bet
.er can be found of which to make the
bows. r ieces of whalebone will serve
AS man arrows as there are guests
will he n eeded, and they may be made
INTO attr active souvenirs with a little
are in WI hitting and decora ting them
They are incest when made of wood
with strimys of hearts done i'm red ink
and the ii Initials or full name of the
guest for whom each is intended in
,cribed with lead pencil. If all the ar
-ows are not perfectly made, however,
t is better tt, leave them unlabeled, al
owing each to choose an arrow, upon
which the name may be written before
lsing. Each arrow is provided with a
hin at the enO which sticks to what
aver it strikes in the shape of a target !
The target in this case is a big, red |
neart cut from turkey red print and !
fastened on large sheet that is tackled |
q the wall. In this matrimonial contest |
.he Young women have the first trial /
Each one takes her turn, standing at a
distance of about six feet from the (
heart. and. after marking her arrow.
aims ii at the very center of the target
Aftor all have had a trial, the pune
tured heart is inspected and the one
whose arrow struck nearest to the CEN
Ter wins the prize as we'll as the con-
of her friends for being
The first prospective bride of the COM
pany.
The men next have am opportunity
10 test their craftsmanship in archery
, md matters of the heart If by anv
chance the winner on this side of the
rarty should happen to be Interested
in the prize girl in the contest, their
friends will find a great deal of amuse
1ent in the circumstance.
The real event of the occasion how
aver, is the choice of partners or Valen-
lines for the evening This is done Inv
ot or perhaps it would be more in
keeping with the spirit of the dav IA
saw "by fate" In a room adjoining
that in which the refreshments are
served there will be a large bowl filled
With, envelopes containing valentines
'or everybody. There will be pink en-
velopes for the girls, and white ones for
the men. Inside each envelope is a |
lard decorated With Cupids and other
overy-dovery things, and inscribed
with a puzzle or conundrum which
when guessed stands for the name of
some member of the party. After draw |
ng,% everybody begins to guess, and |
zach : man, upon discovering the fair
me eswhose name Is thus enignatically |